Mc PHERSON'S
P R I N T I N G G R O U P
Preparing high-resolution files for conventional printing
McPherson’s Printing Group has several recommendations that should be followed when preparing high resolution files for conventional printing. These recommendations ensure not only that the files will be us able, but will also provide the customer with the optimum reproduction of their printed job.
This document provides information on printing requirements for images, embellishments and fonts when creating files in native applications; and how to create a high resolution PDF file for use at McPherson’s Printing Group (MPG).
Images
Colour images need to have a resolution of 300dpi for all contone images.
Remember placing a 300dpi image into a document and then enlarging the proportions of the image, will effectively decrease the resolution of the final image. This effect may not be noticeable when viewing the file on the monitor or a laser copy print out, but it will be noticeable in the final printed product.
The examples below show how the image resolution will effect the final printed product.
High resolution 300 dpi colour image Low resolution 72 dpi colour image
Grayscale images need to have a resolution of 300dpi for all contone images.
The same rules apply to grayscale images as they do to colour images. The one exception is that MPG recommends setting minimum highlight and maximum shadow points (endpoints) to specified values in order to get the optimum printed result. This rule only applies to grayscale images used on the text/
illustration pages of a job. We will still be able to print from your files even if you do not wish to use this recommendation. See the following table for MPG endpoint setttings.
High resolution 300dpi grayscale image
Line drawings need to be reproduced as bitmap images with a resolution of 1000dpi.
If there are no shades of gray used in the image it should not be saved as a grayscale image. By saving the image as a bitmap the edges of the image will be clearly defined giving a sharper final printed result. As there are no gray pixels to smooth out the edges, the image needs to be saved at a much higher resolution. This will create more pixels spread over the image and make the bitmap effect less obvious to the eye.
Compare the two examples below in order to illustrate the improvement that is achieved by using a higher resolution.
300dpi bitmap 1000dpi bitmap
MPG endpoint settings Stock Sheetfed
highlight Sheetfed shadow Web
highlight Web shadow
Art paper 3% 95% – –
Econo/prec 3% 85% 3% 85%
Creamy/bulky 3% 85% 3% 85%
Embellishments
Foiling, embossing, spot UV and other embellishments should all be treated with the same rules. The files need to be set up as either bitmap files (as per the information above) or as vector based files.
A vector based file is simply a file made up from a series of vector points and does not use pixels. This type of file is typically made in a drawing application such as Adobe Illustrator. If you change the view mode to outline (Illustrator), you will be able to see the outline of the vector object.
A vector based graphic is not affected by resolution as it does not use pixels.
Vector files provide the optimum reproduction for embellishments as they can be scaled easily with no adverse effects due to resolution changes.
Outline preview
1000dpi bitmap Vector
Step 1: Create an individual separation for each embellishment to be used in the job. These can be set up by creating a custom spot colour named as the appropriate embellishment (e.g. a separation named foil and another named emboss, effectively adding two extra
‘colours’ to the job).
Step 2: Embellishments need to be set to overprint in the document. Never
Fonts
Native files: if you are preparing a native file to send to MPG, you need to ensure all fonts used in the job are sent with it. This can be done using a feature that is common in most applications, known as package (Inde sign) or collect for output (Quark). By using this function you can collect all the fonts, images and required files for MPG to be able to process the job.
You can access this function through the file menu of your native application.
Step 1: Go to File–Package (Indesign) and ensure you select the options shown below. This will gather all the required files into a folder that can be saved to any location you choose.
Step 2: Once you have created the folder it should be compressed (create a zip file etc) if it is going to be transferred via FTP to MPG. This will protect all the files in the folder from possible corruption that can occur during the transfer process.
PDF files: to create a high resolution PDF file you need to ensure all fonts are embedded in the PDF document.
Step 1: Select the embed all fonts option in the PDF settings. MPG would prefer if the fonts were not subset although this will not stop us from processing your file.
Note: If you have any fonts listed in the never embed window, these fonts will not be embedded in the document, even though you have selected embed all fonts. MPG requires all fonts used in the job to be embedded from your computer, even if they are common system fonts.
Copy fonts Copy linked graphics
Update graphic links in package Include fonts & links from hidden & on-printing layers
Creating PDF files for print
In order to create an optimum PDF file for processing at MPG, you should use the Adobe PDF preset High Quality Print.
This setting will create a PDF file that is print ready, but does rely on you setting up the original file correctly. All colours used in the job should be correct to the quoted production method of your job. If the job is to print in CMYK the job should be created using CMYK colours. If it requires spot colours save the colours as spot. By doing this you will not need to use colour management when creating a PDF file, therefore avoiding any unexpected colour conversions/reproduction.
Although the Adobe PDF preset High Quality Print, will produce a PDF file, there are some minor adjustments that can be made in order to maximise the effectiveness of the PDF that is supplied to MPG.
Marks and Bleeds
There is no requirement to supply trim marks on your PDF file. The original document should be created at the required trim size. If you would like to include trim marks, only select crop marks and set the offset to 7mm. This will ensure the trim marks do not impinge on the bleed of the document.
The document should be created with 5mm bleed wherever bleed is required.
If this is correct in the document set up, you can simply check the Use Document Bleed Settings box. If there is any doubt you should manually enter 5mm into the bleed setting boxes. Please note that by default, bleed is turned off, if your document requires bleed, you will have to make this adjustment to the PDF preset.
Advanced
Fonts will automatically be embedded, which is a requirement for all PDF files processed at MPG, however they will be subset.
Subsetting will not effect the processing of the PDF file at MPG, however it will restrict the editablity of the file when typo corrections are requested. If you change the percentage value in the Subset fonts when percent of characters used is less than input box to zero, then all fonts will be embedded. This will allow minor type corrections to be done to this PDF file.
Please contact your account manager if you have any concerns or questions.
