From web to print: Advice?
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- fetus
I'm a web designer and I've landed my first print job. If anyone could offer any advice, I would love it! Advice, links, tips, whatever
I currently use Illustrator and Photoshop. I used Quark in college; It was a really terrible app. Should I bother with Indesign or can I get by with Illustrator?
Thanks All!
- akrokdesign0
if you do 1 page or a spread you could. but if its more, use indesign.
- THA0
Forget Quark. InDesign is the way to go for pg heavy projects.
- monospaced0
If you keep it simple, InDesign should be no problem for you to learn and use.
- fetus0
Ok - glad to hear that Quark is out. Is there anything about the print process that should affect the way I design or what I deliver? Final product is a full-color, tri-fold brochure. The printer wants a PDF or Indesign file. I just don't want to waste the printers time (or screw my deadline) by having to do 10 proofs!
But maybe I'm just making this a bigger deal than it is :]
- _salisae_0
your files need to give instructions as clearly as possible. delete unnecessary color swatches and fonts. label your layers. make sure your document is in cmyk. print it out and write instructions on it to send to the printer.
- _salisae_0
pulling bleeds – if anything in your design touches the edge of the paper where the trimmer makes his cut you need to extend the image across in your file because the cut made is not going to be exact every time. it may be cut a little one way or the other so you pull a bleed of about a sixteenth of an inch to provide leniency.
- monospaced0
Output High Quality or Press Ready PDFs (but do your research) if they ask for them. As _salisae_ said already, get used to working in CMYK—from the beginning— and possibly venture into the world of spot colors and the drama of printing and production.
Printed type can go pretty small and be readable. Don't be scared of small type. Oh, and uncoated stock is a good thing.
- utopian0
Adobe InDesign Basics
- fetus0
Gotcha - I knew what bleeds were, just not familiar with "pulling" them.
Thanks for your help- I refer it to "setting" my bleeds, but I make up my own terms.monospaced
- _salisae_0
oh right – make sure your images are 300dpi if possible and don't stretch them. they need to be @ 100%.
- fetus0
>> possibly venture into the world of spot colors and the drama of printing and production.
>> uncoated stock is a good thing.These are the things I'm scared of! I have a bit of research to do - thanks
- ukit0
-Realize that colors will look far different printed than on screen.
-Convert all fonts to outlines.
-Make sure to see a proof. Double and triple check spelling etc.
-Pray that nothing horrible happens.
- converting all type to outlines is not necessary, and can sometimes make a sloppy file.monospaced
- I agree. Outlining fonts is probably a safer bet if you're creating print artwork on a PC.MrT
- _salisae_0
and when you look at your proofs you want to check it throughly for missing letters and alignment. when you go to the printer you will work with them to get your colors right and test how the ink sets in the paper you've chosen.
- I'm working with a printer that in across the country. Think that'll be a problem?fetus
- not necessarilymonospaced
- PonyBoy0
if at all possible give all hi res RGB files to someone who understands proper CMYK conversion... especially 4 color black output etc
- _salisae_0
and above all, hire a consultant to review your files and someone else to handle the production.
- monospaced0
Communicate with the printer as early as possible. They can be the most helpful when executing any print job.
You probably aren't dealing with spot colors right away, but the Help within the Adobe applications is actually pretty helpful. Paper choice is important, and I'm sure you can learn a lot from us bastards about that if you snoop around here. Good luck.
- spot colors are special things right? I don't think I'll be using any for just regular CMYK, AFAICTfetus
- gramme0
Sound advice here. I can't add much to what salisae, monospaced and other said above.
Consider the possibilities allowed by your budget in terms of paper color & finish; special printing techniques; learn about coatings. Always attend a press check if you can.
Use your programs in the ways they were primarily made for, and thus maximize your workflow: for page layouts, use InDesign; for logo and illustration work, use Illustrator; Photoshop is obvious. This is speaking for print of course, things are different when designing for web. Some people swear by designing one page layouts in Illustrator; but Illy lacks the full type control that InDesign was made for. Anything primarily typographic and/or or page-heavy should be done in ID.
NewPage Paper has these Ed Series, find them and read them. Tons and tons of practical advice about printing.
- fetus0
Thanks for all your help everyone
- akrokdesign0
bleed means, over the trim area. (the cut) usually 1/8 but its all depends on your printer. you can always ask them.
- fetus0
Noobie's back - Do I need to plan for my design to fit nicely within a certain paper size? (e.g. A1, A2, etc) Should the printer assist me with that?