Prepress Tips

Optimizing your files for professional printing

The Midlands Printing prepress staff looks forward to working with you, to achieve the highest quality job quickly and smoothly. As always, we will work with you to make just about any file print the way you like; however, any intervention time will be an additional charge.

It is best to build pages/documents in page layout programs such as Quark or InDesign, placing the art files in those program files. Following is a list of tips to make your job print better and keep your cost down.

• Provide a hard copy laser print of the final file (if applicable).
• Send all the fonts used. If applicable, send screen and printer fonts. We can use True Type & Open type fonts on the PC.
• Adobe open fonts are used cross platform, but some fonts can not be embedded, even in PDF’s.
• Do not use “styles” for fonts in the application. If the font does not have a bold or italic version, it will not print that way on our Postscript 3 system.
• Vector based files can have the type converted to outlines to eliminate fonts, but will also eliminate our ability to edit text.
• Include all imported images and links with the files sent, even if the files have been embedded.
• All color documents and/or imported color files should be CMYK or PMS spot color (not RGB, as the change from RGB to CMYK can shift colors).
• CMYK images should not be used in a spot color job.
• Delete unused colors from the color palette in your application.
• Scans and non-vector based art should be 300 DPI resolution at the placed size (for best results).
• Remove all unused text or graphics from the pasteboard outside the document image area.
• Keep text and objects not to be trimmed no closer than 3/16” from the actual trim.
• Items that print to the trim (bleed) should extend 1/8” past the trim.
• Do not “float” your document on an oversized page.
• When more than one fold is used, such as in a tri-fold brochure, the panel sizes will reduce as the folds accumulate.
• Do not use MS Word or MS Office programs for color printing.

Please call if you have any concerns about this information or would like help in working with your file. You may call your Midlands Printing sales representative at 402-537-1965.