Print Specifications for Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, QuarkXPress
General Specifications:
- We prefer the original native file, along with fonts, links and pictures in separate folders.
- We also accept a print-quality PDFs or Illustrator EPS files:
- embed all fonts in PDF files and outline all type in EPS files;
- be sure your file names end in a .pdf or .eps extension, depending on the file type.
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Adobe InDesign
Creating a PDF file:
Choose File => PDF Export Presets => {Print} and name the file.
In the Export PDF dialogue box under the General tab, select Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3) for Compatibility. Under the Compression tab, make sure the Color and Grayscale images will not be downsampled more than 300 pixels per inch. For Monochrome Images, select Do Not Downsample.
Click Export.
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Adobe Illustrator
Creating a EPS file:
Select all type and go to Type => Create outlines. This will render the type so you cannot change it.
Select File => Save As and choose EPS as file format. Check Embed Pictures and linked files.
Creating a PDF (OSX) file:
Select File => Save As and choose Adobe PDF (.pdf) as file format.
Click Save.
In the Adobe PDF Options box click the General tab. Choose Acrobat 4.0 (PDF 1.3) for Compatibility and Check "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities". Under the Compression tab, make sure the images are compressed no more than 300 dpi and the monochrome images are compressed no more than 1200 dpi. Under Security, make sure the "Require a password" option in NOT checked.
Click Save PDF.
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QuarkXPress
In Quark 5.X or 6.X, you can export your file to PDF by choosing File => Export => Layout as PDF.
At the bottom of Export as PDF dialogue box, click Options. Click on Job Options tab.
Embed All Fonts. For color and grayscale images, make sure compression in not below 300dpi. For monochrome images, select Keep Resolution.
Click OK and save the PDF.
In Quark 4.X, you will need to print a Postscript (PS) file. (This process applies to most other layout programs as well.)
Select File => Print
Click Printer, select File as the Destination and click print.
Open Adobe Acrobat Distiller and set Job Options to Print.
Go to Setting => Job Options. Under the General tab, select Acrobat 4.0 (PDF 1.3). Under the Compression tab, make sure the images are compressed no more than 300 dpi and the monochrome images are compressed no more than 1200 dpi. Under the Fonts tab, check Embed All Fonts. Click OK.
Go to File => Open and choose the PS file that you just made and save the PDF.
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Using Images:
Photographs
All Images used in your file must be grayscale, 300 dpi tiffs and displayed no larger than 100%.
Scanning photographs:
If you need to scan any photographs for your file, determine the dimensions you will need it to be before scanning.
Scan the image at 300 dpi RGB and a slightly larger size than you will need it to be.
Open the scan in Adode Photoshop or another photo editing program.
In Photoshop, go to Images => Image Size and check the resolution and size. The resolution must be 300 dpi and the size should be the dimensions you need it to be in the file or slightly larger.
Go to Images => Mode and change the file to Grayscale and adjust the levels in Image => Levels AND/OR Image => Curves.
Line ART
All line art (images with not gray in them, like all black and white logos and text images) must be EPS files or 600 dpi bitmapped TIF files.
Scanning line ART:
If you are scanning line art, scan at 600dpi RGB.
Open the scan in Adobe Photoshop or other photo editing program.
In Photoshop, go to Image => Image Size and check the resolution and size. The resolution must be 600 dpi and the size should be dimensions you need it to be for the print job or slightly larger.
Go to Image => Mode and change the color first to grayscale then go to Image => Mode and change to Bitmap.
From the list of options, make sure the output is 600 dpi, and choose "50% Threshold" as Method.
Save the image as a TIF file.
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