Pre-press Tips
The guidelines listed below will help ensure the successful flow of your job from our receipt to output on the press. If you have any questions regarding these guidelines, please contact J&P Graphics’ Pre-Press department.
Pre-flight of files:
Upon receipt of your electronic files, we perform an examination of them to determine if any existing formats may cause problems when the file is processed for press output when no potential problems are found, the job will proceed to the proofing stage. If only a minor problem is found, and we can make necessary adjustments easily and quickly, (less than 15 minutes, approximately) we will do so and your job will proceed. If problems exist that will take more time, we will contact you with a report of the problem files and an estimate of the time involved to make the necessary adjustments. You can decide at this time if you prefer to fix the files or have us do it.
Laser Printouts:
We want to ensure our proof matches what you intended. Please send us a “hard copy” of your job. A Color Proof is ideal for color jobs.
Document Setup:
Set up your document at actual “trim” size, not the folded size. This should be the full (“flat”) size of job to be printed. Please don’t set it up on an oversize sheet with trim marks added. Fold and score marks are appreciated. Some set-up examples are: A mailer that folds in half to 8 1/2”w X 5 1/2”h must be set up as an 8 1/2”w X 11”h document. An 8 1/2”w X 11”h book should be set up as 8 1/2” w X 11”h in reader spreads, not 17”w X 11” h printer spreads. Business cards should be set up singly in a 3 1/2”w X 2”h document.
Bleeds:
An element (usually an image) that needs to extend to the trimmed edge of the page actually needs to extend beyond the trim (or final size of the document) by 1/8” (or .125”). This allows us to correctly trim your document to its final size.
Images:
Photographic
TIFF or EPS files are the best formats to use. Please do not use any file compression, as this tends to degrade the image. Please send image files as CMYK (for 4-color output), Grayscale or Duotone (mono or tritone).
Graphics (Illustrations)
Please save your graphics as EPSs.
Please create your graphics in Solid (spot) colors or, for 4-color output, CMYK (process) colors.
Fonts:
Please include all fonts, both screen and printer fonts If you use TrueType fonts, please convert them to outlines (or curves) in your drawing program.
Sending us PDFs:
We can accept PDFs to RIP into Postscript files. This allows you to send us a smaller file that has images and fonts embedded. If you would like more information about sending PDF files to print, let us know and we'll send a PDF to you with those procedures.
Collecting your files to send to us:
Most page layout programs allow you to collect your fonts, pictures and any other related files in one folder. This will help you to make sure we get all of the required files to proceed with your job.
Contact J & P Graphics if you have any questions.
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