}

5 Essential File Preparation Tips




RESOLUTION:

For printing, whether it be offset or digital, a resolution of 300 DPI or
PPI is recommended. DPI stands for Dots Per Inch and represents the
dots that fit into a square inch space. The general rule of thumb is, the
more dots per inch, the more detailed and sharp the image will appear.

In order to print your file properly and make the image resolution "pop",
your resolution needs to be at least 300 dots per inch (DPI) at he final
output size, For example, if your final product size is 4" x 6", then the original
image (i.e. photo) placed needs to be 300 DPI at your 4" x 6" image size.
Any images with a resolution lower than 300 DPI should be replaced
with a higher resolution photograph. Banners & Posters can be saved
at 150 DPI.

Common misconception:
If your native file is lower than 300 DPI, it is not possible to simply
increase the file's low image resolution to a higher one by increasing
the DPI number in your graphics program. Even though it may look sharp
on screen, the printed result will be a blurry and pixilated image.

Selecting the right design software:
Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and FreeHand are layout and text applications
tailored to work on objects. You can work on two different kinds of objects
with these programs: Vector and Raster. As you can tell by its term, vectors
are defined mathematically. Vectors are not dependent on resolutions,
therefore they can easily be scaled to any size while maintaining the
same quality.

Raster images on the other hand, have fixed resolution bitmaps, their
pixel dimensions are set at that specific size. Scaling a 2" by 2" raster
image to 4" by 4" reduces the number of pixels per inch by 50%.

Common misconception:
Photoshop is not meant for creating text. use Illustrator for any text instead to achieve maximum resolution on your fonts as well!

BLEEDS, MARGINS & SAFETY

"Bleed" is a printing term that refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet after trimming. The bleed is the part on the side of your document that gives the printer that small amount of space to move around paper and design
inconsistencies.

BORDERS

The cutting process for printed materials has a mechanical leeway of approximately 1/16" where the paper may shift. For best results, designs with borders should have at least 3/16" margin between your border and the cut line. Borders should be at least 3/16" thick (PLUS 1/8" bleed that will trim off). The thinner the border, the more exaggerated the shift on the final trimmed product.

PREFERRED FILE FORMAT

At Angel Printing, we prefer PDF files to ensure the highest quality of your printed product. A PDF file should be saved as PDF/x-1a or Press Quality. Find out how to create a correct pdf file with this video tutorial. For your convenience we also
accept the following file formats: .JPG, .TIF, .PSD, .PS, and .EPS.



Just click on the pdf icon to your left to download your quick-step file preparation guide including a checklist for accepted file resolution, bleeds/cutline and borders, images and font problems.





DOWNLOADABLE TEMPLATES

We offer a wide variety of product templates to help you quickly create print-ready files, suitable for most design programs.

 

Angel Printing is an authorized Adobe print service provider & reseller.

Phone: 760.967.0492  |  Fax: 760.967. 0496
3614 Ocean Ranch Blvd.  |  Oceanside, CA 92056