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The Mac Lady's Newsletter
For Macintosh PrePress Professionals
(continued)
COLOUR USAGE
Check instructions to see how many colours the end product is to be. If the file is to be printed only from Process Inks, make sure that no Spot Colours are printing as Spot. Check the Colour Menu and convert to Process as required. Also make sure that colours that have been imported with art and pictures have been handled correctly in the page layout program. A good final check is to go to the Print Dialogue, turn on separations, and check the colours in the Plate Menu. If any colours other than the Process Colours appear here, go back to the colour menu and make the conversions. If the customer has used Duotones, you may wish to change the screen angle for the chosen colour.
Print lasers to check for proper separation.
TRAPPING
For most customers trapping is a difficult and little understood topic. I usually recommend the responsibility for trapping stay with the film provider. Most page layout programs have automatic trapping features which are quite good - but make sure you have set the trap to the appropriate values (i.e. .25 pt). However, these programs cannot apply trap to imported objects - they must be trapped in the original file such as Illustrator, Photoshop etc. Remember when trapping in Illustrator you must take into account the size it is used in the page layout program and apply trap so that it will reduce proportionately. Don't forget to double the trap value in drawing programs because they trap half in and half out. Therefore, if you need a .25 pt trap use a .50 value. To avoid problems, work at 100%.
Quite often it is advisable to speak to the printer and get their advice on how to handle special situations, such as Special Golds, metallics, varnishes etc.
PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST FOR CUSTOMERS
(Prepare & Collect for Output)
 MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMER HAS READ THE REQUEST FOR IMAGING FORM - FRONT & BACK and have them fill it out completely. If you do not have a form - GET ONE. Contact The Mac Lady if you need assistance in preparing a form.
Please include ONLY what is necessary to process your file. Make sure everything is in one folder - please don't put art, scans etc. into separate folders as this takes extra time to relink these files. You may keep fonts in a separate folder.
Make sure all colours are applied correctly and that they are transferring properly to your page layout program. (Don't forget to check those Duotones!
Make sure you are using the proper PostScript fonts. If you open the font suitcase and see an icon with 3 of the letter A or the weights in brackets - these are NOT PostScript Type 1 fonts and must not be used.
For those of you who use the Publish and Subscribe feature in Quark, please note, we need the original art/photo file - not just the link to the edition.
Please feel free to contact your film provider prior to starting that big project - they'll be glad to help you set up your files to get the most from their prepress services.
Where practical, please convert all type in art programs to paths (curves, outlines).
Update all links (missing & modified)
Print lasers from the file that is being supplied.
If the file does not PASS the pre-flight inspection, a triage form will be provided outlining the required repairs. Your film provider can perform the necessary work at additional charge, or the client can do them.
WARNING: a word of caution
Colours on the screen are not representative of the final product.
RGB conversions to CMYK will produce colour shifting as will Spot Colour conversions. Don't convert more than once as information is lost during each conversion.
Don't forget to flatten layers and delete extra channels in Photoshop.
PostScript files cannot be edited - customer must assume total responsibility (including trapping) for the integrity of their document. They must include the EPSF header and correct printer driver.
Never rename graphics.
Avoid embedded EPS files in embedded EPS files - links are lost this way!
Don't forget to DE-SELECT font substitution and graphic smoothing in the print setup options.
Resolution should be 2X greater than output resolution.
Remember that Monitors, colour laser printers, colour film proofs (Fujis) incorporate many different colour definitions. Monitors (like TVs), are Red Green Blue - Printing Presses are Cyan Magenta Yellow (K)Black.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Are there any OVERFLOW text boxes?
Has customer drawn a polygon to close crop an image?
Do any of the art files contain extremely complex paths? You may need to simplify, but first test by sending a black plate to the imagesetter. This is not usually a problem with a PostScript Level II output device.
Are the fonts paired properly? i.e. Are both the printer and screen font from the same foundry such as Adobe, Monotype etc.? Don't forget to include fonts from EPS files.
Has automatic page numbering been used? This can sometimes prove to be tricky.
Are there any blank pages?
Has linking of text been used properly?
Has bleed been applied if required?
Is there any small type made from several colours that will create an undesired halo effect when trapped?
Do pictures fit to keylines?
Are ALL graphics & pictures included? (Please do not embed when using PageMaker as you may need to review and edit these files.)
Are all pictures in CMYK mode?
WHAT ABOUT COREL DRAW?
Just say NO! NO! NO!
Stay tuned to this site for the next issue where I will share some horror stories and some funny stories about working in this crazy business.
inkLink is a random periodical produced by The Mac Lady
Nancy O. Johnson, Editor
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