Tips to prepare your documents for printing
If you enlist the services of your local printing company to fulfil your printing needs, it is wise to take a few moments and ensure that you have provided the printers with everything they need and that the format is correct. Having to go back and re-do your print job can waste time and money.
Here are some tips you can use to make sure your documents are printer-ready:
Supply your file in the right format
Most printers will require that your file be in the PDF format. It would also be a good idea to supply the printers with your fonts, especially if they are custom fonts or not particularly common. If you can, have your designer outline your fonts before converting the file to a PDF. This ensures the font will show up as an image instead of a font itself.
Colour options
Full colour documents will more often than not have to be in CMYK format as opposed to RGB (Red, Green and Blue). CMYK means Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black and is used in the four colour printing process. Consult with your designer about the colours before sending your documents to the printer.
Get your trim line, bleed area and crop lines right:
Make sure the trim line is in the right place, the bleed area is big enough to make up for any printing mishaps, and the crop lines (if necessary) are included on the page. Following these steps will guarantee you don’t get your print job back with half of a sentence running of the page.
Ask your printers questions
Find out if your local printing shop will deliver the printed documents and how much delivery will cost. If they are able to deliver, provide them with a delivery address and a suitable delivery time and date. Also find out when they can have your printed documents ready. Inform them the size of the prints, finishes such as gloss or matte, or the type of paper you would like used.
If you have a printing job you need handled quickly and professionally, partner with a printing company that can guide you through each step of the design and printing process. Contact Minuteman Press in Boksburg today!