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Graphic
formats - confused about jpeg's, gif's, tif's, png's, etc.?
Can
I send files in Word / Publisher / Powerpoint / Paint Shop Pro
etc.?
What
do you mean by colour-separated?
How
To Preserve Spot Colors in Photoshop (version 6 and higher)
I
need to send you my logo. What format is best?
Screen
resolution / print resolution. What's the difference?
Why
can't you use the logo from my website?
You've
just sent me a proof. Why do the colours look wrong onscreen?
The
pdf you sent me looks 'jaggy' onscreen. Why? Can this be fixed?
I've
just printed out the pdf you sent me. Why is it smaller?
You've
just designed my logo. Who owns the copyright?
Can
I see samples of your work?
Are
the people at Castle Print good-looking?
Colour problems & issues with working in spot and process colours 
Photoshop Tutorials - aimed at beginners and experienced users alike, the tutorials will walk you through some of the more popular effects in use today. 

Business
card layout - downloadable help file
Fonts
/ typefaces explained - what font should
I use?
Process
/ spot colours - explains the difference
between them
Paper Sizes - all the standard UK paper sizes explained
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Mouse-over the headlines above to read a short description of each article. |
Graphic Formats
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I'll try to keep
this as concise as possible as the subject would easily
fill a book!
I won't get into the technical details of the different
file formats. If you need to learn more about this aspect
then a quick search in Google will yield numerous results.
Here are a couple to get started with:
http://www.dansdata.com/graphics.htm
http://www.bu.edu/webcentral/learning/fireworks1/introduction.html
Dealing with graphics depends on what you wish to use the
graphic for.
For instance, if you are a web designer and your client
has supplied you with a hi-res, 300dpi version of their
logo, then the first thing you would do is 'optimise' this
graphic, which basically entails knocking down the resolution
to 72dpi (the standard monitor screen resolution) and adjusting
the colour amount until you have a graphic that comes in
around 20 - 30k in size. This, along with any other optimised
graphics on a web page, has one purpose. To make the page
load as quickly as possible.
With the printing process we are looking to achieve the
opposite. i.e. the higher the starting resolution, the better.
As a rule of thumb, we work to 300dpi. This figure isn't
plucked out of thin air, but calculated as a percentage
of line-screen used.
You are now probably thinking that you haven't been told
anything worth knowing! Let's take a look at a few of the
main formats dealt with in printing.
First of all, there are basically 2 flavours of file type.
Bitmaps and vectored images.
Bitmaps:
These are pixel-based files generated by programs such as
Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro and in fact, any graphics program
will output bitmap files with extensions (the 3 letters
after the dot in a filename) such as:
*.jpg - *.tif - *.gif - etc.
Working with bitmaps - how many colours am I using?
How many colours to use? This is the most confusing aspect
when working with bitmaps. Generally speaking, bitmap files
cannot be colour-separated. (There is a way, but not used
in everyday quick turnaround print jobs).
Colour-separated?
Firstly, you need to understand the difference between spot
colours and process colours (see
here). If you are only using 1 colour, or a 4 colour
process (usually reserved for brochures/magazines or reproduction
of colour photographs etc.) then creating a bitmap is fine,
providing you have checked the resolution is ok.
If your goal is to have the job output using spot colours,
2, 3 or 4 perhaps, then creating a bitmap is not the best
way forward. For this process you would ideally use a vector-based
program such as Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand etc.
(more info below).
If you are considering creating a bitmap to send for print
then the most important thing before you start is to set
the empty workspace in your preferred graphics program at
300dpi (dots-per-square-inch).
If you have already created some artwork below 300dpi please
don't try to 'up' the resolution to 300 as this will only
interpolate the artwork (add similar coloured pixels) which
will increase the output size, but won't help the resolution.
Unfortunately, you would need to start again!
Vector-based artwork
For spot colour work this is the preferred choice. File
types are normally recognised by the extension .eps (not
to be confused with a Photoshop .eps which is basically
still a bitmap) .wmf, or .ai.
Vectored images are produced using a mathematical line description
(I'm trying to keep this simple!) and as such can be enlarged
to any size without distortion of the image. Also, the artwork
can be edited very easily to make colour changes, line thickness
changes etc. etc. An Illustrator/Freehand .eps file is easily
colour-separated and has the added advantage of usually
being much smaller than a bitmap of the same design.
I don't have a vector-based program. Can I send files
in Word / Publisher / Powerpoint etc.?
The main problems with these type of programs is that
initially, they are not aimed at the print professional.
As you know, they can do a superb job creating in-house
stationery, presentations etc. and printing directly to
desktop machines. One of the main downsides for instance
is that if you insert an image in Word this is embedded as
a bitmap at 72dpi (presumably to keep file sizes down) and
consequently would give poor results if output to a high-resolution
imagesetters (2400dpi + !!).
As with most types of problems, there are of course workarounds.
If your only way of sending your artwork is by one of these
programs then please try and send a original version of
any graphic used in the document. The text we can cut &
paste, but once the graphic is embedded then we are stuck
with a low-res image. |
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Sending us your logo
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Please try and send
us (if available) the logo in its original format that was
created by you or your designer. Logos/artwork used for
web design are generally not usable due to the low-resolution
involved.
If you have a tiff of the logo and find that the file size
prohibits you from emailing it then you can quite easily
make a jpeg (which compresses the file) as long as you save
it with 'maximum quality' turned on.
Failing that, just zip the file and that should do the trick.
If you are not sure what to do, then please give us a call
on:
01635 522447 or drop a line to <
click
here to send email > |
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Screen resolution / print resolution
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Many people are
confused as to why something may look great onscreen but
won't print without the 'jaggies'.
Basically, a standard computer monitor has a resolution
of 72dpi. Websites are designed at 72dpi for this reason.
For print we need 300dpi, so it follows that web graphics
or any low-res file will give poor results when output on
a hi-res device such as an imagesetter.
If the only image you have is on your website, then it will
probably need redrawing at a higher resolution. |
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You've just sent me a proof.
Why do the colours look wrong onscreen?
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Most, but certainly
not all, print professionals use an Apple Macintosh
system, often alongside a PC-based system.
The 2 systems use a different colour space and consequently
colour images swapped between the two can display differently.
If you have provided the printer with the Pantone Colour
reference no. you require then even though the proof onscreen
may look wrong (too dark, too light etc.) don't worry as
at the print stage the correct Pantone colour-matched ink
will be used.
For colour work:- brochures/flyers/folders etc. we would
normally supply a very accurate colour proof but this is
too expensive for general stationery proofs. |
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The pdf you sent me looks 'jaggy' onscreen. Why?
Can this be fixed?
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If you are using
Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5.0 then try this:
Open Reader and goto:
Edit > Preferences (or just hit Ctrl K)
Display >
Under the Smoothing section, tick all 3 smooth
boxes.
Click OK. |
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I've just printed out the pdf you sent me. Why is it smaller?
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On opening the print dialogue box please ensure the
option < No Scaling > is selected, otherwise your program may allow for print margins which reduces the size of the artwork. |
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You've just designed my logo. Who owns the copyright?
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Once we have done
any design work on your behalf that has been paid for then
copyright is 100% yours. No argument.
We hear, with alarming regularity, of companies in our
business that refuse to part with paid-for design unless
an extra payment is received to release copyright. Personally,
I think this sucks. One of our clients told us of the case
where he was charged £150 for his artwork to be released
and copied onto a CD!
Our simple policy is: if you have paid for artwork to be
produced, then this belongs to you, and no-one else. End
of story.
Quite often we need to re-design logos or create them from
scratch and we are quite happy to email these to you or
save to disk at no charge whatsoever, providing the account
is up-to-date.
For more important information regarding copyright please
<click here>
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Can I see samples of your work?
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Of course you can.
Use any of the following methods to request samples:
Use our quotation request form. < click
here >
Drop an email to Paula. < click
here to send a form-based email >
Telephone Paula on: 01635 522447
or Fax us on: 01635 522449 |
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Are the people at Castle Print good-looking?
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Are we good-looking?
You bet your boots we are!!
Just <click
here> for fantastic photos of us!! |
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Business Cards
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Designing
your own card?
Need a bit of help with the layout?
Covers the initial set-up, creating margins.
Dealing with bleeds.
Bleeds explained.
Layout and creating crop marks.
Using gutters to accomodate bleeds. |
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