4 Preflight Steps to Take Before Sending Large Format Print Files to GH Imaging

Before sending a file to GH Companies to be printed, there are some steps you should take to ensure that your file can be used for printing. These simple steps help ensure your art will be printed the way you intended it to and will also help expedite the printing process of your job.

Convert all Fonts & Text to Outlines

This is very important because if you don’t, it can cause your fonts to crash when the file is opened and be replaced with a computer’s default font.  Creating outlines guarantees your art and text will look exactly as you intended them to look. This can be achieved in Adobe Illustrator by selecting Type > Convert to Outlines (CMD + SHIFT + O mac or CTRL + SHIFT + O pc) while all the live text is selected. This changes the text into vector shapes instead of type. It will no longer be editable.

Art is CMYK

Ensure that the color of every part of your art is in CMYK color mode.  If colors are in RGB they will have to be converted which can result in an undesired change in color. This can be determined in Adobe Illustrator by selecting File > Document Color Mode and ensuring CMYK Color is checked.

Convert Strokes to Outlines

If using strokes in your design, convert your strokes to outlines.  That way, if your image needs to be resized it will still look the way you intended. This can be done in Adobe Illustrator by selecting Object > Path > Outline Stroke.

Embed All Images  

This saves the images into your file, ensuring that the computer can find it.  If not, the computer will replace the image with a blank box. This can be achieved in Adobe Illustrator by selecting the "Embed" button at the top bar of the file while the image is selected.

These simple steps will ensure that we can use your file and print your design exactly as you envision it.

Offset Printing: File Prep Basics

As many of you already know so much more goes into the printing process than a simple
FILE > PRINT. When setting up files for offset printing there are many things that need to be taken into consideration.  Two of the most important things include bleed area and safe zone. 

The purpose of the bleed area

After printing, every job goes through some sort of finishing process; trimming, binding, folding etc. With each step in the finishing process there is a certain margin of error.

Imagine taking this sheet (left) with 4 flyers on it and trying to cut perfectly along the edge of the flyer without any white showing when you are done. Oh, and don't let any of that green from the top of the flyer show on the bottom of the other flyers.  Even the smallest fraction of movement could result in a sliver of white showing along the outside edges of the finished product, or cause some of that green to show up along the bottom of the flyers.

Adding bleeds allows us to reduce the margin of error during the finishing process.

Setting up bleeds

Some printers have different standards for bleed, but at GH we require 1/16" (.0625") bleed area on each edge, for example an 8.5 x 11" flyer would actually have a document size of 8.625 x 11.125" to account for the 1/16” bleed on each edge.

Many design programs (like InDesign or Illustrator) have a specific section for indicating the amount of bleed area you need.

For example, the snapshot to the left is of InDesign's New Document Window. At the bottom there is a specific field to enter the amount of bleed on each edge of the document. 

 *Something to watch out for: When you are exporting to a PDF from your design program make sure your PDF settings include document bleeds.

 

Other programs (like photoshop or publisher) you actually have to set your document size to include the bleeds. 

Remember, simply stretching your background color or image past the document size does not automatically add bleeds to your document. You must either specify the bleed area in the settings or build them into the overall document size. 

Safe zone area

As mentioned before, there is always some margin of error that comes with each step in the printing process. Safe Zones are another tool used in the print industry to help reduce that margin of error. 

 

At GH we recommend that all non-bleed elements, such as text or photographs be at least .125” from the trim. Keeping text and non-bleed graphics within this area will ensure that these elements are not trimmed off.  

Side note: On booklets the safe zone is increased to .25"

Templates

Want to be sure that your artwork will fit our guidelines? Contact your sales rep, they have templates for many of our standard sizes and if your project doesn't fit one of the standard templates we would be happy to create a template for you!

If you have any file set-up questions please feel free to comment below or check our full list of artworkguidelines. Otherwise stay tuned for more tips directly from your favorite GH design team!