PREPARING FILE

If you're someone looking to create various printed materials but don't know how to start preparing your files, we're here to guide you through what you need to know and the steps to take before sending your files to the printer. This will help prevent mistakes and save you from having to make corrections later. Following these steps will make your workflow smooth and professional.

Getting to Know File Extension

File Extension ?

File extensions are a set of 2-4 English letters added to the end of a file name to indicate the file type. They include a dot (.) as part of the extension, such as .ai, .pdf, .jpg, and so on. These extensions help your computer understand which program is needed to open and use the file.

Popular File Extension for Print

1. AI File (.ai) – This is the file you get if you create artwork using the “Adobe Illustrator” program, often called AI by graphic designers. It is a popular design program for creating print media artwork. Sending an AI file to the printer is very beneficial because it is easy to use and edit. The artwork will be in its most complete form.

Things to Check Before Sending an "AI File" to the Printer

The color mode for artwork intended for printing must be CMYK.
Set the file resolution as high as possible, typically at 300 PPI.
Carefully calculate and include the margin and bleed.
Always create outlines for all fonts before sending the file.
If your artwork contains images, make sure to embed them.

2. PSD File (.psd) – This is the file you get if you create artwork using the “Adobe Photoshop” program. It is a popular choice for photographers as it allows for easy and versatile photo editing and retouching. PSD files are ideal for artwork that focuses on images rather than text.

Things to Check Before Sending a "PSD File" to the Printer

The color mode for artwork intended for printing must be CMYK.
Set the file resolution as high as possible, typically at 300 PPI.
Carefully calculate and include the margin and bleed.
Always convert text (fonts) to shapes before sending the file.

3. PDF File (.pdf) This file format is very popular for general documents but can also be used for sending files to the printer. Most PDFs sent to printers are saved from the “Adobe Illustrator” program. Why use PDF? Because it can be opened on any device without needing design software, allowing for easy review and editing depending on the file's settings.

Things to Check Before Sending a "PDF File" to the Printer

The color mode for artwork intended for printing must be CMYK.
Set the file resolution as high as possible, typically at 300 PPI.
Carefully calculate and include the margin and bleed.
Always create outlines for all fonts before sending the file.
If your artwork contains images, make sure to embed them.

4. EPS File (.eps) – This file format is not commonly used to store entire artworks. Instead, it is typically used for saving vector images that are part of an artwork, such as brand logos. This ensures that the logos are sharp and can be resized without losing quality. EPS files are developed by Adobe, making them compatible with both Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Things to Check Before Sending a "EPS File" to the Printer

The color mode for artwork intended for printing must be CMYK.
Set the file resolution as high as possible, typically at 300 PPI.
Carefully calculate and include the margin and bleed.
Always create outlines for all fonts before sending the file.
If your artwork contains images, make sure to embed them.

Color Mode CMYK & RGB

The color mode for creating artwork can be divided into two modes: CMYK and RGB. These two modes have different uses and display results. The choice between CMYK and RGB depends on how you will use the artwork.

Color Mode RGB

RGB stands for Red, Green, Blue, and it's a color mode used for displaying images on screens like computer monitors, TVs, and digital devices. RGB is the preferred color mode for artwork intended for "non-print" purposes, such as online advertising banners, online infographics, and other projects displayed mainly on screens. If you design artwork in RGB mode and then print it, the colors you get may not match your expectations.

Usage : Designing artwork that is displayed on digital screens.
Color Creation : Using the additive color model
Color Range : The color range of the RGB is broader, allowing for vivid color tones.

Color Mode CMYK

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black, and it's a color mode used for printing purposes. In CMYK mode, colors are mixed from printing inks of these four colors. If you design using the CMYK color mode from the beginning, you'll get printed materials that closely match your initial design. However, the actual printed colors depend on the type of paper you print on. We'll guide you through setting up your artwork file as CMYK so you can prepare it correctly for printing.

Usage : Designing artwork for printing, such as letter envelopes.
Color Creation : Using the Subtractive Color Model.
Color Range : The color range is more limited compared to RGB mode.

How to Setting Color Mode to CMYK

Setting in Adobe Photoshop

1. Open Adobe Photoshop and go to the menu bar, then click on File > New...

2. The Artboard setup page will appear, allowing you to choose the size. Make sure to select CMYK as the Color Mode.

3. Don't forget to set the Resolution to 300 for the sharpest image quality.

Setting in Adobe Illustrator

1. Open Adobe Illustrator and go to the menu bar, then click on File > New...

2. The Artboard setup page will appear, and then click on Advanced Option > Color Mode > CMYK Color.

3. Set the Resolution in the Raster Effects field to High (300 ppi) for the sharpest image quality.

"In printing work, choosing the CMYK color mode is crucial because the colors seen on the screen (RGB) may not match the printed colors (CMYK). If we design in RGB mode and then print in CMYK mode, the colors we get may not be what we expected. Therefore, designers should change the color mode of their work to CMYK before printing every time to get colors that are as close to the desired ones as possible."

Margin & Bleed

To design effectively, you must understand the concept of margins and bleeds to prevent potential errors. Once you grasp this aspect, your design work will print out complete and precise without a doubt.

Margin

The margin is the empty space around the edges of a document or piece of work where text or important images should not be placed. Margins help create balance and a more organized appearance for the work. Additionally, they help prevent important information from being cut off or lost during printing or binding.

The importance of margins.

Preventing important text or images from being cut off
Creating balance and beauty for the piece
Making the artwork easy to read and organized

Bleed

The bleed is an additional area outside the edge of the designed piece to ensure that the printed work does not have unwanted white edges. The bleed area will be trimmed after printing is complete. Therefore, images or background colors that need to be printed to the edge should be extended to the bleed area.

The importance of bleed.

Preventing unwanted white edges during printing and cutting.
Making the printed work look beautiful and complete.
Helping to achieve more accurate and precise paper cutting.

How to Managing text

Text is a crucial component in design work and often poses challenges when sending files to printers, such as missing fonts that prevent further editing of the file. This can cause delays and inconvenience for both parties. However, this problem can be avoided by creating outlines (AI) or converting to shapes (PS) before sending the file to the printer. It's important to note that once you create outlines or convert to shapes, the text cannot be edited anymore. Therefore, thorough checking is necessary before proceeding.

Create Outlines

Create outlines can be done in Adobe Illustrator (AI), which involves converting text into curved lines based on the font you're using. This method helps prevent issues like missing fonts or font inconsistencies. However, after creating outlines, you won't be able to edit the text anymore. You can still resize the text and change its color freely, though."

How to Create Outlines

1. Type the text you want and double-check for accuracy to make sure.

2. Right click and choose Create Outline or press Shift + Ctrl + O.

Convert to Shape

Converting to Shape in Adobe Photoshop addresses issues like missing fonts or font inconsistencies by transforming the text you type into shapes. Unlike Adobe Illustrator's Create Outlines, text converted to shapes cannot be edited further. However, you can still resize the shapes and change their colors just like before.

How to Convert to Shape

1. Select the Type Tool, click to choose a position, then type your text.

2. Go to the Layer panel with the 'T' symbol, right-click, and select 'Convert to Shape'.

"Using 'Create Outline' in Illustrator converts text into curves to prevent font issues and allows detailed shape editing. On the other hand, 'Convert to Shape' in Photoshop transforms text or objects into editable shapes, enhancing design flexibility. Both methods ensure accurate printing and high-quality design."

How to Managing image

When creating artwork in Adobe Illustrator, images can pose similar issues to fonts. If you send the file to a printer without embedding the images, they may become missing. This happens because the images are linked to files on your computer. To solve this problem, simply embed the images before sending the artwork. This ensures that your artwork remains complete.

Advantage of Embed Image

With a complete file, you can be confident that your images won't go missing.
Sending files becomes convenient as you can send the artwork file alone.
The file is ready for immediate use, speeding up the printing process."

The cautionary aspect of embedding image files.

Embedding images in Artwork files will make the file larger compared to linking to external files.
When editing images, if there are changes made to the image file externally, you will need to embed the new image file.

How to Embed Image

1. Designing artwork in Adobe Illustrator and using the images you want to

2. Go to the "window" menu and select the "Link" option to open the "Link" window.

3. Select the image you want to embed, then go to the three-line icon and choose "Embed Image(s)."

"Embedding images (Embed Image) is an important step in preparing files for printing. It ensures that the artwork file is complete and ready for printing without issues such as missing or incorrectly displayed images. Embedding images in Adobe Illustrator can be easily done through the Links window, which enhances confidence and efficiency in managing files for printing".