Graphic Design & Web Uploader Help

HOW TO CORRECTLY SET UP YOUR FILES

Adobe Illustrator (.ai or .eps)

Illustrator works well for smaller files, but runs into trouble as files become increasingly larger. Illustrator was not designed for large format graphics that contain large raster images. However, if a design is purely vector based it will work at any size without any problems. It works great for creating logos and smaller graphics but runs into trouble when used at a larger scale with bitmap images.

Before uploading your files here are a few things to double check:

• File:Document Color Mode: CMYK
• File:Document Setup Make sure your file is the correct final size and includes the appropriate bleeds. Starting with Adobe Illustrator CS4 you can include bleed marks in your files.
• It's a good idea to convert all your fonts to outlines. However, you can also send us your fonts if you choose not to convert them to outlines. Unlike InDesign, Illustrator does not include a packaging feature to automatically include fonts and links.
• Another issue when using Illustrator is that if you embed an image opposed to linking it then there is no way for us to check the exact resolution of the image. This means that we will rely on you to include an appropriately sized image, as we can only go off of what we see.
• You should always compress your files before sending them to assure a quick upload/download, but this is especially important in Illustrator as files can easily be corrupted if not compressed.
• You are now ready to upload.

Adobe InDesign (.indd)

InDesign is ideal for high-quality large format printing. The way that InDesign maintains a quick working speed while preserving a high-quality image is by linking files opposed to embedding them and showing a lower resolution screen preview. It also gives you the ability to package all the fonts and links with the click of a button, thus saving the time of manually gathering all links, fonts and files into a single folder.

Before uploading your files here are a few things to double check:

• Make sure the color settings and all links are CMYK.
• Make sure all of your linked images are at least 100 DPI at actual size.
• Under File: Document Setup, double check the file sizes and make sure they match the sizes given.
• Do not scale down artwork unless absolutely necessary.
• Make sure bleeds are included and utilized correctly.
• Before uploading, package your files under File:Package and compress the folder.
• If you are working in CS5.5 you will need to export the file to an IDML (CS5) format. We are currently not excepting InDesign CS5.5 files.
• You are now ready to upload.

Adobe Photoshop (.psd)

Photoshop files are NOT RECOMMENDED for several reasons. First, the file sizes tend to be very large which slows down the entire process. Next, unlike Illustrator or InDesign, Photoshop is not setup for handling bleeds so they must be included in the live image size. Third, Photoshop is really not meant to be used for typography. To assure crisp type and logos type should remain in vector format. Finally, it does not offer a packaging feature to include fonts, so they must be included manually. Photoshop is a useful tool for working on photos (hence the name), but it lacks the abilities of file output programs such as InDesign or even Illustrator.

Before uploading your files here are a few things to double check:

• Make sure the file is CMYK.
• Make sure your file is at least 100 DPI at actual size.
• Under Image: Image Size, double check the file sizes and make sure they match the sizes given.
• Make sure 1/2" bleeds (standard, but may vary by product) are included and that all content actually bleeds off that amount.
• Under Layer: Flatten Image, Flatten your Photoshop file and save it as the highest quality JPG available.
• You are now ready to upload.

Tagged Image File (.tif)

These are uncompressed bitmap/raster image files. The main use for TIF files is for high-quality graphics or photos. The drawback is that the file size is much larger than that of a JPG file. Typically, TIF files are overkill for large-format graphics and JPG files are used instead with no reduction in quality.

If you would like us to print directly from a TIF file make sure the bleed is included in the document size. For example, if you want us to print a 10"x10" image the TIF file size will need to be 11"x11". This allows for 1/2" bleeds on all sides, which will be trimmed off after printing.

Joint Photographic Experts Group (.jpg or .jpeg)

These are also raster image files and are commonly used for photographs. Leaving the user the ability to control the level of compression, JPG files are great for maintaining a small file size and also for web graphics. One problem with JPG files is that every time they are saved they are also compressed. This results in reduced image quality, especially after multiple saves. If you plan to save an image multiple times, a good strategy is to save it as an uncompressed TIF file until you are done altering it. At that point you can save it as a JPG to reduce the file size.

When dealing with trade show graphics, JPG files are used for saving images more than any other file extension. The reason being, the graphics are often so large that saving them as an uncompressed file such as a TIF is not practical. The best thing to do is work on your images in Photoshop (.psd) and then save them out as a maximum quality JPG when you are ready to bring them into Illustrator or InDesign. This will reduce the file size quite a bit, but will not hurt the image quality.

File Extension Descriptions

.ai

Adobe Illustrator (vector file, that may also contain raster images)

.eps

Encapsulated PostScript (Often a vector file, but may also contain raster images)

.jpg or .jpeg

Joint Photographic Experts Group (raster file)

.indd

Adobe InDesign file (page layout file that can contain vector or raster images)

.pdf

Portable Document Format File (page layout file that can contain vector or raster images)

.psd

Adobe Photoshop file (raster file, with the ability to contain smart objects and text)

.sitx

StuffIt compression file

.zip

Compressed file

Graphic Design Terms

Bleeds

The area extending past the final document size used in trimming.

CMYK

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. The 4 color process used in printing.

Compression

Using various methods to reduce the file size. Often used to group several files together for ease and protection in uploading and downloading.

DPI

Dots per Inch. Also referred to as PPI (pixels per inch). This is the resolution of a raster image.

Package or Pre-Flight

A process in Adobe Indesign which groups all used files (fonts,links, and InDesign file) into a single folder for output.

Rasterized (raster)

These files have a set number of pixels and can not be increased without a reduction in image quality

RGB

Red, Green, Blue. The 3 color process used by monitors to display color.

Vector

These files are created by various programs such as Adobe Illustrator, or InDesign. They use a mathematical formula to create shapes that may be scaled to any size without any change in image quality. They do not have a set number of pixels unless you convert them to a raster file.