Understanding prepress work has three advantages, according to Richard Ghelerter, president of manufacturer Apex Color, Jacksonville, Fla. Distributors can obtain more accurate job quotes on commercial printing projects by asking prospective clients about prepress options. Distributors also can use prepress lingo to impress experienced prospects. Most importantly, he says, understanding prepress work can help distributors cut costs, communicate effectively between end users and manufacturers, and prevent lengthy printing delays. Ghelerter relies on the expertise of Jeanette Wessels, Apex's Macintosh computer operator for commercial printing setups. She offers these seven prepress tips:
1. State the obvious. Tell manufacturers which hardware and software were used to create files, so they can use compatible equipment and catch problems immediately. For example, end users sometimes don't realize that when they "flatten" Adobe Photoshop
®
photos and captions into a TIF or JPG, the graphics merge. It's difficult to manipulate part of the file without altering the rest, Wessels says.
2. Specify fonts. Manufacturers sometimes have difficulty translating screen fonts into printer fonts, Wessels says. For example, Apex's Raster Image Processing (RIP) program doesn't translate TrueType
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fonts very well. Wessels uses Macromedia Fontographer
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to create usable printer fonts.
3. Ensure files are saved in CMYK color. Computer screens present graphics in light-based RGB colors, which mix differently than ink-based CMYK colors. For example, RGB blue is a bright royal blue that can turn nearly purple when converted to CMYK, Wessels says.
4. Submit printed samples. To catch errors immediately, Wessels looks for discrepancies between files and hard copies. If submitting laser-printed samples, distributors also should include written instructions regarding full-page bleeds, she says.
5. Verify image resolution. According to Wessels, clients sometimes scan images, then use software to change their sizes--inadvertently changing image resolution. For example, doubling an image's size reduces its resolution by half. Like many manufacturers, Wessels requires 300-d.p.i. images scanned at 100-percent size.
6. Discuss trapping. Trapping involves overlapping inks. Wet trapping is printing over wet ink; dry trapping is printing over dry ink. Trapping quality depends on ink thickness, ink drying time, printing sequence and press settings. Ask end users if they have special trapping needs, so your manufacturer can plan accordingly, Wessels says. If distributors don't ask, Wessels relies on a CreoScitex Brisque™ machine that automatically detects files that aren't trapping-specified, then RIPs and traps them.
7. Check manufacturers' crop marks. Make sure the printed area includes enough bleed to prevent the paper's unprinted edges from showing. For full-pages, Wessels prefers a
1
/
8
-inch bleed outside the crop marks.
