Chapter 8 is about job submission. The first thing it talks about is thinking about the end piece. Once you know who you're print service provider is, you need to establish a good line of communication with them. The first person you will speck with is the salesperson. They will take your initial information and give an estimate of the job. Then after that timeline is established, they will hand you off to the CSR(customer service representative). The CSR is the common contact for jobs and should know everything about your job, so tell them everything, especially if the job is going to have special finishing requirements that need to be met.
The next subject it talks about is planning for print. Make sure you establish these specifications: External document size, adequate bleed, internal panel sized, artwork interactions with folds, perforating or die cut trims, correct number of pages and correct inks. Next check your raster images in the applications you created them in. Check the image resolution, the color space, retouch work, rotations and scaling and check your file names. Then check your vector artwork in its native application as well. Make sure you got the correct color, the images are linked or embedded properly, your fonts are embedded or outline your text, spell check your text, and make sure you have adequate bleed. You also need to check your page layout files. Spell check, delete extra junk, avoid styled text, delete double spaces, check for scaling and rotations, provide printouts of your job, and preflight your job.
Next it goes through sending job files to the print service provider. If your print service provider wants you to submit a PDF, they should give you specifications for PDF files before submitting. Follow the rules they give you, embed your fonts, ensure a safe transit by compressing your PDF in a zipped folder. If they want you to submit the application files you have to manually package your files, but collecting all your fonts and images together. The final package should contain: the layout file, all support art, raster images and vector artwork, and all the necessary fonts. Be cautious about earlier and later versions of the software being used by you and the print service provider. There are also platform issues if you are switching between PC and Macs. The best way to overcome those issues is to use OpenType fonts. Then to send your files ask your print service provider which way they prefer.
The next section talks about preparing for the proofing cycles. To check image proofs use this checklist: correct image size, crop portion, orientation, angle, matching the original artwork, color, detail, moire', silhouettes, and retouching. To check page proofs, check the following: correct size, bleed, image area, correct fonts, over-set text, text re-flow, correct images, crop, special effects, rules and other strokes, trapping, overprint, rich blacks, moire' in screen tints or images, crossover art and spot colors. You then need to go through and check the corrections you've made. You need to check your imposed blue lines. Then when all this is done, your sign off on your proof. Last you need to attend a press check. Things to watch for would be: accuracy, watch for flaws in the ink on the paper, the stock behavior, and debris and scratches. Then when you are satisfied and your work is printed, you have your final product.
Chapter 9 is some production tips for Photoshop CS4. Before you start messing with the pixels of an image you should think about a couple of things. Know the fate of the image. Will it be scaled? Will it be used at multiple sizes? Will it be rotated for its final use? what are the important elements in the image? Will the image be used on the web or for print, or both? Next is the Image Resolution. Make sure you at least have your images and 300 ppi. You also need to check your color space. You can keep your image in RGB to take advantage of all the extra features, but in the end you will have to convert them into CMYK images.
The next section talks about working in layers. It says never to erase pixels but use the layer mask feature to hide pixels without erasing them. You can color correct an image with a safety net. Use the adjustment layers. They are non destructive to your pixels. You can use Smart Objects to store the original information for your image, so you don't lose any detail in your image. A layer mask controls visibility of one layer whereas a Clipping Mask controls visibility of multiple layers. It falls beneath the content it masks. You don't need to flatten a layered Photoshop file unless it has a lot of megabits, or your want to prevent unwanted editing.
Then it talks about Transparency. Transparency is expressed in percentage opacity. Opacity is accepted in other programs but some blending modes from Photoshop are not. So, you either have to have 2 files, one a working file with all the layers, and another that is flattened and placed in the other program.
Next it talks about Silhouettes and masking. There are right and wrong ways to create a path in Photoshop. The magic wand tool is a good starting place for a path but not a good final selection. The best way is to use the pen tool to create an accurate path. You don't need to worry about the Flatness, but do remember that Paths are not Clipping Paths. you have to designate them as clipping mask via the paths panel. You can also use the Quick Mask Mode to paint a selection around an object and refine the edge of the mask. You can edit a mask in the masks panel to refine the edge of a mask.
Then it goes on to talk about going beyond CMYK. You don't always have to print in CMYK. There are other options available to you. You can create a duotone, which is an image composed of 2 colors, usually black and a spot color. They add visual interest with a limited color palette. You have to start with a gray scale image then change the mode to Duotone. You can also add spot color to a CMYK image job. If you want certain portions to stand out or if you are using a color outside of the CMYK gamut. Adding spot colors to your piece will make it look better. You could also create a spot varnish plate which makes a certain shaped area on your image to stand out.
The last thing chapter 9 talks about is going beyond pixels. It talks about putting pictures, vector images, and text together. You are better off keeping them in their own programs, but when you need special need, you can put it into another program to give is special effects. But you have to save it as a Photoshop PDF. Make sure you clean up your files to save save them for applications so you don't run into trouble later on.
Chapter 10 is production tips for Illustrator CS4. The document profile and color mode depend on what you are producing your file for. Make sure you have the right mode for what you are creating. Adobe Illustrator now has multiple art boards, which they didn't have in previous versions. These multiple art boards allows you to create multiple versions of an artwork. When you create a new document, one art board is automatically created. You have the option to change both the dimensions and the number of art board sin the new document dialog box. You can create custom art boards, create one on top of another, hide them or focus on a single art board. You can modify an art board by clicking on it with the art board tool and drag the handles of the art board. You can also change the bleed settings on art boards. Most importantly, do not call Art Boards pages.
You can use symbols in Illustrator. A symbol is a special series of art work. Using symbols is: efficient, allows for quick correcting, and smaller file sizes. The chapter also goes into simplifying complex artwork. You can use the clean-up option to delete stray points, objects with no fill and stroke, and empty text paths. In contrast, simplify modifies the object by reducing the number of points you have.
Illustrator has imaginative live effects that allows you to transform a simple object into something interesting without using filters. The effects menu is divided into Illustrator effects(works with vectors) and Photoshop effects(works with rasters and pixels). Once you apply an effect to an object, use the Appearance panel to change the effect. Its one of the handiest panels in Illustrator. You can change the stroke, fill and the effects applied to an object. You can also create 3D artwork in Illustrator. It helps if you really want something to pop off the piece, you can give it the 3D feel.
Opacity and blending modes create interesting visual effects but be careful with the Transparency issues. Overlapping spot color areas will be converted to CMYK. If you create an object with blending modes in Illustrator and then place it in InDesign, and output as CMYK you will get bad results. Use overprint preview to check for some of these errors. If your Illustrator file formats ends up as an EPS or PDF/X-1a then you will have to do transparency flattening. It turns your transparent objects into opaque objects, trying to mimic the colors created in the transparency.
The next section talks about your linked and embedded images in Illustrator. Linking instead of embedding results in a smaller file and since they store the files externally, they are easy to retouch and color correct. Embedding increases the file size because the image is added to the file. It's easier to keep track of but not as easy to edit.
Illustrator can use the Blend tool to create a transition from one shape into another. It creates an interesting effect, but it fills the beginning objects with spot color the the middle objects with CMYK. You will have to tall your print service provider how you want your piece to print and with what colors. Next the chapter goes into spot colors and talks about the difficulty of switching to previous versions of applications. It talks about the Pantone System and how they have expanded the number of colors. To resolve the numbering issue, they switched to the Goe System. This system is based on 165 full strength colors. The 3 numbering system tells which family its in, the page its on within that family, and which color it is on that page. You can still use the old Pantone books, unless they are 20 years old.
Needless to say, versions do matter. If you are switching versions of a program, you are going to run into speed bumps. Weather it be different tools, or gadgets, something is not going to show up right. So try not to switch back and forth between versions. When you save for other applications, know where you are taking it and save it accordingly to that application. If you have multiple art boards, go ahead and save it as a native AI file and when you place it, you can click: show import options and chose which art boards you want to place. When you save an Illustrator file with several art boards to a previous version, you can save them as separate Illustrator files or put them all on the canvas as a single file. when saving your file as an EPS, check the use art boards option and it will create an EPS for every art board. You can also include bleed to other programs when exporting your Illustrator files.
The last thing chapter 10 talks about is creating PDF files. Most print service providers can output a native AI file. Submitting your file as a PDF eliminates the need to gather up images and fonts. Talk with your print service provider and find out the specifications for submitting a PDF. You can open a PDF file in Illustrator but its not a good idea because you could damage the file.
I got all this information from our text book: Print Production by Claudia McCue.
