Graphics File Preparation | Four C Graphic and Printing

File Preparation for Printing: Preparing a graphics file to be printed professionally can be tricky. Size, color, typography and design, all play a vital role in the final printed results. This page serves as a guide for you to prepare your files for offset printing before sending that file to us. If your file is ready to print when we receive it, you save money. A setup fee is required on all jobs that needs to be fixed.

Attention, If Your Job Is Color Critical!

If your job is color critical you MUST request a Matchprint® Color Proof along with your job. Matchprint® Color Proofs are not included in our prices. Color is extremely subjective, if you waive your right to a color proof, we will match color to the best of our ability and will rely solely on our judgment .

General Specifications

A .25 inch (see example) border containing no live area (mission critical text and graphics) MUST be allowed for cutting purposes.
The size of the printed piece will be the same as the document size listed under Page Setup in the application program.
Front and Back of document should be setup as two separate pages, do not create both sides in a single file or page.
Files should be setup at a minimum of 300dpi resolution.
Files must be saved in CMYK (Full Color) or GRAYSCALE (1 Color) format.
All solid Black areas should be composed as a combination of Cyan 50%, Magenta 20%, Yellow 20%, and Black 100%.
We support the following file formats:

Standard Industry Formats: .eps .pdf .tif .jpeg

Adobe Photoshop (.psd) – FLATTENED

Adobe Illustrator (.ai or .eps) – Fonts converted to outlines/curves

Adobe InDesign (.indd) Exported as a PDF

Microsoft Office Files (.doc, .docx,.pmb) Exported as a PDF
A setup fee will be charged. Colors and fonts must be signed off by you if we convert your files.

Recommendation: Please use Doro PDF Printer to Convert Microsoft Office Files to .PDF

File Preparation

- File Sizing:
The size of the final piece prior to cutting or folding should be the same as the document size listed under IMAGE SIZE in the application program. For example, a 4″ x 6″ postcard should be set up on a 4″ x 6″ page not 8.5″ x 11″. The resolution should be set at 300 DPI(ppi) minimum. You MUST allow a .25 inch border containing no live area (important text and graphics) for cutting purposes. Please download the appropriate template from the product section if you have any questions regarding file size and setup.
- Fonts:
All type (fonts) MUST be converted to outlines (paths).
- Adobe Software Color Profile Settings:
For creative professionals getting consistent and accurate color from file to print and beyond is important, color profile setup is a requirement for great results. All Adobe Creative Suite Programs operate out the box with a WEB COLOR PROFILE set up of (sRGB 1EC61966-2.1) great for web, not for print! You need to use the North American Prepress 2 color profile settings for offset printing. (RGB: Adobe RGB (1998), CMYK: Web Coated (SWOP) v2, GRAY: Dot Gain 20%, SPOT: Dot Gain 20%)

For consistent PRESS COLOR, all Adobe programs, Photoshop, Illustrator & Indesign etc, should be set up with the North American Prepress 2 color profile settings.

- Setting Color Profiles with Adobe Bridge:

Adobe Bridge can be used to set all your Adobe CS programs color profiles for consistency.

Open Adobe Bridge. From the file menu, choose > Edit/Creative Suite Color Settings/ & select Noth American Prepress 2/ then click “Apply”.

Your Adobe CS programs will now be set up with the same color profile settings (RGB: Adobe RGB (1998), CMYK: Web Coated (SWOP) v2, GRAY: Dot Gain 20%, SPOT: Dot Gain 20%)

- Setting Up Your Files In Adobe Photoshop CMYK:

All scans & files should be converted to CMYK and must be a minimum of 300 dpi.

- Setting Up Your Files In Adobe Illustrator:

We accept versions older than 8.0. Save all placed (embedded) images as 300 DPI CMYK TIFF files (no LZW). If the files are linked and not embedded you need to send the linked files along with your Adobe Illustrator files.

- Setting Up Your Files In Freehand or CorelDRAW:

We currently DO NOT support native Freehand or CorelDRAW files. All files created in CorelDRAW must be exported as .EPS files or Adobe Illustrator .AI files. Making sure to include all fonts that were used in the creation of the document. The only other option is to rasterize to a bitmapped image (TIFF or JPEG) for all final artwork.

- Setting Up Your Files In Other Applications:

The application you are using must be able to export files in the following formats:

1. As a postscript file. (EPS or PDF)

2. As a vector image. (EPS or AI)

3. As a 300 DPI @ a 1:1 size ratio bitmapped image. (TIFF or JPEG)

Recommendation: Please use Doro PDF Printer to Convert Microsoft Office Files to .PDF

Proofing

If you will be designing your artwork, by the time your job gets in our hands, all edits should be finalized, the copy carefully proofread and all design issues should be settled. We are not responsible for proofing any submitted jobs and we will not take any responsibility for any copy or design errors committed on your part. If you submit a job to be design by us, you will need to approve it before we go to print. Proper approval on proofs is needed on all jobs designed by us before we process them for printing.

Canceling A Job Already In Progress

Due to the nature of the business, we process jobs as soon as we receive them. If you need to cancel an order you have placed, you must call and speak to a 4C Graphic & Printing Inc. representative. If we can catch the job before it goes to plate, we will be happy to cancel it, but if the job is already plated and scheduled for production, you are responsible for full payment.