Setting up your disk for digital output
- After creating your PDF always open it and inspect it. Make sure it's the right size; make sure your type fonts are acceptable.
- Keep your pictures at 200 - 300 dpi. If you're editing your pictures in Photo Shop a good rule of thumb is to keep your highlights at 5% and shadows at 85%.
- When supplying files other than PDF, try to use PostScript fonts. True Type fonts do not output as consistently, since the RIP uses its own resident PostScript fonts as replacements for any True Type fonts. Also, don't forget to include both screen and printer fonts and all images used in your page layout file.
- Avoid large solid areas in your design, they do not print well.
- Save all scans as CMYK or grayscale in TIFF format.
- Do not use RGB images or JPEGs.
- When creating your file for spot colours please use CYAN as your spot colour instead of an actual PMS colour. Call us and indicate what spot colour to print on the press. This way your file will separate properly. PDF and spot colours do not mix well with each other.
- When using graduated blends, please note lighter ones are preferable as darker blends tend to band. Introduce noise to blends to help counter banding problems.
- Never hand off a disk for output with anything other than the files to be output. It can cause confusion and waste time and your money.
- Try to work on your document as single pages (one document with consecutive single pages). Do not work in reader or printer spreads. Horizon handles all page imposition.
- Do not add printer marks on your PDF, Horizon adds its own marks.
- Horizon’s press requires 0.25" bleeds on all trimmed jobs. If your job is trimmed, make sure you confirm the proper trim size with Horizon before working on your file. If your job trims to 8” x 10.5" you need to make a new 8” x 10.5" document.
- ALWAYS include a printed proof with your file so Horizon may verify your printed product is as you intended. Without a printed proof Horizon may not be able to catch text reflows or colour shifts. If Horizon folds your job, remember to include a folded proof so we can verify your pages print in the proper order.
