GENERAL GUIDELINES

The following links describe important things to remember when preparing digital art for submission to Cadmus Professional Communications.

  Acceptable resolutions

  Scanned Images

  Color space requirements

  Internet graphics

  Cropping and sizing

  Multipanel figures

  Font Usage

  Supported applications

  Total Ink Density

Acceptable resolutions. It is extremely important that the proper resolution be used when submitting digital artwork. Low resolution graphics are commonly misused in print projects.

This occurs when a graphic is placed that has a DPI resolution too low for print quality. Unfortunately, the problem doesn't arise until the plating or printing of a job.

The minimum requirements for resolution in raster files are:

• 1200 DPI/PPI for monochrome
  This resolution applies to images that are purely black and white. Images such as line graphs (shown left) fall in this category.
  
• 300 DPI/PPI for halftones (CMYK/Grayscale)
  This resolution is for images containing pictures only. For example, an image not containing text labeling or thin lines (shown center)
• 600 DPI/PPI for combination halftones.
  This resolution is for images containing pictures and text labeling and/or thin lines (shown right).

Color space requirements. All digital art submitted must be bitmap (Monochrome), grayscale, or CMYK.

Graphics in the RGB color space (or Indexed color) will not separate correctly. They are very difficult to detect before plating or even going to press.

It is extremely important to check every scan/file for correct color format before saving and submitting your work.

Cropping and sizing. All graphics submitted to CKW should be submitted at their actual size; that is, they should be 100% of their print dimensions so that no scaling is necessary.

Crop figures (or change the page size of your document) so that no unnecessary white space is left bordering the figure.

This will help reduce file size and improve accuracy when placing the figure in combination with other elements on the page.

Also, check each graphic carefully for unnecessary elements (items not intended to print) around the figure and off the page (i.e. type, lines, etc.). Some unnecessary elements may not be visible because they are assigned a white fill or stroke. Items such as these should be found and removed.

Font usage. CKW supports the use of the following Type 1 PostScript fonts for the creation of digital art figures:

• European PI
• Helvetica
• Mathematical PI
• Times Roman
• Symbol
• Arial

CAUTION: The usage of these fonts does not ensure that font problems will not occur. Please be cautious and thoroughly read the appropriate application instructions for the supported application you are using.

All fonts, other than the ones listed above, must be converted to paths (or outlines) in the application they were created with. For example, Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW can convert type to paths. Please do this conversion prior to exporting to EPS.

NOTE: Font usage does not apply to pixel editing programs like Adobe Photoshop because the typefaces are not necessary to image a bitmap file.

Scanned Images. Before placing images in programs like Illustrator, FreeHand, Canvas or CorelDRAW the images should be checked for the following:

• All placed art should be in TIFF or EPS format
• The resolution should be at least 300 dpi
• The color mode of the TIFF/EPS should be either Monochrome (bitmap mode), Grayscale, RGB or CMYK. The RGB or the CMYK mode is used for color figures and Grayscale/Monochrome for black & white.
• Crop and size images properly before importing so that masking, scaling or rotating is not necessary while in the drawing program.
  
  

Internet graphics. Graphics downloaded or saved from Web pages are not acceptable for print products.

These graphics have low resolution images (usually 72 PPI), which are fine for screen display, but far below acceptable quality standards for print.

Multipanel figures. Make sure that any multipanel figures (i.e., figures with parts labeled a, b, c, d, etc.) are assembled into one file.

Rather than sending four files (Fig1a, Fig1b, Fig1c, Fig1d) the four parts should be assembled into one piece and supplied as one file.

Supported applications.  Before CKW can accept files created by an application, the application must be thoroughly tested and proven to be compatible with our XyVision composition system, as well as our OPI processes.

Our intention is not only to support as many applications as possible, but to add new applications whenever possible.

For a list of currently supported programs, please see Instructions for Preparing Digital Artwork.