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 © 1993–1995 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.
Adobe Print Publishing Guide for use with Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh Computers
This manual, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under license and may only be used or copied in accordance with the terms of such
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registered trademark of Pantone, Inc. PANTONE®* Computer Video simulations used in this product may not match PANTONE-identified solid
color standards. Use current PANTONE Color Reference Manuals for accurate color. “PANTONE Color Computer Graphics” © Pantone, Inc.,
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Credits: Written by Steve Grayson; Edited by Janet Williams; Designed, illustrated and produced by Julie Brockmeyer with Susan Bari Price,
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Part number: 0397 0719 (08/95)

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 Contents
C O L O R A N D C O M M E R C I A L P R I N T I N G .................................................................. 7

The properties of color ......................................................................................................................... 8

Printing terminology ........................................................................................................................... 10

Computer graphics ............................................................................................................................. 14
Common printing problems ................................................................................................................ 15
Bitmap image and output resolution ..................................................................................................... 16
Screen ruling ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Emerging printing technologies ............................................................................................................ 18
Offset lithography ............................................................................................................................... 20
Other printing processes ...................................................................................................................... 22
Imposition and binding ....................................................................................................................... 24
Real-world project .............................................................................................................................. 25

P L A N N I N G F O R C O M M E R C I A L P R I N T I N G .......................................................... 27

The publishing process ........................................................................................................................ 28

Defining project requirements .............................................................................................................. 30
Defining quality requirements .............................................................................................................. 31
Choosing prepress tasks ....................................................................................................................... 32
Selecting vendors ................................................................................................................................ 34
Talking with your commercial printer ................................................................................................... 36
Real-world project .............................................................................................................................. 37

G U I D E L I N E S F O R C O N S T R U C T I N G A P U B L I C A T I O N ................................ 39
Specifying colors ................................................................................................................................. 40
Working with spot colors ..................................................................................................................... 42
Working with process colors ................................................................................................................. 43
Bleeds ................................................................................................................................................ 44

Crossovers .......................................................................................................................................... 45

Overprinting to achieve special effects ................................................................................................... 46

Overprinting to compensate for misregistration ..................................................................................... 47

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 Trapping basics ................................................................................................................................... 48

Trapping options ................................................................................................................................ 50

Scanning continuous-tone art .............................................................................................................. 52

Simplifying illustrations ....................................................................................................................... 54
Color management systems .................................................................................................................. 56
Choosing a font format ........................................................................................................................ 57
Graphic file formats for print publishing ............................................................................................... 58
Open Prepress Interface (OPI) .............................................................................................................. 59
Managing linked graphics .................................................................................................................... 60
Real-world project .............................................................................................................................. 61

G E T T I N G O U T P U T ................................................................................................................ 63
Desktop proofing options .................................................................................................................... 64
Separation-based proofs ...................................................................................................................... 66
Creating a report for your service provider ............................................................................................ 68
Preparing files for imaging ................................................................................................................... 70
Handing off files to a prepress service provider ....................................................................................... 71
Checking film separations .................................................................................................................... 72
Checking contract color proofs ............................................................................................................. 73
Checking press proofs .......................................................................................................................... 74
Real-world project .............................................................................................................................. 75

I N D E X ............................................................................................................................................ 77

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 Introduction

his book explores the processes and issues lisher. Commercial print shops have imagesetters to

T involved in preparing color publications

for reproduction on a commercial printing
produce film separations and offer high-fidelity color
and direct digital printing to distinguish themselves
press—a set of tasks known as the prepress process. from other service providers. Service bureaus offering
high-resolution scanning and electronic prepress now
Until recently, most prepress tasks—such as scanning
offer one-stop shopping for less complex printing.
color photographs, trapping, imposition, color cor-
rection, and generating color separations—were per- Managing these changing relationships requires a
formed exclusively by skilled specialists working knowledge of the printing process and the decisions
manually or on expensive proprietary systems. Now, that must be made to produce output of professional
many prepress tasks can be accomplished on the quality. This book discusses the processes and issues
desktop. involved in preparing electronic files for commercial
printing. It also gives you information to help you de-
The flexibility and direct control offered by this new
cide when to perform a prepress task, and when to
technology have blurred the traditional roles of de-
leave that task in the hands of a prepress professional.
signer and prepress professional. Designers who have
the knowledge and the equipment can do their own
prepress work. The prepress industry has changed to
support the new requirements of the desktop pub-

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 Color and Commercial Printing

hen you create a multi-color publication, your local library, bookstore, or graphic arts supply

W you want the colors in the final printed

piece to match your expectations as
store for books on graphic arts and commercial print-
ing. The more you know about printing color, the
closely as possible. To accomplish this, you need three better you can prepare your publication.
things: a clear understanding of color and how it’s
displayed and printed on different devices, knowledge
of the commercial printing process, and close com-
munication with your commercial printer.

This chapter presents fundamental color and printing

concepts, defines printing terminology, and introduces
new technologies. We also recommend browsing in

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 the properties of color

Objects appear to be certain colors because of their Understanding how different factors influence color
ability to reflect, absorb, or transmit light, which we perception and what factors determine printed colors
perceive as color. Our eyes are sensitive enough to will help you manage printing results.
perceive thousands of different colors in the spectrum
Every device used to create a color publication—be it
of visible light—including many colors that cannot be
a scanner, color monitor, color desktop printer, or
displayed on a color monitor or printed on a com-
commercial printing press—reproduces a different
mercial printing press.
range of color. Even similar devices, such as two
We describe color in terms of three characteristics— monitors made by the same manufacturer, can show
hue, value, and saturation. Hue is the wavelength of the same color differently. You can view many more
light reflected from or transmitted through an object. colors on your monitor than you can print on a desk-
More commonly, hue is identified by the name of the top printer or a commercial printing press. There are
color, such as orange, pink, or green. Value (also also printing effects created with varnishes and metal-
called lightness) indicates the darkness or lightness lic inks that cannot be represented on a monitor.
of a hue—in other words, how close it is to black or
In addition, scanners and color monitors use a differ-
white. Saturation (also called chroma) refers to the
ent color model to describe color from that used by
vividness or dullness of the hue.
desktop printers and commercial presses. As colors
Many environmental factors, such as changes in light- move from the computer screen to the printing press,
ing or the proximity of colors to each other, influence they’re converted from one color space to another, so
our individual perception of these color characteris- your printed results don’t exactly match the same
tics. In general, differences in how we perceive colors colors you see on-screen.
don’t seriously affect our lives. In the realm of
When designing publications to be printed on a
commercial printing, however, differences in color
commercial printing press, think in terms of what can
perception often affect the success of a print job.
be reproduced with ink on paper and not what you
see on your monitor, and specify and proof colors
carefully. By working closely with your commercial
printer and mastering some basic color concepts,
you’ll be able to print color publications that meet
your expectations.

Color perception
Many factors subtly influ-
ence your color perception.
In the underlying art, we
used only one background
color—blue—yet the blue
appears to change because
the different colored lines
overlapping it affect per-
8 ception of the color.

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 Color models

Why are two models used to describe color? Because

different media manipulate light in different ways. Red Green Blue
Video technology (for example, a computer monitor
or television screen) uses the additive RGB model: it
transmits varying proportions of red, green, and blue
light which we perceive as different colors. In com-
mercial printing, however, translucent cyan, magenta,
and yellow inks are printed on a page. (Printers use a
fourth ink, black, to deepen shadows and to print true
black type and lines.) These inks absorb and reflect
light, using the subtractive color model. We perceive Monitor pixels
different colors because different inks reflect and
absorb light differently. Additive color model
You can combine varying intensities of three wave-
lengths of light—red, green, and blue (RGB)—to Cyan Magenta Yellow
simulate the range of colors found in nature. Red,
green, and blue are called the additive primaries. If you
combine 100% of red, green, and blue, you perceive
the color as white. If none of the additive primaries are
present, you perceive black.
If you subtract red, green, or blue from white light
(100% each of red, green, and blue), you create cyan,
magenta, or yellow (CMY). For example, you perceive
an object as cyan if it absorbs (subtracts) 100% red
Printed dots
light and reflects green and blue. Cyan, magenta, and
yellow are called the subtractive primaries, and form Subtractive color model
the basis for printed process colors.

Color gamuts

The visible spectrum contains millions of colors; each

device used in commercial printing can reproduce a Visible spectrum
unique subset of this range known as its color gamut
Display monitor (RGB)
or color space. Although the color gamuts for different
devices overlap, they don’t match exactly, so colors Process colors (CMYK)
available on a video monitor may not be printable on
a press.

Visible spectrum and color gamuts

9

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 printing terminology

Continuous-tone art

An original photograph, drawing, or painting is called

continuous-tone art. If you look closely at continuous-
tone art, you will see that it consists of shades of gray
or color that blend smoothly. Scanned images that
contain a range of color tones are called continuous-
tone images.

Halftone screens

To reproduce continuous-tone images and process

45°
colors on a commercial printing press, the image or
color must be broken into a series of dots of various
sizes and colors, called a halftone screen. Black dots are 0°
used to re-create black-and-white images. Cyan, ma-
genta, yellow, and black dots are printed at different
screen angles to re-create color images on the press.
Halftone screen with black ink
The four colored dots form a rosette pattern when
correctly registered.
105° 90° 75°
When printed, small halftone dots make up lighter
45°
areas of an image while larger halftone dots make up
dark or color saturated areas.
0°

Halftone screens with process inks at different

screen angles; correctly registered dots form rosettes

10

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 Spot colors and tints

Spot colors are printed with premixed inks on a print-

ing press. (You can choose from among hundreds of
100% spot
different spot-color inks.) Each spot color is repro-
duced using a single printing plate. 80% screen

A spot color printed at 100% is a solid color and has 60% screen
no dot pattern. A tint is a lightened spot or process
40% screen
color and is created by printing smaller halftone dots
of the base color. This is also called screening the color. 20% screen

For more information on spot colors, see pages 40–42.

Process colors

Process colors are reproduced by printing overlap-

ping dots (halftone screens) of cyan, magenta, and
yellow (CMY) inks to simulate a large number of
different colors. Since CMY inks are translucent, they
Cyan
absorb some colors and reflect others. To create blue,
for example, you combine cyan dots and magenta
dots. Your eyes merge the cyan and magenta dots to
perceive the color blue.
Cyan
You could, in theory, mix 100% of cyan, magenta,
Magenta
and yellow to create black. However, you never print
100% of these inks for two reasons: First, ink pigments
are imperfect and printing this combination of cyan,
magenta, and yellow creates a muddy brown color Cyan
instead of a sharp black. In addition, printing too Magenta
Yellow
much ink on a particular area of a page can oversatu-
rate that area, causing the quality of the printing to
deteriorate. To achieve fine detail and strong shadows Cyan
in print, printers use black ink (K) along with cyan, Magenta
magenta, and yellow inks. For more information on Yellow
process colors, see pages 40–41 and 43. Black

11

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 printing terminology

Separations

To print color art on a commercial printing press, you

first separate the page containing the composite art
into its component colors by producing a film separa-
tion for each ink—cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and
any spot colors—needed to print the colors in your
publication. (Spot-color separations are also called
spot-color overlays.) A commercial printer uses these
film separations to create the printing plates used on
the press. The process of producing film or paper on a
high-resolution imagesetter is known as imaging.

C M Y K S

Undercolor removal and gray-component replacement

Using black ink in process-color production solves a

particular printing problem—that 100% of the three
CMY inks does not produce a true black. However,
adding black ink can cause other problems, such as
too much ink on the page. To avoid this, printers use
undercolor removal (UCR) and gray-component No GCR CMY K
replacement (GCR). These techniques replace
amounts of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks with black
ink. UCR is used primarily to deepen shadow areas
and neutral colors in images; GCR replaces all neutral
color areas with an appropriate amount of black,
using only the minimum amount of cyan, magenta, Medium GCR CMY K
and yellow inks.
An image-editing program, such as Adobe Photoshop®,
can adjust UCR and GCR settings of scanned images.

Maximum GCR CMY K

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 Knocking out and overprinting

When imaging color separations for a document

with overlapping colors, the top object knocks out the
colors on the other separations by default. In other
words, the top object prints and any color behind it
does not print, so that when the printed piece is
produced, the inks used to create the top object
print directly on the printing medium.
You can specify colors and individual objects to
print on top of (overprint) any elements behind them.
Typically, you want colored objects to knock out
when the overlapping inks would blend to create
undesired colors. However, overprinting can be used
to create special effects against background colors or Knockout Overprint
as a technique to prevent small gaps from appearing
between colors or objects due to press misregistration.
For more information on the uses of overprinting, see
pages 46–47.

Trapping

To create the results you want, a commercial printer

must print inks in register—that is, exactly aligned
with each other. If one or more inks print out of regis-
ter, you may see gaps between color objects, or places
where a process ink stands out rather than blends with
the other inks to simulate a color. To minimize the
effects of misregistration, commercial printers devel-
oped trapping, a technique in which adjacent colors
slightly overprint along common edges. See pages
48–51 for more information on trapping.

Misregistration with no trap Misregistration with trap

13

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 computer graphics

Vector graphics

Vector graphics, also called object-oriented graphics, are

made up of mathematically defined curves and line
segments called vectors. You can edit the graphic by
moving and resizing the entire graphic or the lines
and segments that compose the graphic.
Vector graphics are resolution-independent; they
can be displayed or printed at any resolution that a
monitor or printer is capable of.

Vector graphics describe shapes mathematically.

Bitmap images

Bitmap images are formed by a rectangular grid of

small squares, known as pixels. Each pixel contains
data that describes whether it is black, white, or a level
of color. The amount of color information in a bit-
map image determines its file size. A 24-bit color
image is much larger than the same image saved as
an 8-bit color image.
Unlike vector graphics which are edited by altering
lines and shapes, bitmap images are edited by ma-
nipulating groups of pixels.
Bitmap images are resolution-dependent; they can
appear jagged and lose detail if they are created at a
low resolution and then enlarged or printed at a
higher resolution. Bitmap images describe shapes with pixels.

14

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 common printing problems

Moiré patterns

When process-color separations are printed, the rows

of dots (halftone screens) for each process ink are
positioned at a specific angle so that the ink dots form 105° 90° 75°
a pattern that isn’t distracting to the human eye. For
the best results, the screens are positioned so that the
dots form a symmetrical pattern, called a rosette 10°
pattern, which the human eye merges into continu-
0°
ous-tone color.
Moiré pattern
If a process ink prints at an incorrect angle, or if the
paper shifts as it passes through the printing press, the
rosette pattern does not print correctly. Instead, a
moiré pattern appears, which disrupts the perception
of smooth color gradations.

Misregistration

Paper sometimes stretches and shifts as it absorbs

moisture and is pulled through a press. Printing plates
can also stretch or be misaligned. These factors can
cause multicolor jobs to print out of register, resulting
in slight gaps or hue shifts between overlapping colors.
Trapping and overprinting can help you compensate
for misregistration.

Registered Misregistered

Dot gain

Many variables—from the photomechanical pro-

cesses used to produce separations, to the paper type
and press used—affect the size of printed dots. Typi-
cally, dots increase in size as wet ink spreads as it is ab-
sorbed by the paper. Dots may also increase in size as
negatives from different sources are duplicated to
produce the final film. If too much dot gain occurs,
images and colors print darker than specified.
Halftone dots in a color proof. Halftone dots after printing.
.

15

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 bitmap image and output resolution

Resolution is the number of dots available to represent

graphic detail in a given area: on a computer screen,
it’s the number of dots or pixels per linear inch (ppi);
on an output device, it’s the number of dots printed
in a linear inch (dpi); on a scanner, it’s the number of
pixels sampled per linear inch of the scanned image.
The resolution of an output device influences both
the clarity of detail and the tonal range that can be Image resolution: 72 ppi Image resolution: 300 ppi
reproduced from bitmap images.
A pixel is the smallest distinct unit of a bitmap image.
A high-resolution bitmap image contains enough
data—a description of each pixel’s location and what
color is displayed—to show more detail in the image.
A low-resolution image doesn’t have as much data to
render the same level of detail.
A higher bitmap image resolution doesn’t always
produce a better printed image. A bitmap image may Image resolution: 300 ppi Image resolution: 300 ppi
Output resolution: 300 dpi Output resolution: 2400 dpi
contain more data than an output device can repre-
sent; therefore it is important to determine the appro-
priate bitmap image resolution to achieve the best
printed results. If the image resolution is too high for
an output device, it will take a long time to image; if
the image resolution is too low, the quality of the out-
put will be poor. To apply these concepts to scanning,
see “Scanning Continuous-Tone Art” on page 52.

16
screen ruling

Screen ruling, also known as screen frequency or half-

tone frequency, refers to the number of rows or lines of Halftone cell

dots used to render an image on film or paper. Screen

ruling is measured in lines per inch (lpi). The rela-
tionship between the output resolution (dpi) and the Halftone dot
screen ruling (lpi) determines how fine or coarse a Printer dot (dpi)
bitmap image appears on the printed output.
The screen ruling used to image film for a job depends
on the resolution of the imagesetter, and the paper
stock and type of press used to print the publication.
A newspaper is commonly printed using a low screen
ruling of 85 lpi because of newsprint’s high absorbency low lpi high lpi
of ink and the high speed of the press. A higher screen
ruling would saturate the newsprint with ink and The lower the screen ruling, the larger the halftone cells; the
higher the screen ruling, the smaller the halftone cells.
make the images look muddy. A four-color magazine
printed on coated paper might use a screen ruling of
133 lpi. A lower screen ruling would make images
appear coarse and less detailed.
(output resolution ÷ screen ruling) 2 +1
=
Screen ruling also determines the size of a halftone shades of gray
cell, which in turn dictates the maximum size of a
halftone dot. The halftone dot is made up of printer
dots; printer resolution determines the number of
dots available to create the halftone dot. The relation-
ship between screen ruling and printer resolution
determines the tonal range that can be printed. As the
screen ruling increases, the size of the halftone cell
decreases; fewer printer dots are used to create the
halftone dot, so fewer shades can be represented.
To calculate how many levels of gray are available at a (1200 dpi ÷ 90 lpi)2 +1 (1200 dpi ÷ 175 lpi)2 +1
particular screen ruling and output resolution, use the = =
178 shades of gray 48 shades of gray
formula shown on this page. The maximum number
of grays that most output devices can produce is 256. Increasing the screen ruling creates smaller halftone dots and adds
detail to the image, although it reduces the number of grays.
The levels of gray available also influence the smooth-
ness of blends. For more information on blends, see
the Adobe Illustrator User Guide.

17
 emerging printing technologies

Frequency modulation screening

Traditional halftone screening uses the size of the dot

to convey shading: larger dots for darker shades,
smaller dots for lighter shades. Frequency modulation
(FM) screening, also called stochastic screening, ren-
ders the different shades of an image by controlling
the number of dots in each area—more dots produce
a darker area, fewer dots produce lighter areas. To use
FM screening, you need special software or an Conventional halftone screening
imagesetter raster image processor (RIP) that sup-
ports FM screening.
FM screening has several advantages over traditional
screening. Because there is no regular dot pattern in
FM screening, moiré patterns that appear when
screens are misaligned cannot occur. FM screening
also uses smaller dots, so printed images may display
more detail and subtle gradations of color. Some FM screening
disadvantages of FM screening include solid colors
appearing blotchy, and text and vector art looking
fuzzy where they overlap screened colors.

High-fidelity color printing

High-fidelity color printing uses additional process

inks to reproduce more of the color spectrum. For
example, a magazine printed with high-fidelity color
might use orange and green inks in addition to cyan,
magenta, yellow, and black. This would increase the
gamut of printed colors by about 20%. High-fidelity
color can be printed with five or more inks on existing 4-color process
printing presses. Some solutions take advantage of
FM screening techniques.
High-fidelity color is relatively new and is not yet
widely available. Several high-fidelity color solutions
have been developed, including the PANTONE ®
Hexachrome system. Adobe® PageMaker® supports
high-fidelity color through the Kodak Precision Color 7-color process
Management System.
18
Color management systems

A color management system (CMS) is software that Input

interprets color between various devices, such as
scanners, color monitors, and printers. It can be inte-
grated into an application or the operating system.
Using device profiles, a CMS maps colors from the
Input / Output
color gamut of one device into a device-independent
color model, and then maps the colors into the color
gamut of another device. This mapping allows an
application using a CMS to correctly display and print Device-
colors from different devices. independent
color model
The smaller the color gamut a device can produce, the
more important it is to reconcile gamut differences
between devices. A CMS maps colors from a device Device profile
with a large color gamut, like a monitor, to a device
with a smaller color gamut, like a desktop color Output
printer, to ensure that all colors on the monitor repre-
sent colors that the output device can reproduce. For
more information, see “Color Management Systems”
on page 56.

Direct-digital printing

In direct-digital printing, presses are connected to

workstations that create PostScript® files from digital
files, screen bitmap images, and send the files to the
press. The presses do not require film or, in some
cases, printing plates. Some direct-digital presses
transfer digital information onto electrophotographic
cylinders instead of plates and use toner to print four-
color pages. Other presses send the digitized pages
directly to special plates mounted on the press.
Direct-digital printing produces fast turnaround
times, low production costs, and the ability to easily
personalize publications. It is often used for on-
demand or short-run color printing, where only a
small number of copies are printed.
Web-style direct-digital press

19
 offset lithography

You can choose from several different processes to

print a publication: flexography, gravure, screen
printing, and offset lithography are the most common.
The method you choose depends on your budget,
your choice of a commercial printer, and the printed
results you want. Because offset lithography is the
most popular printing process, we use it here to
explain the basics of commercial printing.
Unlike other types of printing, offset lithography
involves printing from a flat surface. It works on the
principle that oil and water do not mix—not because
the image area is raised (as in flexography) or etched
(as in gravure). The printing plate holds ink because
the image area is treated so that it is receptive to oil-
based ink but not to water.
A multicolor offset press has a separate printing unit
for each ink being printed. If, for example, you’re
using process colors and one spot color in a print job
and your commercial printer’s press can handle five
inks, a printing unit will be set up for each ink—cyan,
magenta, yellow, black, and the spot color. The paper
will then pass through each unit in succession. If the
press handles fewer inks, your printer will print two
or three inks first, stop the press and change the inks,
and then run the paper through again to print the
remaining inks. Platemaking
Using a photographic
process, a printer exposes
the reversed image from
the film separation (a
negative) onto a flat plate
with a light-sensitive coat-
ing, and then develops the
plate. The image area of
the plate—now a readable
positive—is coated with a
chemical that attracts ink
but repels water. The non-
image area is coated so
that it attracts water and
repels ink.

20
 Plate cylinder

Water/dampening rollers
Vibrating ink rollers

Magenta ink

Cyan ink
Rubber blanket

Impression cylinder

Paper

A printing press repeats the

wetting, inking, offsetting,
and printing steps for each
ink over and over through-
out the print run.

Wetting Inking Offsetting Printing

The plate is mounted on a Next, the ink roller applies The final roller is a rubber In the last step, the paper—
rotating cylinder. When the oil-based ink to the plate. blanket, which is pressed in individual sheets (sheet-
press starts, the plate comes Thick, greasy ink flows against the printing plate fed) or on a continuous roll
into contact with water from another fountain and carries away a reversed (web-fed)—passes between
rollers first. Dampening so- through a series of vibrat- inked image (the offsetting the rubber blanket and an
lution (water plus additives) ing rollers, which distribute step). The rubber blanket impression cylinder. The
flows constantly from a the ink thinly and evenly. has some flexibility and inked blanket cylinder with
traylike fountain through a When the last ink roller gives slightly when pressed its reversed image presses
series of rollers to the plate contacts the wet printing against paper, so the image against the paper, printing
cylinder. The last water plate, it smoothly distrib- can transfer evenly to both the positive image.
roller wets the entire print- utes ink across the water- smooth and textured paper.
ing plate, except where the resistant image area.
plate has been treated to
resist water.

21
 other printing processes

Flexography

Flexography uses a raised-image plate made of flexible

rubber or photopolymer which prints directly onto a
surface. The flexible plate makes it possible to print on
irregular surfaces such as coffee mugs, aluminum Rubberized relief plate
cans, or corrugated cardboard.

Gravure

Gravure printing uses an etched copper cylinder or

wraparound plate where the surface of the cylinder
represents the non-printing areas. The plate rotates in
a bath of ink and the ink is retained in the etched wells Etched copper plate
of the plate. There are three types of gravure printing:
conventional, variable area-variable depth, and direct
transfer. Conventional gravure is often used for short-
run, high-quality printing. It is the process that is
illustrated here. Variable area-variable depth gravure
is an excellent process for reproducing newspaper
supplements, magazines, and mail-order catalogs.
Direct transfer gravure is used mainly for packaging.

22
Screen printing

Screen printing is the relatively simple method of

forcing ink through a screen stencil and onto a
Stencil
printable surface. It can be used to reproduce a few
colors, or continuous-tone art. Because screen print- Porous screen
ing lays down the ink up to 30 times thicker than
lithography, the color is more dense and durable than
other printing processes. Commercial screen printing
uses photographic stencils to transfer designs onto Squeegee
almost any printable surface, including posters,
clothing, compact discs, and bottles.

Thermography

Thermography is a finishing process that uses special

non-drying inks on offset presses. After the ink is Final product with
placed onto the printing surface, it is dusted with a raised surface

powder. The surface then passes under a heater,

which fuses the ink and the powdered compound
causing these areas to swell. The printing swells or
raises in relief to produce an engraved effect. This
process is used to create business cards, stationery,
invitations, and greeting cards.

Printed
material Powder
applied to
wet ink Excess
powder
removed
Heat
applied

23
 imposition and binding

Imposition is the process of arranging the pages of a

publication so that when the sheets are printed and 5 12 9

folded for binding, the pages will be in the proper se-

5
quence. Individual pages are arranged on a large sheet
called a flat, which is used to produce plates for the
1
printing process. Each plate prints a single form, or 4 13 16 1
impression, of the imposed pages. Two forms are
printed back to back on a press sheet that is folded
Imposed 16-page signature and folded signature.
into a signature. The signature is bound with others, if
necessary, and trimmed to create a publication.
Imposition may be done manually or electronically.
Manual imposition is a labor-intensive process where
small pieces of film separations are precisely arranged
and taped, or stripped, onto flats. Electronic imposi-
tion requires software, such as Adobe® PressWise®,
that arranges the digital document into the proper
formation.
Binding is the process of gathering folded signatures Inserted signatures Saddle-stitch binding
using one of several methods. In saddle-stitch bind-
ing, signatures are gathered to form a common spine
and then stitched with staples. Perfect binding in-
volves gathering groups of signatures, grinding the
bound edge, and gluing the signatures at the spine
into a one-piece paper cover.
When signatures are collated and folded for saddle-
stitch binding, the inner pages may project outward
Gathered signatures Perfect binding
slightly. The printed area moves slightly with respect
to other pages. The more pages there are in a book the
farther out the pages closest to the center of the book
move with respect to the other pages. This phenom-
enon is known as creep or shingling. If creep is not Binding
compensated for during imposition, graphics and text
in a multiple-page publication will appear to move
away from the gutter—where pages meet at the bind-
ing—in the first half of the book and toward the gut- Trimming
ter in the second half of the book.
Creep occurs when the inner Creep affects the printed area
pages of a signature project during binding and trimming.
outwards.

24

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 AS A FIRST-TIME USER OF PAGEMAKER, Mario Mirelez
of Mirelez/Ross Incorporated created The Art of the
Garden for an art exhibit at Eckert Fine Art in India-
napolis, Indiana. The limited edition of the exhibition
catalog provided several creative challenges according
to Mirelez, Director of Art & Design.

“First and foremost we wanted the catalog to be an

effective sales brochure,” Mirelez said, “both intelli-
gent and legible. The piece was designed to feature
the individual artists as well as their work. It was also
designed to function not merely as a fine-art catalog,
but to speak of the client’s integrity as well.”

The catalog was hand-collated, top-stitched five

times, and bound with a spine protector glued to the
cover. To give the catalog a more substantial feel, the
front and back covers have gatefolds. As a finishing
touch, a vellum overlay was printed and placed with
the catalog, and they were bound with a foil stamp-
embossed band.

At the end of each chapter of this book, we examine

some of the key decisions Mirelez made while creat-
ing this award-winning publication.

25

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Planning for Commercial Printing

very commercial printing job requires that In addition to choosing a commercial printer, you

E you consider a complex set of variables

ranging from what your budget and sched-
may need to select a prepress service provider to
image color separations, scan continuous-tone art,
ule allow to how the paper stock and printing press and trap and impose your publication. Several types
affect your final output. The earlier you think about of vendors can provide these services: prepress houses
these variables, the more control you’ll have over the and color trade shops; color-capable imagesetting
quality, cost, and schedule of your project. service bureaus; and commercial printers. Shop for
vendors who are willing to answer your printing
Preparing a publication for commercial printing takes
questions, and ask to see samples of their work.
careful thought: both imagesetters and commercial
Accurate film separations are critical since they
printing presses have inherent limitations, and it’s
determine the quality of your color output, so select
possible to create publications that are difficult to
a separation facility carefully.
print on either an imagesetter or a printing press. By
thinking of your design and production cycles as steps Choose your vendors early, and involve them in up-
in a larger process, you can make choices that will let front decision making. Review your rough design
you work more efficiently and help you achieve the ideas with them, discuss any potential printing prob-
best printed results. lems, and always identify who will be responsible for
prepress tasks.
Before going to a commercial printer with your
project, you need to evaluate your skills, your sched-
ule, and your equipment to determine what tasks you
will do and what services you will contract.
 the publishing process

Successfully completing a commercially printed

publication requires several steps including planning
and organizing, design and content development,
and prepress tasks where your electronic files are
prepared to be reproduced with ink on paper.
Making informed decisions in the planning stages
builds a solid foundation for your project. When
you have questions about your project, seek advice
from your vendors. Keep track of decisions you
make: who is responsible for the completion and
quality of each task, when each phase must be
completed, and what requirements must be
met for the final output.

Select and consult your vendors

Evaluate commercial printers and
prepress service providers based on
the requirements of your project
and the services you require. Visit
the sites of potential vendors. Select
a commercial printer and prepress
service provider early in the design
Choose prepress tasks
process, so that they can assist you
Determine which prepress tasks you
in planning.
will do based on your skills, time,
and equipment. For example, if your
design requires trapping or includes
photographs to be scanned, deter-
Define project and quality mine if you can perform these tasks.
requirements Decide which parts of the process
Before you start to work, gather all you will take primary responsibility
the requirements for the publication, for on the project.
including budget, schedule, and
output quality. Then, working with
pencil and paper or directly on your
computer, rough out your initial
design ideas.

28
 herbs
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or yo m
o
av av av f r
l r ou
the f o of y
lr
ce the f o
an e the fl
enh nc e
enhanc
enha

Create your publication

Use Adobe PageMaker or Adobe
Illustrator to build your document.
Define the colors you will use and
decide if they will be process or spot Proof and hand off your files
colors. Create or gather the content, Print proof copies of your publication
vector art, and bitmap images for on a black-and-white or color
your publication. Review the design PostScript desktop printer. Consult
to determine how the page elements your printer about what proofing
interact and overlap. Determine if methods he or she recommends to
you will use a CMS. Discuss printing check color quality and to safeguard
issues with your commercial printer against production problems. Decide Check and print your publication
as your design evolves. what type of file to give to your Examine the film separations for
service provider. Gather your files, quality and accuracy. Check that
the final laser proofs, your report objects appear on the correct sepa-
listing details about your document, ration. Check proofs made from
and any additional files, such as separations for correct trapping and
bitmap images and vector artwork. smooth and consistent tints. Meet
with your printer to review press
proofs for final color quality. After
you approve the press proof, the
publication is printed and assembled.

The prepress process

29
 defining project requirements

Every printed project requires you to balance cost, Estimate the resources and skills of the workgroup
schedule, and quality. Another key factor in your assigned to the project. If you have the expertise and
project’s success is your relationship and communi- equipment to do some of the prepress work yourself,
cation with your prepress service provider. If you and it can be cheaper than having the work done by a
your service provider have a clear understanding of prepress service provider. But doing your own
each other’s requirements, you can both do what is prepress work can cost more if the work is done in-
necessary to make your project a success. correctly, since you may not discover mistakes until
your publication is imaged on film. Making changes
You can save money printing a publication by plan-
late in the project cycle can result in missed press
ning early, accurately estimating which tasks you can
dates, additional charges from the printer, and delays
accomplish and which tasks you will contract, and by
in binding and delivery. Remember, the closer correc-
taking responsibility for those tasks you choose to do.
tions are made to the press date, the more expensive
Clearly communicating responsibilities between you
they will be.
and your service provider can save both time and
money.
When preparing a budget, estimate fixed and variable
costs. Fixed costs do not vary depending on how
many copies of the job you print. These costs include
payment for designing, writing, editing, scanning,
and print preparation. Variable costs—those costs
that vary depending on how many copies you print—
include press time, paper, and binding costs.

30

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 defining quality requirements

Quality can be conveyed through writing, design, Consider these publication requirements
content, and materials as well as through printing
accuracy. But the perceived quality of your publication Newsletters
is greatly affected by the printing process. While you The newsletter is printed with one ink (usually
want the best quality for your publication, knowing black), photographs are recognizable but may lose
the degree of tolerance you have for a particular some detail from the original, and the paper stock
project is important for both you and your printer. is a standard type always kept on hand. The piece
These factors influence your quality requirements: is designed to be read and eventually replaced
with the next edition.
• Audience: How do you need to influence your audi-
Hardware direct-mail catalog
ence? Does the printed piece have to distinguish it-
The catalog is printed using paper and inks regu-
self from similar pieces? Does this piece have to sell
larly kept in stock by the printer. The standard size
something (merchandise, credibility of a company) makes it cheaper to bind and finish. The catalog
to a discerning audience? Does it have to get the includes crisp black-and-white photographs and
attention of an audience to inform them, or is the color photographs with good detail. Color accu-
audience anticipating the information in the piece? racy is important but not critical since buying
decisions are not usually based on the represented
• Length of time on the market: Is this a publication color. Registration is accurate to 1/100 inch. The
that announces a onetime only offer (like a sale publication will be replaced in several months.
flyer) or will it be used over and over again (like a
High-end clothing catalog
cookbook)?
The high-end catalog uses premium papers and
• Image integrity: Is the image detail important to the inks. Color accuracy is critical to the publication’s
message? Images in a history textbook may not be success, so color in the photographs matches the
color critical, but the detail must be clear for the actual clothing. Printer registration is very accu-
rate, and all the artwork is trapped. Although the
image to be informative. Flesh tones should always
expected duration of the publication is short, a
look human and healthy. Images for a clothing cata- high-quality publication helps persuade the audi-
log require significant detail, especially for fine ence to buy.
prints and textures.
Fortune 500 corporate annual report
• Color matching: Will people make critical decisions In an annual report, the image of the company is
based on the color in the piece? Clothing catalogs conveyed by the quality of design, printing, and
usually require an exact match to the actual cloth- appearance of the publication. Color, while less
ing. If the color is wrong, customers may be dissatis- critical than in a clothing catalog, is accurate and
black-and-white photographs are very sharp. The
fied with the clothing they receive. In other cases,
product has no discernible flaws.
it’s more important for colors to be balanced; food
images in grocery ads or cookbooks require a pleas-
ing photograph, but not necessarily a color match.

31

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 choosing prepress tasks

One of the most difficult decisions regarding a project

to be printed is how much work you will do from the
desktop. With the expanding range of desktop pub-
lishing tools able to accomplish prepress tasks, the Scanning and color
correction
temptation is to do many of the tasks yourself. But
Continuous-tone art must
each prepress task that can be done on the desktop
be scanned to be con-
requires skill, time, and equipment you may not have verted into an electronic
or want to acquire. file. Image detail and color
accuracy depend on the quality of the scanning
Your relationship with your printer can also affect
equipment and the original photographs or
your decision on which prepress tasks you do. If you
images. In all cases, know what size you need
intend to exercise a large amount of control over the the final image to be, and what level of quality,
publication, and assume the responsibility for the detail, and color accuracy you require.
quality of the film separations, you may choose to do
all the prepress work yourself and deliver a final file to
your prepress service provider. If you want your ser-
vice provider to be able to make changes to your pub-
Trapping
lication, discuss prepress requirements with your
Overlapping or interacting
service provider and hand off the required files.
colors require trapping if
Accomplishing prepress tasks can be easy with profes- misregistration would result
PREPRESS TASKS

sional-quality software, but acquiring the skill and in visible gaps or color shifts
experience to do them takes time. If you are new to between colors. A correct
trap depends on press and paper tolerances. To
commercial printing, it may be worthwhile for you to
build traps manually, you need to know how to
pay a prepress professional to do the prepress work. calculate the color of the trap, and position the
As you gain experience, consider investing in training trap correctly.
and equipment so you can eventually do more
prepress work yourself.
Be prepared to accept the responsibility for the tasks
you take on. Although you can save money doing
your own prepress work, you can also pay more Preparing files for color
money to fix your mistakes. Regardless of which separations
prepress tasks you do, clarifying requirements with Files should be checked for
your commercial printer and prepress service pro- correct print settings and
vider significantly reduces rework. that the correct PostScript
printer description (PPD)
file was used. Verify that colors are named,
defined, and applied correctly. Document files
must be linked to the most current bitmap
images and graphics. Missing fonts should be
located so that the files print correctly from
another computer.

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 WHAT YOU NEED WHAT VENDORS CAN DO TRADE-OFFS

You can scan images using a flatbed A prepress service provider can use Doing your own image editing
or transparency scanner. Scanned a high-end drum scanner that is can be time consuming, but you
images can be large and require more accurate than desktop scan- have complete control over the
large amounts of disk storage and a ners, and provides a higher quality appearance of the final image.
computer with a fast processor and image. The service provider can Many desktop scanners can pro-
plenty of RAM. You need image- supply low-resolution versions of vide a scan that fits your needs.
editing software, such as Adobe your scans that will make designing Conversely, high-end drum scan-
Photoshop, that allows you to adjust your publication and printing proofs ners provide higher scan resolu-
color values and edit the image. For faster than if you used a high- tions and better color correction
best results, you should be familiar resolution image. than most desktop scanners.
with basic concepts of resolution
and color correction.

PageMaker can automatically trap Prepress service providers often use To construct traps manually, you
page elements you create in the ap- dedicated trapping software, such need to determine which page
plication. With programs like Adobe as Adobe® TrapWise®, to trap publi- elements need trapping. You
Illustrator, you can trap artwork be- cations with superior results. High- then choose the best color for
fore it is imported into PageMaker. end proprietary color-separation the trap. Automatic trapping
The design and complexity of the systems also provide trapping. tools eliminate the need for
publication determines which trap- Commercial printers who produce some of this knowledge, but
ping tool to use. To design effective color separations know what they may not be able to trap
traps, you need to understand when settings are required for the press all elements in your publication.
traps are necessary, and to obtain that will be used to print your job. Work with your vendors to
trap settings from your commercial determine the most efficient
printer. way to trap your publication.

When preparing a PostScript file, Service providers usually know what When handing off a PostScript
you must use the correct PPD for to look for to ensure the film will file, you have control and re-
the output device and all print set- image successfully from your file. If sponsibility over settings selected
tings must be correct. You should you hand off a PageMaker publica- in the file and little margin for
be able to identify what elements or tion, the service provider can adjust error. When you hand off a
attributes in a file might prevent the settings and correct your files if they PageMaker publication, you
imagesetter from imaging your file fail to image properly. relinquish some control to your
correctly, and know how to elimi- prepress service provider but
nate or correct them. your service provider can prevent
problems or correct them if they
occur.

33

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 selecting vendors

Once you have decided which tasks you will perform provider has produced and obtain customer refer-
and which ones you will contract, then you must ences. Discuss the details of your project and schedule
choose a commercial printer. Finding a printer can to determine if your requirements can be met.
be daunting if you’ve never done it before. Look for
When working with your prepress provider, make
printed material that is similar to your project and
your intentions clear. If you want to learn to do your
find out who printed it. Consult local design firms
own prepress work, look for a service provider who
about what printers they use, and get suggestions
provides training or can refer you to training classes.
from local computer user groups that focus on
You may pay more for these services, but you may
desktop publishing issues.
save money in the long run.
Decide if you want to work with a commercial printer
Following are a list of questions to ask potential com-
who does prepress work and the printing, or if you
mercial printers and service providers. The answers
prefer to have the prepress work done at a different
will help you assess capacities of equipment the ser-
location. Obtaining prepress services from a commer-
vice provider uses and the level of expertise available.
cial printer allows you to communicate with only one
Remember that your relationship with your vendors
vendor and manage only one relationship. If you wish
is key to the success of your project.
to use a prepress service provider, such as a color
house, that specializes in a particular aspect of
prepress work you may want several vendors. If you
choose to work with several vendors, make sure they
understand each other’s requirements.
Once you have narrowed your search, ask the pro-
spective service provider to show you his or her facil-
ity. Ask to see samples of work that the service

34

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 Questions to ask a commercial printer Questions to ask a prepress service provider

• What experience do they have working with elec- • What are their rates? Is support or training included
tronic publishing jobs? in the rate?
• What are their rates? Is support or training included • Can they accept electronic files? If so, what file
in the rate? formats do they accept? From which platforms?
• Are both sheet-fed and web-fed presses available? • Do they offer scanning services?
The nature of your job should determine the type of
• What fonts do they have available?
press it is run on.
• What steps are taken to ensure precision?
• How many colors can be printed in one press run?
On a two-color press, your four-color job will • Do they use dedicated trapping software, such as
require two press runs. You may be able to cut costs Adobe TrapWise?
by shopping for a commercial printer with a four-
• Do they use electronic imposition software, such as
color press.
Adobe PressWise?
• What prepress services do they offer? What prepress
• How often are their imagesetters calibrated?
tasks, such as stripping, might be more cost-
Knowledgeable facilities calibrate both daily and
efficient if done traditionally?
every time the film is changed. Imagesetters should
• Do they support high-fidelity color printing? be calibrated for both emulsion density and half-
tone dot value. Operators should verify that film
• Can electronic imposition be done? Will they accept
processing chemicals are not depleted or diluted.
film that has already been imposed?
• What type of imagesetters are available?
• What color matching systems are supported?
Adobe PageMaker and Adobe Illustrator support • What screening options are available?
several spot and process color matching systems
• Who sets the printing settings if a PageMaker file is
including ones made by PANTONE ®, Trumatch®,
handed off?
and Focoltone®.
• What PPD should you use? Do they provide a
custom PPD?
• Who is responsible for checking the film quality?

• What color-proofing systems are available?

35

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 talking with your commercial printer

Once you have chosen a printer, discuss the specifics Obtain information from your printer:
of your project. Paper stock quality, paper coating,
• Any recommendations, such as materials, binding
and ink types effect the color quality of your final
type, or special inks
publication. Your design and the colors you choose
can influence your printer’s recommendation. Also • Whether any materials, such as paper stock or
discuss the following: special inks, must be ordered
• Your project budget • If you can save money by making minor changes to
your publication or requirements
• Your schedule
• The appropriate screen ruling (lpi) to use
• The number of copies you plan to print
• The trap specifications for your job
• The dimensions of your publication
• Any additional settings you should use when
• The colors you plan to specify
creating your publication
• Your choice of finishing and binding (if any)
The information you obtain from your printer will
• Your use of bleeds and crossovers
help you construct a publication efficiently.
• The graphics in your publication

• Who will be doing prepress tasks

36

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 BECAUSE THE ART OF THE GARDEN features reproductions
of artwork for sale, the quality of the paper stock was
very important. For the inside pages, Mirelez chose a
premium paper stock that was natural in color and very
smooth to the touch. This was contrasted by his selec-
tion of an industrial-type uncoated paper stock for the
cover and a rough, heavy card stock for the binding.

Mirelez chose to work with a prepress service provider

recommended by his client. Mirelez worked very
closely with the service provider to make sure that
details were handled correctly. The prepress service
provider scanned 4-by-5-inch transparencies of the
gallery artwork on a Scitex scanner. The other graphics
were scanned using a desktop scanner, imported into
Adobe Photoshop for retouching and manipulation,
and then placed in PageMaker. The scanned art was
printed at a very fine screen ruling (200 lpi ) to capture
the detail.

Mirelez works with several commercial printers. He

chooses the commercial printer based on the require-
ments of the job. For example, he may work with one
commercial printer for a two-color job and a different
one for a four-color process job. According to Mirelez,
a good rapport with his printers ensures the success of
the projects.

37

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PM6 PPG 03A 38-39.pm5 38 12/4/96, 11:15 AM
 Guidelines for Constructing a Publication

he way you create your publication is not This chapter covers the issues involved in creating

T only critical to the success of your design—it

affects the way your publication prints,
a digital publication for commercial printing, such
as creating page layouts that avoid typical printing
both to an imagesetter and on a commercial press. pitfalls, choosing the best graphic format, and com-
pensating for misregistration using overprinting or
Careful planning can save you money and time. Pay-
trapping.
ing attention to certain tasks up front will keep your
project on schedule and within budget, and is cheaper When properly assembled, a publication will print
and easier than making corrections later. correctly and require less rework for you and your
vendors.

PM6 PPG 03A 38-39.pm5 39 12/4/96, 11:15 AM

 specifying colors

Colors in your digital document need to be reproduced Use spot colors when
by printing ink on paper. Spot colors are reproduced
• You need three or fewer colors and you will not be
with pre-mixed inks, while process colors are repro-
reproducing process-color photographs.
duced with cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks.
While spot inks are nearly opaque, process inks are • You want the limited color variety you get from one
translucent. or two spot colors and tints of those colors.
In most cases, avoid specifying colors based on the • You want to print varnishes or special inks, such as
way they appear on your monitor. For the most pre- metallic, fluorescent, or pearlescent spot inks.
dictable results, choose colors from a color-matching
• You want to print logos or other graphics elements
system. Color-matching systems are developed with
that require precise color matching.
rigorous specifications; commercial printers who
license a color-matching system agree to maintain the
specified color standards to produce consistent color. Use process colors when
Work with your commercial printer to choose the • You need more than three colors in your design. In
appropriate color-matching system for your job. general, printing with process inks costs less than
When creating art to import into Adobe PageMaker, printing with three or more spot inks.
use an illustration program, such as Adobe Illustrator, • You want to reproduce scanned color photographs
that supports the same color-matching systems that or color artwork that can only be reproduced with
you use in your publication. This ensures that your process colors.
illustrations will match any additional elements
created with the same colors used in your publication.
Use spot and process colors together when
If possible, naming the colors in your illustration
exactly as you name them in your PageMaker publi- • Your publication requires five or more inks printed.
cation saves steps when you output your publication You can meet most publication requirements with
from PageMaker. When you define process colors in six inks—four process inks and two spot inks.
your illustration, make sure that they are defined with Printing with more than six inks can be expensive
the same component percentages as the process colors since it may require more press setup and more
in PageMaker. than one run through the press.
Whether you use spot colors, process colors, or a
combination of both in your publication depends on
your budget, the purpose of the publication, the type
of page elements you use, and how your design will be
reproduced. A balanced approach to color printing
helps ensure acceptable results. Use the following
guidelines to determine what colors are suitable for
your publication.

40

PM6 PPG 03B 40-45.pm5 40 12/4/96, 11:20 AM

 Color photograph
printed with
process inks

Vector art using

a spot color

Purpose &
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Spot varnish
applied to enhance
the text effect

Text with spot

color applied

41

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 working with spot colors

Specifying a spot color means that any page element

assigned that color will appear on the same color
separation. The color name you assign does not deter-
mine what ink will be used in printing, but naming
colors consistently lessens any confusion between you
and your prepress service provider. When you submit
your publication or separations to your commercial
printer, you specify which ink should be used.
Spot color Spot color converted to process
If you are already printing spot and process colors,
you can print with fewer plates if you convert spot
colors to their process-color equivalents. When con-
verting a spot color into a process color, be aware that
many spot colors cannot be reproduced accurately
with process inks. Use a spot color to process color
conversion chart to determine the best process color
alternative, or ask your printer for suggestions. If
possible, print a test publication using the converted
colors before the final printing.
Varnishes are used to protect a page, create a special
effect, or accentuate photographs or display type. Publication page Varnish silhouette
A flood varnish is applied to the entire area of the
publication, and a spot varnish is applied only to a
specific area.
Specify a spot varnish just as you would a spot color.
Set spot varnishes as a spot color that will overprint
and design a silhouette of the image or text to be
coated. If the silhouette cannot be created in Adobe
PageMaker, you can create it in Adobe Illustrator.
Consult your vendors to determine their require-
ments for specifying a varnish.
20% screen 40% screen
Avoid using tints of spot colors for small type or hair-
lines. The dot pattern required to produce a light tint
often cannot accurately represent small text or lines,
and the line or text will appear broken. For best results,
use a single, solid color ink to print hairline rules and
small text.

42

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 working with process colors

Process colors are printed using all four process inks

in a precise halftone pattern to create the illusion of
full color. To achieve predictable printed results,
always use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and
black) values provided on printed color charts to
specify process colors, or select colors from one of the
process-color libraries.
Because process black is translucent and printing Process black (100% K) Neutral rich black created
presses cannot lay large areas of solid ink smoothly, with 100% K + 20% C +
20% M + 20% Y
the addition of another process color is often benefi-
cial. Rich black combines process black ink with one
or more of the other process inks to achieve a more
intense black. Use a rich black in areas where objects
would show through process black and cause it to
appear inconsistent.
Use a single, solid ink (such as 100% black or a dark
spot color) to print hairline rules and small text. Fine
elements printed with two or more colors are difficult
Cool rich black created with Warm rich black created with
to print in register, and misregistration can make the 100% K + 20% C 100% K + 20% M
fine elements appear fuzzy.
Avoid creating process colors with high ink contents.
Most printers recommend a maximum ink coverage
of 250%-320%, so that the paper doesn’t become
oversaturated and stretch, warp, wrinkle, or tear.
Oversaturation also increases the likelihood of
misregistration.

Process colors in small type Spot colors in small type

and fine elements are more and fine elements produce a
likely to show misregistration. sharp edge.

43

PM6 PPG 03B 40-45.pm5 43 12/4/96, 11:20 AM

 bleeds

Printing an object to the edge of the final printed

piece requires creating a bleed. A bleed extends objects Bleed

off the print area to ensure that when the printed

paper is trimmed during the finishing process, the ance the flavor of your

enh
ink coverage extends to the edge of the paper. For mea
ls with
a selectio
n of herbs from Earth & Wa
re.

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plant
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ve outside.

printer. The accuracy of the press and the trimming

equipment determine the size of your bleeds. When
creating bleeds, avoid aligning objects exactly with
the edge of the page. Pages are not always precisely Bleeds extend to the edge of the paper.

trimmed at the trim marks.

You can extend most objects off the page to any
Trim marks 1/8-inch bleed
size bleed. Consult your printer to determine the
optimum bleed size for your job.

Trim marks indicate where the page will be cut.

Avoid aligning objects exactly Adjust the design so trimming

with the edge of the page. looks intentional.

44

PM6 PPG 03B 40-45.pm5 44 12/4/96, 11:20 AM

 crossovers

A crossover is a printed object that extends from one

page to the next. Because a single object is printed on Crossover

two sheets of paper, the pages must be carefully

aligned in the final printed piece. y&
Utilit ticsWith so many pract
ical

Binding methods affect crossover position and aesthe e tools in our catal

min
og,

deter ape it’s hard not to lo

ok a

alignment. An object that spans the gutter may seem the sh the
t

these pages and

of
to disappear when the pages are bound, so you need
question if you re

vessel.
ally

need yet another GALVANIZED

FLORIST

to adjust the design accordingly. Also, when pages are something.

BUCKETS
PANNING TRAYS
&
WATERING

gathered together for binding, some of the pages can CANS

be pushed out slightly. This phenomenon, called

creep, can cause gaps or misalignment between the
two parts of the crossover. Perfect-bound publica-
tions usually have less crossover misalignment than Crossovers extend from one page to another.
saddle-stitch publications. The center spread of a
saddle-stitch publication will be exactly aligned
because the two pages are be printed on the same
form, but adjacent pages closer to the cover may be
misaligned. Follow these simple rules when creating a
crossover:
• Avoid putting small text across two pages. Type
becomes less legible as it approaches the gutter.
• Avoid using thin rules in crossovers; they are very
difficult to align. Before binding After binding
• Positioning a crossover in your publication is im-
portant, especially when the art is placed at an angle
across the gutter. Diagonal crossovers exaggerate
misalignment.
• Consult your printer about imposing the two pages
onto the same form so that the color and ink cover-
age will be consistent for both pages. Printing pages
on different forms can increase variations in color
spreads.
Color shifts can occur when Thicker rules help conceal
crossovers print on different misalignment.
forms.

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 overprinting to achieve special effects

Overprinting—when inks are printed on top of each

other—can be used to create additional colors, special
effects, and silhouettes. Typically, when you produce
separations from a document with overlapping objects,
the top objects knock out any colors beneath them on
the other separations; overprinting leaves the back-
ground colors so that all of the inks for the overlapping
objects print in the final piece.
Overprinting can form a new Overprinting can change the
Overprinting colors with uncommon inks combines color. look of a color unexpectedly.
the ink values in the overprinted color. For example,
if a background color contains 50% C and the over-
printed color has 60% M, the overprinted area will
consist of 50% C and 60% M.
50 C 50 C
When you overprint colors with shared inks, com- 0M 0M
mon ink values are not combined. Instead, the ink
values of the overprinted color are used in the printed
color. For example, if a background color contains 20 C 20 C
50 C 0C
50% C and 0% M and the overprinted color contains 60 M 60 M 60 M 60 M
20% C and 60% M, the printed color where the colors
overlap will contain 20% C and 60% M.
Overprinting is also used to specify varnishes. Varnishes, M M
60 60
which can be used to emphasize display text or to
enhance images, can be treated like a clear spot color C C
50 50
that is overprinted. C
20

Talk with your commercial printer before setting inks

to overprint since overprinting can increase the Overprinting objects without Overprinting objects that share
amount of ink coverage on the page and may cause common inks combines the ink inks reveals only the overprinted
values where the objects overlap. ink where the objects overlap.
problems on the press.

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 overprinting to compensate for misregistration

In some situations, overprinting text and objects can

be more effective than trapping when compensating
for misregistration. For example, sometimes small
text and hairlines can be distorted by trapping. Over-
printing preserves the shape of the object and the
legibility of the text.
Before overprinting fine text and thin lines, evaluate
Overprinted black text
whether misregistration will be more noticeable than
a possible variation in the line or text color. Keep in
mind that your solution should provide the least dis-
traction between text (or line) and background
should misregistration occur. Ask these questions to
evaluate your situation:
favorite essentials
• If gaps appear due to misregistration, will they be
noticeable? Gardener’s Gloves
Lorem ipsum dolor sit am nonnumy eiusmod temp
erat volupat. Duis autem vel eum irure molestaie son
• Will the text change to an undesirable color if consequat, tutungbene volent sib. Nonnumy eiusmod
Overprinted keyline
overprinted on the background?
• Will trapping distort the text characters?

Printing keylines around images is a common use of

overprinting. The overprinted keyline can hide any
misregistration that occurs when the image is printed.
Ask your prepress service provider what keyline width
to use.

Small spot-colored text set to Small spot-colored text set to

knock out, misregistered. overprint, misregistered.

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 trapping basics

When inks print out of register, gaps or color shifts

appear between the objects. Trapping compensates
for this misregistration by slightly expanding one
adjacent color into another.
Trapping requires a thorough knowledge of color and
design, and an eye for determining when trapping is
necessary. For example, process colors that share
sufficient quantities of common inks don’t require
trapping. An effective trap should compensate for
misregistration without distorting the shapes of the
objects on the page.
A publication designed with several interacting spot
colors requires trapping because the colors do not
share a common ink. A publication containing several
process colors without common inks may also Page designed to avoid trapping
require trapping.
Not all color publications require trapping. Designs
that contain isolated areas of solid color don’t need to
be trapped because there are no adjacent colors that
could show gaps if misregistration occurs. Overprint-
ing thin black lines, small black text, and keylines can
compensate for misregistration, even when these
objects appear on a colored background. Illustrations
that make extensive use of black outlines, such as
cartoons or certain highly stylized art, may therefore
require minimal trapping. Also, designs composed
entirely of process colors that share sufficient percent-
ages of component inks do not require trapping;
misregistration would reveal the common inks
instead of an undesirable third color.

Page requiring trapping

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 Chokes and spreads

A spread traps a light foreground object to a dark

background. A choke traps a light background to a
dark foreground object. Because the darker of two
adjacent colors defines the visible edge of the object
or text, spreading the lighter color slightly into the
darker color maintains the visual edge.
A solid color object that overlaps both a lighter and Spread Choke
darker background requires both spreads and chokes
applied for effective trapping.

Trapping process colors

Process colors that share sufficient percentages of

component inks don’t require trapping because mis-
registration reveals a color that’s similar to each of the
adjacent colors. In the example shown here, the first
two colors share sufficient percentages of common
inks so that misregistration reveals a color that isn’t
visually distracting. However, the second two colors
require trapping because they contain component ink C 30 40 C C 0 40 C
M 20 50 M M 20 50 M
percentages that differ enough to reveal a third color
Y 10 30 Y Y 80 30 Y
when the plates misregister. When adjacent colors K 5 10 K K 5 10 K
each contain a significantly greater percentage of one
These colors share sufficient These colors don’t share suffi-
component ink, a trap is usually required. Conversely, percentages of component inks, cient percentages of component
if all ink values in one color are greater than those in so poor registration reveals inks, so poor registration reveals
common inks. a noticeable third color.
the other color, a trap is not necessary.
Rich blacks require a trapping technique called a
keepaway. The undercolor—the process inks used to
make a rich black—is made slightly smaller than the
black area so that misregistration doesn’t result in a
tiny fringe of color. Should the inks misregister, the
undercolor is covered by the black area.

The undercolor of a rich black so that when misregistration

is pulled away from the occurs, the undercolor will not
edge… show.

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 trapping options

Desktop computer software provides a range of

solutions for trapping. Decide how much trapping
you can do, and what applications you have that trap.
Each application has strengths and weaknesses that
you need to evaluate before trapping. For more infor-
mation on trapping using Adobe PageMaker or
Adobe Illustrator, see the user guides for these
programs.
Overlapping
You can trap most illustrations in the originating
multiple objects
application, or you can choose to trap an entire
publication, including imported art, with dedicated
trapping software like Adobe TrapWise. Dedicated
trapping software gives you more control over trap
color and placement, and allows you to trap more
elements in your publication. Work with your
prepress service provider to choose the best solution. Rich black object
Follow these tips for choosing a trapping solution:
• Apply traps in PageMaker when your publication
does not have imported artwork that requires trapping.
• Art that uses opaque or metallic inks may have
TRAPPING SITUATIONS

different trapping tolerances than other artwork in

your publication. PageMaker and TrapWise allow Object
you to control trapping for these inks. Consult your overlapping image
commercial printer if you are using opaque or
metallic inks.
• The complexity of an imported illustration can
determine which application to use. TrapWise
efficiently traps complex artwork containing gradi-
Object abutting
ents and many overlapping colors. graduated fill

Note: Avoid resizing graphics in PageMaker that have

been trapped in another application. The trap widths
will scale and will no longer be suitable for printing.

Imported EPS
(Encapsulated
PostScript) illustration

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 TRAPPING OPTIONS FOR PUBLICATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Adobe PageMaker Adobe Illustrator Adobe TrapWise

Traps PageMaker-created objects Traps simple illustrations automati- Traps PageMaker SEP and
and text. cally; has tools for creating traps in EPS files.
complex illustrations.

Automatically traps overlapping Automatically traps simple illustra- Automatically creates traps
PageMaker objects when needed. tions using the Trap command. where needed.

Automatically keeps undercolor Requires adding a black stroke to Automatically keeps undercolor
from edge of PageMaker text or rich black objects before importing from the edge of text or objects.
objects. into PageMaker.

Requires setting object or text to Requires setting object or text to Lets you control how objects
overprint bitmap image. overprint bitmap image. trap to the image.

Cannot trap. Requires creating a trap Automatically adjusts trap color

manually. and position along edge.

Cannot trap. Cannot trap. Automatically traps PostScript

files or EPS files that contain
imported EPS graphics.

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 scanning continuous-tone art

Color and grayscale bitmap images must be screened If you use traditional halftone screening for color
before they are printed. When printing with tradi- and grayscale bitmap images that will print at their
tional halftone screens, many printer dots are used to original size, a conservative approach for calculating
represent one pixel. You need to calculate the scan- scanning resolution is to simply double the screen
ning resolution that creates a bitmap that works effi- ruling of your output device to get the desired image
ciently. For more information, see “Bitmap Image resolution. For example, if the screen ruling is 150
and Output Resolution” on page 16. lines per inch (lpi), the desired image resolution
would be 300 ppi. Keep in mind, however, that images
Before you scan, determine the quality requirements
scanned at high resolutions require more disk storage
for your publication, and choose a scanning method
space than images scanned at low resolutions.
based on these requirements. Decide if the image will
be used in other publications, or if it will need to be To determine the optimal scanning resolution when
enlarged for other purposes. If you plan to reduce or you plan to resize the image, measure the original
enlarge the scanned image, keep in mind that the new image, and determine the final size of the printed
image may lack the quality of the original scan. Base image. With this information, and the suggested
your scanning resolution on the largest estimated size screen ruling, use the following formula to determine
of the final image. the desired image resolution:
To determine the best scanning resolution, you also
need to know if your bitmap images will be repro-
duced using frequency modulation (FM) screening final
image height desired
or conventional halftone screening. The resolution to x screen x2 = image
use when reproducing images using FM screening original ruling resolution
depends on the FM screen you use. Ideally, you want image height
to produce an FM dot that is close to the minimum
size that your printing press can print consistently.
If you scan images that will be reproduced with FM
screening, scan at slightly above a comparable half- 6
tone screen ruling that would be used with your final
output device.
x 120 lpi x2 = 360 ppi
Regardless of the screening method, scan line art at
the output device resolution if the output device reso-
lution is less than 1200 dots per inch (dpi). Scanning 4
at a higher resolution than 1200 pixels per inch (ppi)
will not improve the appearance of the line art.
For images that will be resized, calculate the scaling factor and
multiply it by twice the screen ruling.

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 Overscanning

Some images can be scanned at resolutions less than

twice the output screen ruling. Images that do not
contain geometric patterns, repeated patterns and
textures, or straight lines can be scanned from 1.5 to 2
times the screen ruling. In this example, despite one
image having a larger file size and higher scanning
resolution, the printed quality of the two images is the
same. Scanning at a higher resolution produced a
larger file without improving the quality of the final Scan resolution: 250 ppi Scan resolution: 400 ppi
File size: 465k File size: 1165k
image. The image scanned at the lower resolution Screen ruling: 133 lpi Screen ruling: 133 lpi
requires less disk space and takes less time to print.

Tips for working with bitmap images

• Save your scanned image in EPS or TIFF format if

you work on both the Macintosh and Windows
platforms.
• To save screen ruling settings in your bitmap image
file, use an image-editing application, such as
Adobe Photoshop, to set the screen ruling and save
the image as an EPS file.
• Rotating or transforming imported bitmap images
in PageMaker causes longer print times because
the output device must calculate the rotation when
your publication is being imaged. To shorten
imaging time, crop and rotate bitmap images in an
image-editing program before importing them into
PageMaker.
• To save imaging time, convert RGB TIFF images to
CMYK TIFF images in an image-editing application
before placing them in PageMaker, or separate the 75 ppi 150 ppi 200 ppi 300 ppi

files in PageMaker before printing. For more infor- Different scanned resolutions printed with a screen ruling
mation, see the Adobe PageMaker User Guide. of 175 lpi.

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 simplifying illustrations

The complexity of an illustration can dramatically Although converting display type to outlines does
affect how it images on an output device. Creating not simplify an illustration, it can simplify printing an
illustrations efficiently in Adobe Illustrator, or other illustration from PageMaker. When an illustration
vector-based software programs, reduces imaging contains type that has been altered or manipulated
time and imaging errors. Efficient illustration tech- using fills, rotations, or transformations, converting
niques reduce the amount of memory and time the type to outlines will prevent the output device
needed to image a publication. These techniques can from having to download the font used. Be aware that
also contribute to smaller files, faster screen redraw, converting type to outlines may slightly change the
and easier editing. character shape. Avoid converting small type to out-
lines because the type may become unreadable.
Prepress service providers may charge extra to image
a file that takes longer than a standard time to output, If an illustration does not print from the original ap-
or they may delay imaging your file so that it doesn’t plication, find and fix the source of the error in the art
hold up other jobs. The more you can reduce the before importing it into your PageMaker publication.
amount of processing time required for your file, the
more you control the schedule and cost of your job.
Paths in illustrations print faster when you use the
fewest points possible. Use a straight path instead of a
curved path when possible. Curves require slightly
more printer time and memory.
On a PostScript output device, a curve is actually
made up of many straight line segments. The number
of segments used to construct a curve is controlled by
the flatness value or the output resolution. The more
curved path segments there are in an illustration, the
more these settings will affect the appearance and
printing of an illustration. For information on chang-
ing flatness values, see the Adobe Illustrator User Guide.

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 Tips for simplifying illustrations

• Avoid multiple graphic or text effects in a single

Flatness Flatness
object. Rotating and transforming a bitmap image =0 = 10
and masking it with a complex path will cause the
object to print slowly.
• Delete any object you can’t see in preview mode.
All objects on printing layers process when you
print, even if they are hidden behind other objects.
Higher flatness values cause objects to print faster.
• Optimum flatness values depend on the complexity
of the paths you have created and the output resolu-
tion. See the user guide for your software program
for more information on setting flatness levels for
illustrations.
• Because masking is memory intensive, simplify the
path and the object you want to mask.
• Crop and rotate illustrations before importing them
Simplified paths print faster.
into PageMaker.
• Use text on a path sparingly.

• Limit the number of typefaces.

• Limit the number of gradients and patterns.

• Avoid rotating, scaling or skewing patterns; create

them at the size and angle that they will print.

Bitmap images print faster when rotated in an image-editing

application before they are imported.

These illustrations look identical, but the one on the right has
been simplified and prints much faster.

55

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 color management systems

A color management system (CMS) is used to achieve In some cases, you may not want to use a CMS. If the
color consistency between devices. Ideally, this means CMS does not have a device profile that accurately
that the colors on your monitor accurately represent represents the color gamut of your input or monitor
the colors in a scanned image, and the colors you see type, if you are not printing color, or if your prepress
on the final output. This consistency is accomplished service provider is handling all your scanning require-
by mapping colors from the color gamut of one device ments, you can turn the CMS off. When using a CMS,
into a device-independent color model, and then keep in mind the following:
mapping those colors to the color gamut of another
• With a CMS, you can get more accurate color in
device.
your initial design and layout proofs from a color
A CMS is most beneficial when designing publications laser printer. This can be helpful in getting design
for output devices with small color gamuts, such as approval earlier in the publication process.
desktop printers. The smaller the color gamut, the
• When a CMS is used in conjunction with scanning
more valuable it is to reconcile color gamut differ-
applications that color manage RGB to CMYK con-
ences with a CMS.
versions, the bitmap images in your color proofs
Color management systems can be built into an appli- more closely match the original scanned artwork.
cation or an operating system. An application-level
• A CMS can be used to convert the colors in RGB
CMS does not ensure color consistency between
images to CMYK separated files.
applications. In other words, colors may not look the
same between two applications if the applications are • If your publication uses scanned images from a
using different CMSs or if one application does not stock photo service, the images that appear on your
use a CMS. monitor will more closely resemble the final printed
image.
The value of a color management system can be
measured by the quality of its device profiles and the • If your prepress service provider uses a CMS, discuss
accuracy of its color translations between devices. the best way for your project to be compatible with
PageMaker comes with the Kodak Precision Color their system.
Management System which includes many device
profiles for monitors, scanners, and output devices.
PageMaker’s support is extensible; when new color
management systems come to market, PageMaker can
support them.
To work with color management in PageMaker, you
choose a CMS and then choose device profiles that
represent the equipment in your system: your monitor,
scanner, and printers, and any other equipment you
use to input or output information. See the Adobe
PageMaker User Guide for more information.

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 choosing a font format

Choosing the type of font to work with is the first step When creating a publication with double-byte
in making sure the type on your pages displays and characters, such as those found in Asian or Arabic
prints correctly. The two main font standards are character sets, talk with your prepress service provider
PostScript Type 1 and TrueType. to determine if the imagesetter can support the
double-byte font required.
Competing font standards make selecting fonts an
important decision: the same typeface design may be For most efficient printing, choose a font that does

Times
available in a PostScript font and a TrueType font.
The visual characteristics of one font standard differ
slightly from another. Because of this difference, us-
ing one type of font for displaying and proofing your
work and then using a different font for printing can
not have to be converted on your final output device,
and use only one font standard in your publication.
Whatever font standard you choose, talk with your
prepress service provider about the fonts you intend
to use. Specify the name of the font, the company that
cause unpleasant surprises like different letter spacing
made the font, and whether the fonts are in PostScript
and line endings.
or TrueType format. Make sure you and your service

Helvetica
PostScript fonts are the industry standard for imaging
to any PostScript output device. PostScript fonts are
PostScript language-based outlines—object-oriented
vector graphics—that can be scaled to any size, and
still remain sharp and smooth on any platform, or
provider use the same fonts.

output device.
TrueType fonts work well with non-PostScript and

Minion
PostScript output devices. The disadvantage of using
TrueType fonts when printing to a PostScript printer
is that the font must be converted to a PostScript out-
line; the quality of the resulting font depends on the
quality of the conversion. TrueType fonts retain their
Fonts from different manufacturers may not have the same
characteristics even if they share the same font name.

quality when scaled, but may not support all typo-

graphical features available in PageMaker. Because
TrueType fonts must be converted to PostScript to
render on a PostScript output device, many prepress
service providers don’t support them.

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 graphic formats for print publishing

The file format you choose for your graphics depends Photo CD files contain bitmap images in several reso-
on your workflow and final output. For information lutions and are stored on a special CD in YCC format.
about which formats Adobe PageMaker and Adobe Photo CD files can store images from 35 mm, 70 mm,
Illustrator support, see the user guide for each soft- 120 mm, and 4-by-5-inch film formats. Photo CD is
ware program. an efficient format for digitally storing photographs
and slides.
The EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) file format can
contain vector graphics or bitmap images. EPS is used Desktop Color Separation (DCS) files are EPS files
to transport PostScript information between programs that combine a low-resolution display image with
on the Macintosh and Windows platforms. These files high-resolution data for color separations. DCS 1.0
contain a screen preview, instructions for a PostScript files are composed of five parts—a low-resolution
output device, and in some cases bitmap image data. file for placement, and separations files for cyan,
Adobe Illustrator saves artwork in EPS format; Adobe magenta, yellow, and black. DCS 2.0 files support
PageMaker can create EPS files of a single publica- spot color separations and can store all of the separa-
tion’s pages. tions in one file.
™
The TIFF file format is used for storing black-and-
white, grayscale, or color bitmap images. There are
three common types of TIFF images: RGB TIFF
images store colors in the RGB color model; CMYK DCS 1.0 file
TIFF images contain preseparated image data de-
signed for printing color separations; and CIE L*a*b
TIFFs contain bitmap image data stored in a device-
independent color model. The TIFF format is used
for exchanging bitmap images between applications
on the Macintosh and Windows platforms.

Low-resolution file used for Separation files used for output

placement

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 open prepress interface
™
Open Prepress Interface (OPI ) is an extension of
the PostScript page-description language that lets you
design pages with low-resolution placeholder images
and replace the images with high-resolution images
when creating separations. When you use an applica-
tion that supports OPI, your service provider can scan
OPI server
your artwork, keep the high-resolution image, and
give you a low-resolution image to use in your publi-
cation. You do not need the large storage capacity or
fast processing speed required to store and edit high-
resolution TIFF images, which range in size from
several megabytes to 50 megabytes.
When working with an application that supports
OPI, such as PageMaker, use low-resolution TIFF
images to create a publication. You or your service
provider can generate a PostScript file; OPI comments
in the PostScript file specify the page, placement, size,
and cropping of any TIFF images in the file. Your PostScript file
prepress service provider uses a prepress application,
such as Adobe® Color Central®, that prints the Low-resolution file used for High-resolution file substi-
placement tuted for separations
PostScript file, reads the OPI comments, and auto-
matically substitutes the high-resolution versions of
the TIFF images before imaging separations. For
more information about preparing PageMaker files
for postprocessing applications, see the Adobe
PageMaker User Guide.

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 managing linked graphics

Linking builds a reference to an image or illustration

file without including the file in a publication. This
space-saving technique is useful when you work with
large graphic files like bitmap images or EPS graphics.
When you link to a graphic in Adobe PageMaker or ART 1
Autumn.tif
place an EPS file in Adobe Illustrator, the application
places a low-resolution version of the graphic in your
document as a placeholder for display. When you
Tool shed.eps
print the document, the application locates the original
Tools.tif
graphic file on disk and uses it instead of the low- ART 2-3 Shovel.tif
resolution version. Linking minimizes reduces your Boots.eps

document file size, but if the original file cannot be

located, the low-resolution placeholder prints, prob-
ably yielding disappointing results. Fresh herbs.eps
Sun.eps
PageMaker and Illustrator identify linked files using ART 4-5
Basil.tif
their filenames and locations; therefore it’s important Dill.eps
to keep track of your linked files. Organize your files
as you construct your document by setting up folders
for your linked or placed art. Well-organized files Arrangement.eps
make the eventual hand-off to the prepress service Basket.eps
ART 6-7 Flowers.tif
provider easier and can save time and money. Always
Buckets.tif
verify that links are up-to-date before imaging a file.
As an alternative to linking, bitmap images and illus-
trations can be stored within a document. When you Organize your files as you construct your publication by setting
store a graphic in a document, a complete copy of the up folders for art.
graphic file is included in the document, thereby
increasing the size of the file. The advantage of storing
graphics within a publication is that the high-resolution
version of the graphic is always available when the
file is imaged. For more information on linking and
including placed files, see the user guide for your
software program.

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 THE ART OF THE GARDEN WAS PRINTED using a traditional
four-color process and two spot colors. According to
Mirelez, “the two spot colors were chosen strictly on
aesthetics. The only consideration was that they be
dark enough to hold up as text type. Other than that,
they merely had to look good with all the other graph-
ics.” The two spot colors were chosen near the end of
the design process.

To save money, Mirelez did not use a varnish, but

chose a dull, coated paper stock that contrasted with
the ink’s gloss, thereby achieving the same effect as a
varnish.

Because he had reviewed the publication with his

printer, and the printer had provided him with an
actual-size dummy of the publication, Mirelez was
able to design the publication efficiently. The interior
of the catalog was designed to print on two 16-page
signatures, and was then hand-collated and stapled.
The binding cover was glued on by hand.

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PM6 PPG 04A 62-63.pm5 62 12/4/96, 11:30 AM
 Getting Output

roofing, preflight, and file hand-off are Handing off your file is a step in the publishing process

P three key steps in the final production

cycle. This chapter discusses how these
where communication with your prepress service
provider is critical. Recording the requirements,
tasks influence the success of your output. settings, and files in a written report for your service
provider helps you organize files and serves as a
Proofing lets you check your work and ensure that
reminder of all special treatment areas in your publi-
the final printed piece will meet your requirements.
cation. The location and organization of all your files,
It is appropriate to proof your publication at several
including linked art and fonts, must be clear to your
stages in your project and the proofing process should
service provider for the hand-off to be successful.
be integrated into your workflow.
Together, these steps ensure that your final output
Preflight, a term that prepress professionals adapted
will meet your expectations. When you check your
from aeronautics, refers to the process of stepping
work as you create your publication and once again
through a systematic list of quality-control checks on
before the final hand-off, you can catch most mistakes
your publication before the final output stage. A pilot
before they require costly fixes late in the project.
performs a preflight check to verify that a plane is
airworthy and meets legal flight requirements;
performing a digital preflight check lets you verify
that a publication prints and meets your prepress
service provider’s requirements.

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 desktop proofing options

Always preview your publication throughout its

development by creating proofs. Proofing allows you
to check the layout, verify the accuracy of text and
graphics, and anticipate and solve potential printing On-screen
problems before the files are imaged. If you are creat- previews
ing a four-color process publication, proofing can
show that colors will print on the correct separations.
Problems identified in an early preview or desktop
proof can be corrected easily; the same problems
identified on film separations are more time-consuming
and expensive to fix. Also, many prepress service
providers require PostScript laser printer separations
when you deliver electronic files for imaging.
Intersperse preview and proofing cycles into your
workflow as you develop your publication. When you
find a mistake in your publication, correct the problem
and verify the changes by proofing on the desktop Black-and-white
PostScript composites
before imaging film.
and separations
TYPE OF PROOF

Color PostScript
composites

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 WHAT IT IS WHAT TO LOOK FOR

On-screen previews let you evaluate your publication Use to refine the appearance of text and to check the
throughout the design process. Calibrated monitors overall layout. Check to see that appropriate colors
used in conjunction with a color management system have been assigned to each object. Don’t rely on the
offer a more reliable color display but are not a substi- on-screen appearance of colors to proof your colors:
tute for more reliable color proofing methods. colors on the screen do not exactly match their final
printed appearance.

Printing on desktop PostScript laser printers is a cost- Use a composite proof to preview your layout and text.
effective way to identify problems with layout and Remember that because black-and-white composite
design, and to verify that objects and colors print on proofs use screens to simulate color, solid colors print
the correct separations. Printing on laser printers can with a dot pattern. Create separated proofs to see
alert you to problems you may encounter on an whether your colors print on the appropriate separa-
imagesetter—files that generate PostScript errors tions and to check that elements knock out and
on a desktop printer usually cause problems on an overprint as specified.
imagesetter as well. Non-PostScript laser printers are
not good proofing devices, especially for separations,
because the results may not match the output of a
PostScript device.

Color composites printed on PostScript desktop print- Color composites are useful for previewing overall
ers can range in quality from low-resolution color page design, showing color relationships, and verify-
halftones to continuous-tone dye sublimation prints ing bitmap image resolution. Because the actual
and direct digital color proofs. Direct digital color separations from which the plates will be created are
proofs are gaining wider acceptance, and may be not used, these composites have two critical limita-
used as contract proofs—proofs that indicate to the tions as a proofing method: color accuracy (even in
commercial printer the color that you expect in the high-resolution output) is limited, and common press
final document—for some jobs. problems, such as moiré patterns, cannot be detected
on most devices. Also, most color composites cannot
accurately show traps.

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 separation-based proofs

Separation-based proofs give you the best indication

of final output quality. Color density, accuracy, and
registration closely match the final printed output
because the color proofs are based on the film that Overlay proofs
will be used to make the printing plates. Next to a
press proof, separation-based color proofs are the
most accurate proofs available, and are considered
the industry standard.
In general, the closer the proofing method mimics
the conditions of the actual printing press, the more
expensive it is and the more reliably it indicates the
final product’s quality. For color work, plan to create
laminate proofs. These proofs are often used as con-
Laminate proofs
tract proofs to indicate to the commercial printer the
color that you expect in the final document. Most
color proofing systems are for four-color publications,
but there are a few proofing systems that can proof
high-fidelity colors and spot colors. For spot colors,
you can also get a drawdown—a smear of ink pro-
TYPE OF PROOF

duced on the paper to be used—to verify quality and

tone of a spot color. Consult your vendors to see what
proofing options are available.
The final stage of proofing is not only for checking Bluelines
your work, but also for checking the printer’s work.
Without a contract proof, it may be difficult to settle
disputes with the printer about color quality. A proof
often serves as a guide for adjusting the press during a
press check.
Correction costs continue to increase after separations
are made; most changes to the publication require
that the film be reproduced after corrections are made.
Errors discovered during a press check are the most
expensive to fix if you have to fix the problem by repro- Press proofs
ducing film and creating new printing plates. You
may also have to pay for press time that was scheduled.

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 WHAT IT IS WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Overlay proofs, such as DuPont Cromacheck and 3M Use to locate saturation density problems, registration
Color Key, are created by printing film separations on problems, pixelation of bitmap images. Overlay proofs
acetate sheets colored to match the four process inks; are an economical way to check the placement of ob-
the sheets are then layered on top of each other. jects, verify that objects overprint and knock out as
specified, and confirm that traps print correctly; they
are less reliable than laminate proofs for proofing
final colors.

Laminate proofs, such as Fuji Color-Arts, DuPont Laminate proofs are a reliable method for color fore-
Cromalin, and 3M Matchprint, are created by repre- casting and for identifying moiré problems. Remem-
senting each film separation on a layer of pigmented ber that unless the base material for the proof is your
material, and then binding the pigmented layers to- paper, the printed colors may look slightly different.
gether.

Bluelines are photographic contact prints made from Use bluelines to check for film scratches and smudges,
film separations. They are made on paper the same and to verify that all pages are in the correct order,
dimensions as the press sheet, and can be bound and that text and graphics print on the appropriate pages,
folded so that you can check crossovers, bleeds, and and that page elements are accurately aligned.
page sequence. Bluelines are commonly produced for
one-color or two-color publications as well as four-
color process jobs.

During a press check, the printer sets up the press for Press proofs are the only way to see the true effects
the print run using plates made from the approved of color on the paper you’ve selected. Look for
separations. Once the press has been adjusted a final misregistration, color shifts, knockouts and over-
press proof is printed. After the press proof has been printed spots, streaks of errant color, and places
approved, the printer begins the final press run and where color is too weak or too strong.
compares the approved press proof with the final
printed pages throughout the press run to ensure
consistent quality.

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 creating a report for your service provider

Plan to give a written report of all the requirements

Sample topics for a service provider report
and settings for your document to your prepress ser-
vice provider. The report not only helps you visualize
your document from your vendor’s point of view, but Settings for imaging
it gives your service provider and commercial printer List print settings you’ve agreed to with your prepress
an understanding of your expectations. You can start service provider, such as output resolution, PPD used,
screen ruling, UCR or GCR settings, and trap tolerance.
a report early in your project to keep track of decisions
Indicate film settings including emulsion orientation
and issues, or you can track issues some other way
and whether the film is set to be positive or negative.
and create a report for your service provider and If applicable, list the color management system and
commercial printer when you hand off your document. device profiles used.

A report for your service provider should be an orderly Font list

listing of the details of your document. For small List all fonts used in the document and any fonts that
projects, notes written on a printout of the thumb- were included in imported artwork.
nails of your document should be sufficient. Detailed page listing
For multiple-page publications, the report should List all pages in your publication, including both blank
account for every page in your publication, including and numbered pages. Use the page numbers to keep
track of special requirements on each page. Indicate
blank pages, that will be bound in the printed piece.
sections, chapters, or other breaks in long publications.
Indicate the number of color separations expected for
that page. When printing color, knowing how many Filenames and location of artwork
separations are expected for each page helps you iden- This is the name of the document or PostScript file.
tify colors appearing on the wrong page. If your pub- For multiple file documents, list all file names. Indicate
lication contains linked art and images, you may want the location of low- and high-resolution images and
any artwork in the originating application format.
to track those files as well.
Separations
The report for your service provider should contain
If you are printing color, indicate the number of
no surprises. Write brief notes; they are meant to be
separations that need to be made for each page.
reminders, not complex instructions. This number should also include any spot varnishes
on the page.

Notes
Include short memos to remind you of any special
situations on the page. List the location of all bleeds,
crossovers, manually stripped in images, and areas in
the publication that need special attention. Indicate if
the graphics on the page have been trapped.

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 Earth & Ware Catalog Date: ______________________________
Contact name: Phone: _____________________________

Publication specifications
Cover: Inside signature:
• 11 x 17 folded, 7.5 x 10 trimmed • 16 page signature, 7.5 x 10 trimmed
• Paper: Starbright Tierra Vellum 80 lb. • Paper: Starbright Tierra Vellum 70 lb.
• 5-color: 4-color process, • 6-color: 4-color process,
spot varnish PANTONE 5747 and spot varnish
• Saddle stitch

• PPD: Agfa Select 7000 Resolution: 2400 dpi Screen: 150 lpi
Settings for imaging
• UCR setting: 17% GCR setting: none Orientation: Tall
• Fonts: Franklin Gothic-Heavy, Demi; Copperplate-32BC, 33BC; Adobe Garamond-Expert, Italic Font list

Filename Pages Separations Total Notes

• 00 Cover.pm6 1 total 4 + varnish 5 Bleeds off all sides
front and back Inside cover is blank
Art is in Cover folder
Location of art
• 01 e&w Catalog.pm6 7 total Art is in ART 1 folder
page 1 (i) 4 4
page 2 (ii) 4 + spot & varnish 6 Bleed off top of page
page 3 4 + spot & varnish 6 Bleed off top of page
page 4 4 + varnish 5 Bleed into gutter
page 5 4 + spot 5
page 6 4 + varnish 5 Bleed into gutter
page 7 4 + spot 5 Link to high-res Herb.tif

• 02 e&w Catalog.pm6 9 total Art is in ART 2 folder Location of art

page 8 4 + varnish 5 Bleed into gutter
page 9 4 + spot 5
page 10 4 + varnish 5 Basil.eps trapped
in Illustrator 5.5
page 11 4 + spot 5
page 12 4 + spot, varnish 6
page 13 4 + spot, varnish 6
page 14 Black + spot 2
page 15 Black + spot 2
page 16 4 + varnish 4

Detailed page
listing Filenames Separations Notes

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 preparing files for imaging

When it’s time to hand off your document to your Checking files before for imaging
prepress service provider, a systematic check of your
• For multiple-page publications, delete all unneces-
files helps ensure that your document will print from
sary pages.
another computer. This process, known as a preflight
check, is intended to catch missing files, missing • Check all linked graphics to ensure that you are
fonts, material not intended for printing, and any using the latest versions.
components that may prevent the document from
• Make sure that your print and document settings
imaging properly. After you have checked your files,
are appropriate for the final output device. Often
organize them so that your service provider can easily
print settings must be changed to proof the publica-
find all the files required to print the publication.
tion on a laser printer, so check that all settings are
Make a final black-and-white proof of your files on a
correct for your service provider’s imagesetter.
Postscript laser printer. If you plan to produce separa-
tions, print two sets of laser copies: one separated and • Use the right PPD for final output. A PPD file
one composite. Take the time to anticipate problems contains information for a particular PostScript
before you hand off files. This reduces the chance that output device that ensures the best possible results
your service provider will have to troubleshoot prob- when imaging color separations.
lems in the file and charge you for additional time
• Verify that your colors are defined and named
required to prepare the file for imaging.
correctly. If you are using spot colors, make sure
that each is defined with just one name.
• Check bleeds and traps. Make sure that bleed
allowances are sufficient, and that trap specifica-
tions are correct.
• Ensure that your art files are organized.

Organizing files for hand-off

• Copy all art, publication, and bitmap image files

required onto the medium you will use to hand off
the files to your prepress service provider. Storage
media such as SyQuest or Bernoulli cartridges or
portable hard disks are excellent for transferring
large amounts of data.
• Use a data-compression program to temporarily
reduce the size of your files if you are working with
large image files.
• Gather your final laser proofs, your prepress service
provider report, and the assembled files. This is the
packet you will hand to your service provider.

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 handing off files to a prepress service provider

Before you hand off PageMaker files, you need to PostScript format
know what file format your prepress service provider
When you create a PostScript file, you are using
needs: a PageMaker file, a PostScript file, or both
PageMaker to translate your page layout, illustrations,
types of files. The choice of file format is important
and bitmap images into PostScript language instruc-
because it determines the file settings you must make
tions tailored to a particular output device. These
and the work your service provider can do.
instructions are converted to a bitmap, or rasterized,
PageMaker format at the resolution of the output device by a raster
image processor (RIP) inside the output device.
Handing off a PageMaker file allows your service
provider to run a preflight check on your file, making When you give PostScript files to your prepress
sure that linked files are found and that necessary service provider, you are responsible for choosing
fonts are available. Your service provider can also the correct print settings for your job. Your service
select the correct printing options for the job: emul- provider or your commercial printer can tell you
sion settings, printer’s marks, screen ruling, and any what your file settings should be before you create
additional settings. If service providers encounter your final PostScript file. For more information
problems in the PageMaker publications, they can about creating PostScript files from PageMaker,
troubleshoot the files and fix them. Keep in mind see the Adobe PageMaker User Guide.
that vendors generally charge for the time they spend Hand off a PostScript file to avoid recomposition
fixing file problems. problems when changing from one computer plat-
Another reason to hand off PageMaker files is so your form to another; when your prepress service provider
prepress service provider can trap your publication. doesn’t have PageMaker, or the same version of
While most dedicated trapping programs, such as PageMaker; or when you have the time, information,
TrapWise, trap PostScript files, many service provid- knowledge, and equipment to do the necessary pre-
ers prefer having the flexibility of making corrections press work. Also, if your service provider doesn’t have
and creating the PostScript file. the fonts for your file, you can generate a PostScript
file and include the fonts required to image the file.
Before you hand off a PageMaker file, make sure that
you and your prepress service provider are using the
same PageMaker version. A previous version of
PageMaker may not open or may not support the
enhancements in a later version. A previous version
may treat certain file characteristics differently, and
you may get unexpected results in some cases. If you
are using a different version or platform than your
service provider, work with your service provider to
choose the best output option.

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 checking film separations

The success of your print job depends in large part on What to look for on film separations
the quality of your film separations. The separation
• The overall quality of the film separations. Look for
film and the proofs made from the film should be
streaking, scratches, or other damage to the film; also
checked thoroughly.
make sure that areas that should be clear aren’t foggy.
Certain tasks necessary for checking film quality re-
• The maximum density (Dmax) of the black
quire specific equipment, such as a densitometer and
areas on your film separations as measured by
a tool for measuring screen angle and ruling. Other
a densitometer
tasks require a loupe or a keen eye for detail. Work
with your prepress service provider to determine who • The dot value of your tints and halftones
will check the items in the following list.
• The screen angle and ruling for each separation

• The dimensions of the publication are correct.

• All objects printed on the correct separations.

• Objects overprinted and knocked out correctly.

• All fonts printed correctly.

• Bleed objects extend beyond the boundary

indicated by the crop marks.
• Areas you expected to trap actually do trap.

• All the separations printed as specified and with

the necessary printer’s marks aligned correctly.
• Tints and halftones (including scanned images)
look consistent and smooth.

Note: If a single separation for a page is wrong, produce

all separations for that page to ensure that the separa-
tions don’t misregister.

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 checking contract color proofs

Contract color proofs are the best way to examine • For facial images, look at flesh tones; are they life-
how the colors in your publication will appear when like? Hair should have enough detail to appear real.
printed. Check for color balance and color match. Bright reflected light in the eyes should have no dot
pattern and show only paper white.
Remember that some spot colors, varnishes, and
metallic inks cannot be represented by color proofs. • If images appear flat, look closely at the highlights
The proof may not accurately show all the qualities of and shadows. If highlight dots are too large, the
the final printed piece. If you find problems with the whites will appear slightly gray. If the shadow dots
color proofs, work with your prepress service pro- are too small, the black will not be strong enough.
vider to find the best way to solve them.
• For landscape images, a sky can look dirty due to
What to look for on contract color proofs too much yellow. Magenta and yellow dots should
be as small as possible on white fluffy clouds, with
• Check color tints to make sure they are accurate and cyan dots only slightly bigger. Highlight dots should
do not look mottled. be small.
• Check that colors are even and consistent through-
out the proofs.
• Check colors selected from color-matching systems
against printed swatches.
• Examine the color bars to determine if detail has
been lost in the film because of overexposure.
• Look at the trim marks to make sure that bleeds and
crossovers extend the required amount beyond the
marks.
• Check for type that is too weak or breaking up due
to overexposure.

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 checking press proofs

After you approve your separations, plates are made What to look for on the press proof
from the output film and mounted on a press. The
• Is the type sharp? Use a loupe to look for broken or
press is prepared with the correct inks and paper, and
doubled lines.
several tests are run to ensure correct ink coverage
and register. • Are the colors and type density consistent from one
end of the sheet to the other?
After this process, called make-ready, is complete,
sheets of your publication are printed and made • Is the color correct? Compare the press sheet to the
available for proofing. You, the press operator, and contract proof.
the customer service representative then examine
• Is the paper or printed surface the one you speci-
the sheets for final quality.
fied? Bring a sample with you to compare to the
At this point, concentrate on changes that can be press proof.
made by adjusting the press, such as color densities
• Are crossovers correct? Fold the press page and
or color consistency. It is expensive to make any other
check the alignment and color match.
changes to your publication beyond press adjustments.
• Are halftone dots sharp in the highlights and
shadows? Use a loupe to make sure that details
and highlights match the contract proof.
• If spot-color inks are used, are they as specified?

• Are there blemishes or mottling of color?

• Check all areas of the press sheet for spots caused

by problems with the press.
• Are all graphic elements present? Compare the press
sheet to the blueline proof.
• Are separations in register? Check to make sure all
separations line up on the register marks. Under a
loupe, four-color subjects using traditional screen-
ing should show a rosette pattern, and no more
than a single line of dots of a single color should be
visible at the edge of the image.

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 MIRELEZ/ROSS INC. USED LASER PROOFS and proofs from
a color copier to gain client approval for The Art of the
Garden. Cromalins were produced for color correc-
tion and composite color proofs were made of each
page to facilitate positioning the art. The prepress
service provider color corrected the scanned images
and trapped the files. Mirelez checked page sequence
and artwork placement on bluelines.

Mirelez handed off his first electronic file to his

prepress service provider—one large PageMaker file
stored on a small, portable hard disk. This was a risky
proposition for a designer accustomed to delivering
layout boards where he could see the exact layout.
Mirelez said he also took several other risks in the
project, ranging from mixing contemporary com-
puter graphics with traditional paintings to using an
untested method of bookbinding.

The Art of the Garden was the first publication Mirelez

produced with PageMaker, and he said that the interface
made it easy to work in. Mirelez offered this advice to
designers using PageMaker: “Get to know the program;
explore its capabilities. It does beautiful things.”

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PM6 PPG 05Indx 76-80.pm5 76 12/4/96, 11:57 AM
 Index

Additive color model 9 Choke 49 Commercial printer

Adobe Color Central 59 Chroma 8 consulting 36
Adobe Illustrator CMS. See Color management system selecting 34–37
creating art in 54–55 (CMS) Commercial printing
managing linked graphics in 60 CMY color model 9 inking 21
simplifying illustrations in 54–61 Color offsetting 21
specifying colors in 40 characteristics of 8 platemaking 20
trapping in 33, 50–51 checking definitions 70 press check 66–67, 74
Adobe PageMaker displaying on monitors 8 selecting vendors for 34–35
managing linked graphics in 60 high-fidelity 18 terminology 10–13
specifying colors in 40 in imported illustrations 40, 70 types of 20–23
trapping in 50–51 maintaining consistent 56 wetting 21
Adobe Photoshop 12, 53 perception of 8 Composite proof 64–65
Adobe PressWise 24 proofing 64–67 Continuous-tone art
Adobe TrapWise 33, 50–51 properties of 8 defined 10
specifying 40–42 scanning 32, 52–53
B systems for managing 19, 56 Continuous-tone image 10
Binding 24 tints of 11 Contract proof 65, 66, 73
Bitmap image trapping 48–51 Creep 24, 45
converting RGB to CMYK 53, 56 Color bars 73 Cropping bitmap images 53
cropping before importing 53 Color composite 64–65 Crossover 45
defined 14 Color gamut 9
managing links to 60 Color management system D
resolution of 16 (CMS) 19, 56 DCS (Desktop color separation) file
rotating before importing 53 Color-matching system 40 format 58
tonal range in 17 Color model 8, 9 Defining project requirements 30–31
Bleed Color proof Device profile 19, 56
checking 70 checking 73 Direct-digital printing 19
defined 44 composite 64–65 Dot gain 15
Blueline 67 contract 65, 66 Drawdown 66
separation-based 66
Color separations. See Separations
Color space 9
Color value 8

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 EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) file 58 Imaging Overlay proof 66
linking 60 errors 54 Overlay, spot-color 12
simplifying art in 54–55 preparing files for 70 Overprinting
reducing time for 54 defined 13
F Imposition 24 keylines 47
File formats Ink to avoid trapping 47, 48
for graphics 58 gray-component replacement to create special effects 46
for hand-off 71 (GCR) 12 Oversaturation, ink 11, 43
Film separations 12. See also overprinting 46
Separations undercolor removal (UCR) 12 P
Fixed costs 30 Ink coverage, maximum 43 Page creep. See Creep
Flat 24 Inking 21 PageMaker files
Flatness 54, 55 preparing for imaging 70
Flexography 22 K proofing 64–67
Font format, choosing 57 Keepaway 49 specifying color in 40–42
Form 24 Keyline, overprinting 47 trapping 50–51
Frequency modulation (FM) Knockout 13 Paths
screening 18, 52 simplifying in illustrations 55
L Perfect binding 24
G Laminate proof 66 Photo CD file 58
Gamut, color 9 Lightness 8 Pixel 14, 16
GCR (gray-component replace- Linescreen. See Screen ruling Platemaking 20
ment) 12 Linked graphics 60, 70 PostScript file 59, 71
Gravure 22 Lithography, offset 20–21 PostScript Type 1 font 57
Gray, shades of 17 PPD (PostScript printer description)
M file 70
H Make-ready 74 Preflight 63, 70
Halftone cell 17 Managing Prepress service provider, choos-
Halftone dot 10, 17 color 56 ing 34–37
Halftone frequency 17 linked graphics 60 Prepress tasks 32
Halftone screen Matching color 11, 40 Press check 74
defined 10 Metallic ink Press proof 66, 74
and moiré patterns 15 proofing 73 Printer resolution 17
and process colors 11 trapping 50 Printing
Hand-off 63 Misregistration black-and-white composites 64–65
creating report for 68 compensating for 13, 47, 48–51 bleeds 44
file formats for 71 defined 15 color composites 64–65
organizing files for 71 of process colors 49 direct-digital 19
High-fidelity color 18 Model, color. See Color model high-fidelity color 18
Hue 8 Moiré pattern 15, 18 more than six inks 40
Monitor gamut 9 process colors. See Process color
I screen angles. See Screen angle
Illustration techniques 54–55 O thin rules 42, 43
Illustrations Object Printing press 20–21
managing linked 60 crossing pages 45 Process color
preparing for imaging 70 extending off page 44 defined 11
proofing 64–67 Object-level overprinting 13 gamut 9
simplifying 54–55 Object-oriented graphic 14 specifying 40
specifying colors in 40 Offset lithography 20–21 trapping 49
trapping 50–51 Offsetting 21 working with 43
On-screen preview 64–65
Open Prepress Interface (OPI) 59
Output resolution 16

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 Project cost 30 Screen ruling 17 UCR (undercolor removal) 12
Project planning 30 and tonal range 17 Undercolor 49
Project requirements and halftone cell size 17
defining 30 and paper stock 17 V
quality 31 and scanning resolution 52 Value, color 8
Proofing 63, 64–67 Screening color 11 Variable costs 30
non-PostScript 65 Selecting Varnish 42, 46
press check 74 colors 40–42 Vector graphic
spot colors 66 prepress service providers 34–37 defined 14
using separation-based proofs 66 Separation-based proofs 66 Vector graphic, simplifying 54–55
Publication Separations Vendors
choosing font formats 57 checking accuracy 72 consulting 36
creating report for 68 defined 12 selecting 34–37
defining requirements for 28–37 proofing 64–67 Viewing
guidelines for constructing 39–45 Shingling 24 colors on screen 8
preparing for hand-off 70 Signature 24
proofing 64–67 Special effects W
scanning art for 52–53 using overprinting 46 Wetting 21
specifying colors for 40 Spot color 11
trapping 50–61 converting to process 42
Publishing overview 28–29 proofing 66
specifying 40
Q working with 42–43
Quality requirements 31 Spot-color separations 12
Spot-color tint 11, 42
R Spot varnish 42
Rasterize 71 Spread 49
Reference color space 19 Stochastic screening 18
Registration. See Misregistration Subtractive color model 9
Resolution 16, 53
Reviewing proofs. See Proofing T
RGB color model 9 Thermography 23
RGB image TIFF image 53, 58
converting to CMYK 53, 56 Tint 11, 42–45
Rich black Trapping
defined 43 with Adobe Illustrator 50–51
example 41 with Adobe PageMaker 50–51
trapping 49 with Adobe TrapWise 50–51
Rosette pattern 10, 15 avoiding 47, 48
Rotating bitmap images 53 basic principles 48–49
defined 13
S graduated fills 50
Saddle-stitch binding 24 imported illustrations 50
Saturation, color 8 process colors 49
Scanning publications 50–51
continuous-tone art 52–53 rich blacks 49
determining resolution for 52–53 Trim marks 44, 73
line art 52 TrueType font 57
Screen angle 10, 15
Screen frequency. See Screen ruling
Screen printing 23

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