FAQ

Requirements for typesetting

If you are unable to provide artwork for line copy printing, we can typeset your artwork for you. Please type or write out the desired copy neatly, and indicate desired position and any colour breaks. If an exact font match is desired, or if we are matching a printed sample, please supply a font name. If a font name is not supplied, we cannot guarantee an exact match. We will supply laser proofs for your approval.

Requirements for digital artwork

It is often said that over half of all digital artwork is not ready for press when supplied to the printer. We have found this to be true. While we often fix problems at no charge to the customer, it is still in your best interest to supply correctly formatted digital files to ensure your proofs and plates are output properly.

1. Please supply the following files:

  • A page layout file (Indesign) set up in a document the size of the final printed piece. As this will determine placement on the printed piece. DO NOT draw your own cropmarks in the middle of a larger document.
  • All associated vector-art files (such as Adobe Illustrator) in EPS format. For Illustrator,make sure colour mode is set to CMYK not RGB.
  • All associated bitmap files (such as Adobe Photoshop) in either TIFF (for most files) or, if necessary, Photoshop EPS with binary encoding (for halftones with embedded clipping paths or other special features) format. Do NOT save files as Photoshop EPS w/ JPEG encoding, which will not colour separate properly. Halftone bitmap images should have an effective resolution of 300 dpi. Line-art bitmap files should have very high resolution-2400 dpi or more-to reduce edge-jaggedness. (Remember, if you enlarge or reduce an imported graphic, the effective resolution changes-i.e. a 400 dpi image at 200% of its original size actually has a resolution of 200 dpi. Also, remember that computer monitor resolution is only 72 dpi, so an image may look fine on screen and lousy on paper.) Make sure colour mode is set to CMYK, not RGB.
  • All fonts used in the document. Please include both printer and screen fonts for Postscript fonts. Fonts must be Mac fonts. PC fonts will not work. (If you cannot send a certain font, please check to make sure we have it.)

2. Please supply laser printouts of the artwork.

  • For multi-colour jobs, also supply colour separated lasers. If necessary, you can fax a hardcopy. If your digital files have errors, we will inform you. For significant corrections you have the option of making corrections or paying additional fees. We are not responsible for errors in digital files.

Achieving accurate colour separations

Correct colour specification can be difficult, and it is the biggest problem we have with customer supplied files. Remember that computers create composite colour images in RGB (red, green, blue) mode, while printing presses create process images out of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) ink or use PMS inks to achieve a specific colour. Please be sure:

  • Four-colour process work is saved in CMYK mode. This goes for both colour bitmaps (TIFF) and other graphics. Images should be converted to CMYK using the program in which they were created. If you wish to simulate PMS colours using four-colour process, please instruct all PMS colours to separate to CMYK when printing. Note: four-colour process simulations of PMS colours usually will not match the PMS book.
  • If PMS spot colours are being used, make sure each element is associated with the correct PMS colour. Colour names must be consistent across applications. For example, a logo created in Illustrator must use an identical PMS colour to the text created in Indesign. Be sure to instruct each colour to separate as a spot colour, not as a process.

Always check your work by outputting colour-separated lasers.

Proofing

We offer the following proofing methods:

  • Colour Proofs made from our Epson large format inkjet (fingerprinted to our presses)
  • B/W Laser printouts. These are made directly from a digital file, We supply laser proofs at no charge. (Not fingerprinted to our presses)
  • Colour Laser printouts. These are made directly from a digital file, We supply laser proofs at a small charge. (Not fingerprinted to our presses)

Proofs should be requested on any job requiring printing. High-quality digital colour proofs are required for all four-colour process work. (Note: It is very difficult to create an accurate proof of duotone or three-colour halftones made from non-process colours. Even digital proofs use a four-colour process system to render images and will not be completely accurate.)

Please review proofs carefully. We are not responsible for errors in proofs that have an approved signature.

Accepted media/applications

Artwork can be supplied on:

  • CD/DVD
  • Via Broadband (see below).

Note: if you wish to have your disk or CD returned, please indicate so clearly on both the disk and the order.

We support the following applications (Newer versions should be backwards saved):

  • The latest Macintosh and PC formats

PDF

  • Acrobat Please note that the original file must be correctly designed and correct settings must be applied when converting the file to PDF.
  • Out-put resolution set to 2400 and 300 dpi for images
  • All fonts are to be embedded
  • All colours are to be saved CMYK at design stage
  • please allow 5mm bleed around the job
  • For Magazine please add 5 mm bleed around edges no corner or marks to be used
  • For multiple pages 32pp and upwards please have a text area all around of 10mm inside trim area this includes page numbering
  • Please supply magazine layout as single pages for imposition by M&N Graphics
  • Seperated PDFs can be accepted if at print ready
  • Guidelines for Illustrator
    • Save the file as EPS
    • Outline fonts or supply original fonts (MAC)

Email

Our primary email address for artwork is info@mngraphics.com.au. If you’d like to have your customers to send us email directly. Include in the body of your email a description of what is being sent, who your customer service representative is and any other pertinent information. The following tips should be helpful when supplying artwork via email.

  • Extremely large files (>5 MB) may get corrupted during transmission.
  • We highly recommend using a third party compression tool, such as Stuffit or Zip to make your files smaller and protect them from corruption.

Potential Problems

  • Our Macs can read disks formatted for a PC. However, making use of the information is usually tricky. The following guidelines should help.
  • Quark (.qxd) and Illustrator (.eps or .ai) generally translate without a problem.
  • Corel files should be saved as EPS. PMS colour information is often lost, so please indicate colour breaks clearly.
  • Microsoft Publisher files are not a good print program please advise that yoiur art is in publisher.
  • Macs cannot read PC fonts, so either include Mac fonts with your artwork, or be sure we have the appropriate fonts before sending your document over.
  • Word processor files almost never print as intended. We can output 1-color PDFs from Microsoft Word in an emergency, but font changes, reflow and other reformatting problems are common. please advise that yoiur art is in Word.
  • We can Produce PDFs 1 colour from Word documents and allocate a PMS colour at print stage
  • We cannot reproduce from Microsoft Excel

Common Problems

  • Do not use the style palette to create bold or italic fonts. Instead, use the font’s bold or italic version from the font menu. Some fonts do not have a bold or italic version.
  • Be sure to save your final graphics files (EPS or TIFF) in CMYK mode. New versions of many programs now offer RGB mode for working with internet files, so even if this hasn’t been a problem in the past, it may be now.
  • Do not save your halftones as Photoshop EPS unless necessary. TIFF files are much smaller and are more reliable. If you must use Photoshop EPS (i.e. if there is a clipping path), use binary encoding. If JPEG encoding is used, colour images will print in black and white.
  • GIFF and JPEG art from the internet will always have insufficient resolution for printing.

The ‘perfect’ digital artwork

  1. All files in Mac format.
  2. Indesign file supplied for main layout and type. Document size matches final size of printed piece.
  3. Line art graphic files are provided separately as Adobe Illustrator EPS.
  4. Halftone graphics are saved in TIFF format at appropriate resolution (300dpi) (2400 Line screen).
  5. All fonts (both screen and printer) are included.
  6. Colour is specified appropriately in Indesign and the underlying graphics files. Process images are saved in CMYK mode. Spot colours are associated with the appropriate PMS colour.
  7. Laser proof (both composite and separated) are supplied showing all copies.