Pre-flight Information
- Software Programs We Support
- Paper and Ink
- 4-Color Facts
- Pre-Press & Typeset
- Camera-Ready Art
- Making PDF files from any application
Design and Illustration
To achieve the most effective result, each element of the printed image should complement the other. These elements include content, format, artwork, type style, paper stock, ink color, and binding.
Choose the dimensions of your publications to suit the purpose of the job. After your format is selected, you should present your original copy (text) to the Printing Department. If we are to typeset your newsletter, brochure, book, or booklet, a neat copy should be submitted, preferably typed, double-spaced, and marked for type (designation of style, size, line length, etc.). More information about this can be found in the section on "Photocomposition." Printing Department typeset staff members are also available to assist with your design and to answer technical questions concerning your layout.
A Preflight Checklist
When creating documents make sure that:
- The document page dimensions are correct.
- No lines rules are thinner than .2 points.
- All picture box frames have been specified correctly.
- All images are correctly positioned in their picture boxes.
- The status of all imported pictures is "OK".
- You have used only fonts that you intended to use.
- You have not used TrueType fonts.
- All unused colors have been deleted.
- The pasteboards surrounding all pages are empty.
- Verify that your colors are defined and named correctly. If you are using spot colors, make sure that each is defined with just one name.
- All documents have been laser-proofed for typographical errors, trapping and overprinting, and correct separation of all elements.
- Make sure that bleed allowances are sufficient. The size is .125 inch off page.
- All laser printer-specific settings, such as Tiling, have been disabled.
Selecting a Format
- The choice of binding for books and booklets varies according to the number of pages and the purpose of the book.
- Book - bound, printed matter of more than 24 pages.
- Booklet - small book consisting of fewer than 24 pages, but of sufficient length not to be classified as a pamphlet.
- Pamphlet - publication consisting of several sheets of unbound, printed matter.
- Brochure - usually a single sheet of paper folded but not bound.
- Flyer - announcement or circular printed on a single sheet.
- Poster - announcement or advertisement printed on one side of a sheet.
Software Programs We Support( back to top )
Please be aware that these programs are not designed for high-end color printing (Pantone Matching System) on printing presses. Our Digital Color Ink colors may vary. Copiers work well with these.
"Printers Choice" programs and software we utilize:
| Macintosh - we support OSX Files | PC |
| Quark 6.0 or 6.5 | Quark 5.0 |
| In-Design CS2 | In-Design CS2 |
| PageMaker 6.5 | PageMaker 6.5 |
| Adobe PhotoShop CS2 | Adobe PhotoShop CS2 |
| Adobe Illustrator CS2 | Adobe Illustrator CS2 |
| Adobe Acrobat 7 | Adobe Acrobat 7 |
| Macromedia Freehand 9 and MX |
Non-Standard software programs we support:
| Microsoft Publisher |
| Microsoft Word |
| Microsoft Power Point |
| Corel Word Perfect |
Paper and Ink( back to top )
There are no rules for selection of paper and ink except suitability, preference, time, and expense. Papers for printed materials and covers range in weight, texture, color, and cost. Although, the type of paper selected is important in carrying out the style of the overall design, be aware that unusual paper stocks that must be special ordered from a paper mill can be expensive and could require additional time for delivery.
Colored inks on colored papers provide a wide range of opportunities and potential problems. Inks are transparent and, therefore, are affected by paper color and absorbency. The true color of your selected inks will show up best when printed on white papers. Samples of paper stock ("swatches"), as well as a large variety of ink colors, are available for review at the Printing Department offices. Printed samples are also available to aid in paper and ink selection. We will be more than pleased to assist you.
4-Color Facts( back to top )
The demand for full-color printing is exploding. Full-color printing, also known as four-color printing or process color printing, is one of our specialties.
Make sure that:
- all pictures you have chosen are CMYK or Process and Not RGB if your intention is to print the job on a printing press. If your job quantity is small enough to justify digital color copies, we can work with most files. If you cannot change the pictures, please let us know so that we can change them for you.
- you use the CMYK wordmark and seals for MSU in 4 color printed pieces. We can supply these if you do not have them.
- all graphics designed in another program are CMYK or Process.
- imported text in graphics are changed to paths.
- your disk contains all graphics, fonts, pictures, etc. along with your file.
- you have chosen Pantone (PMS) colors and converted them to process instead of picking an ink from the color wheel or mixing one.
- if you send us a PDF file in your original program all colors and pictures are CMYK and that when it goes through the Adobe Distiller, it changes to CMYK and not RGB.
- when using a black area, you use a Rich black (100B, 70C, 40M, 40Y). Do not use this on text unless it is a large bold print.
Pre-Press & Typeset( back to top )
With the countless pre-press production systems that are on the market today, it is critical that we work together closely before you submit your jobs for print. Important factors to understand and remember are items like the live copy area dimensions, minimum bleed areas, resolution needed for scans, CMYK and RGB, just to name a few.
We encourage you to contact Evelyn Sebren, Pre-press Supervisor at 325-8829 or e-mail questions to Evelyn@printing.msstate.edu with any questions you may have in this area.
Guidelines for submitting electronic jobs to MSU Printing Services:
- All files must be compressed using Stuffit (Mac) or Zip (PC).
- The file size limit for attachments is 4MB on our e-mail server.
- All fonts and images must be included on the disk with your job.
- Please place your name and department and preferably your MSU Printing Services job number if you have previously received one. If you do not have a job number, just call 325-2251 and our order clerks will take your information and assign you a job number. If this is a first time job with us, please write P New Job along with your department name. Submit electronic job to Evelyn@printing.msstate.edu.
Accepted Media:
| CDR | Floppy Disks |
| CDR-W | Zip Disks |
| Jump drives |
Size
Size is designated in points (pt.), the point measures .0138 or approximately 1/72 of an inch, thus, there are 72 points to an inch. These sizes are measured to include ascenders and descenders of letters. The system utilized at the Printing Department allows for type sizes from 4 points to 400 points in 1-point increments.
Examples: Size 12, Size 18, Size 36
Line Length: Linear measurements for type are expressed in picas. There are 12 points to a pica and 6 picas to an inch. These are measurements used for length and depth in composition.
Set Solid: The term "set solid" means, for example, to set 10-point type with 10 points of leading, 12 on 12, etc. Sans Serif type should never be "set solid."
Leading: Leading is the term used for the vertical distance between 2 lines of text, measured from baseline to baseline.
1 Point of Line Space - With 10-point type, this is 10-point type with 11 points of leading, referred to as "10 on 11."
2 Points of Line Space - With 10-point type, this is 10-point type with 12 points leading. This leading is most commonly used and referred to as "10 on 12."
The above are merely examples of leading. You may choose to set your type differently. Please call our typeset staff if you have any questions at325-8829.
Proofreading
Proofreading is one of the most important parts YOU play in the preparation of your publication. Please use a RED pen to mark all corrections, using the standard proofreading marks. If you are proof reading an electronic file, please e-mail us your changes if this is best for you.
REMINDER: The amount of time you keep your proof greatly affects your printing schedule. The Printing Department cannot guarantee your due date if the job is held up during the proofing stage. You may be asked to reschedule your due date if you need to retain the proof for more than two days. On all jobs, we strive to meet your deadline and ask for your assistance in returning the proof as quickly as possible.
Camera-Ready Art( back to top )
Camera-ready artwork means just what the name implies: that the material you bring to Printing is complete, ready to be scanned, and used as the original for your requested printing job. No type is to be set, no artwork is to be edited, no changes are to be made. Your job will be printed directly from what you give us; therefore, the quality of your finished product relies entirely on the quality of the artwork you submit.
- The standard format for planning the sequence of pages, blanks, and page numbers is right-hand pages are odd numbered, left-hand pages are even numbered.
- Additional margin should appear at the top of the page to create a piece more pleasing to the eye. Whether the publication is to be printed front only or front and back and the type of binding should be decided before the margins are set. Ideally, photographs should be black-and-white glossy prints with high contrast (black blacks and white whites). Scans can also be produced from color photos and Polaroid® pictures, however quality will be sacrificed. Consult with our prepress staff in selecting the best reproducible photos for your publication. The choice of binding for books and booklets varies according to the number of pages and the purpose of the book.
- Book - bound, printed matter of more than 24 pages.
- Booklet - small book consisting of fewer than 24 pages, but of sufficient length not to be classified as a pamphlet.
- Pamphlet - publication consisting of several sheets of unbound, printed matter.
- Brochure - usually a single sheet of paper folded but not bound.
- Flyer - announcement or circular printed on a single sheet.
- Poster - announcement or advertisement printed on one side of a sheet.
Making PDF files from any application( back to top )
- To create the PDF file, you must have Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or higher installed on your computer. At this step, please check to make sure you the correct version of this program.
- Open the file you want to convert to a PDF file.
- Next, go and select File-Print. When the print dialogue appears, change the printer name to pAcrobat Distiller.p. Do NOT choose PDF Writer because it will not preserve any graphics or strange text characters (like alpha,beta, circles, etc.)
- You must click OR unclick font (depending on what program you are using). This makes your fonts correct in your PDF file.
- Next click pOKp and wait. It may appear that nothing is happening and that the computer has locked up, but this is Not True. The computer is making your PDF file, but you can't see it happening. When the computer finishes making the PDF file, it will automatically open Adobe Acrobat and display the file.
- After Acrobat is open and displaying the PDF file you just made, save your pdf file wherever you would like it on your computer. Click file-Save As and give it a destination.