Why are Crop Marks necessary?
Crop marks are little ticks on the corners of a design meant to communicate to a finisher (post-printing) where pages should be cut to get the publication to its final trim size. Proper settings:  Registration = Centered; Bleed = Symmetric .125".



What does “embedded” mean when referring to PDF files?
When a photo or other element is “embedded” in a PDF file, this simply means that a copy of that element has been included in the PDF and will travel with the PDF when submitted to the printer. This is a great advantage, because if all elements are embedded in the submitted PDF file, then there is no need for “support” files like in a QuarkXPress or InDesign document. The PDF contains everthing needed by the printer to produce the page.


What applications do I need on my computer in order to create PDF files?
At the very least you will need Adobe Acrobat (the full version, not Reader) and a graphics or page layout application capable of outputting to PostScript. The full version of Adobe Acrobat comes with Adobe Acrobat Distiller, which is the engine that creates PDF files from PostScript.

 


What applications does NCI support for PDF submission?
NCI provides PDF support for QuarkXPress; InDesign; Adobe Illustrator; Adobe Photoshop.

If you are using another application other than the one’s supported by NCI, contact the vendor of the application for assistance with creating PDF files.

 

What is a 'Transparency'? 
The term 'transparency' refers to a collection of features and capabilities in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign that lets you modify the appearance of objects, particularly the way objects affect the appearance of underlying objects. Drop shadows, opacity, feathering, and blending modes are collectively referred to as 'transparency effects'.

When you apply 'transparency effects' to objects in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, the objects must be flattened before the PDF is created.

 

How do I fix a PDF when 'Transparency' is found? 
 Create a Postscript & use Acrobat Distiller to generate the PDF as version 1.3 (Acrobat 4) which will Flatten all 'Transparencies'.

The Process of flattening converts all overlapping areas in a stack of transparent objects into a collection of opaque objects that retains the appearance of the original objects.

 


What does 'Blending Colorspace' mean?
The color space in which all colors in the compositing function are represented. Input colors are converted to this color space when necessary. Same as group color space.

 

 

Can I use the 'export' function from QuarkXpress & InDesign or 'Save As' from any other application?
NCI recommends using Adobe Acrobat Distiller for creating PDFs.

(not using Distiller, logos & letters can drop off the pdf or can cause CID fonts issues)

 

What is PostScript?
PostScript is a page description language that is used to “explain” to a printing device how to output a graphical file. To put it simply, PostScript “translates” a human-created file into a format better understood by a particular machine. Adobe Acrobat Distiller only deals with files that have been “translated” into PostScript.

 

How do I create a Postscript File?
Download the PostScript documents that pertain to the specific application used to create your document: PostScript Quark 6; PostScript Quark 7; PostScript InDesign; or PostScript Illustrator.  Open & follow each step exactly as given.

 

What is a printer description?
A printer description is a file that contains all the required information your computer needs to interact with a particular printing device. When creating a PostScript file from a document in QuarkXPress and InDesign, select the Adobe PDF PPD as your printer description.

 

What does Adobe Acrobat Distiller do?
Adobe Acrobat Distiller is the application that actually creates the PDF file out of the PostScript file. Distiller functions much like a software version of a printing device, but instead of outputting a printed page, rather outputs an electronic file in the form of a PDF.

Once the CREO Distiller Assistant Job Options has been installed in Distiller, a PostScript file may simply be dragged to the Distiller window and the application will begin generating the PDF (compatibility Acrobat 4 (1.3).

 

What is the difference between RGB and CMYK?
RGB and CMYK are abbreviations that represent two different kinds of “color space”.

RGB stands for Red Green Blue, and represents colors of light. This is the color space used by computer monitors; different amounts of various combinations of these three colors are used to generate all the colors available in this “color gamut”. White is created by applying 100% of all three colors; black is a complete lack of all three colors (0%).
*Never use RGB elements in a file that will be printed in a four-color process (NCI production operates in a four-color process).

NCI disclaimer:  RGB colors do not separate properly in a CMYK plating process.  RGB colors will print darker than intended, because there will be 1 less plate when separations occur.  This can drastically affect the finished look of your custom ad when printed.


CMYK stands for Cyan Magenta Yellow Black, and represents colors of ink. This is the color space used by printers in off-set press production; different amounts of various combinations of these four colors are used to generate all the colors available in this “color gamut”. White is a complete lack of all four colors (assuming the paper being used is white); black can be 100% black ink, but there are other combinations used as well.

Because four-color off-set printing requires a separation into four “plates”, each consisting of one color of ink (C, M, Y, or K), documents or elements of documents that are not created in the CMYK colorspace cannot be used. Incorrect colorspace is a very common error found in PDF submission and often results in an ad printing with different color values than expected. *Always submit CMYK PDFs to NCI and make sure that any embedded elements are CMYK.

 

What is “resolution”?
Simply put, resolution is the amount of information describing a graphical element. Ultimately, all graphical elements are described by a printing device as a series of dots. The more dots describing the graphical element, the greater (or better) the “resolution”.

Imagine you are drawing a picture of an object, but instead of using crayons or markers you reproduce the image by arranging small colored stones on a flat surface. The more stones you use, the more detail you can add to make the image more realistic. Adding more stones increases the size of the image, but also increases its “resolution”. A digital photograph is very much like a mosaic created from colored stones, only instead of stones it is composed of electronic squares known as “pixels”. It is the amount of pixels used in rendering a digital photograph that determines the amount of visible detail, and thus the “resolution” and file size.

Resolution for photos and graphic elements should be: maximum=300 dpi or a minimum =225 dpi.

Print-ready PDF files should be rendered at 2400 dpi.

 

What is “compression”?
Compression is a mathematical process by which an electronic file can be reduced in file size. This is done in a number of ways, but generally involves recognition of patterns within the file. The “compression algorithm” (a kind of mathematical formula) then rewrites the file as a series of remembered patterns instead of raw data. The result is usually a smaller file size that can be “uncompressed” when needed.

Compression is useful when files need to be sent over the internet or saved onto media with limited storage capacity.

Jpeg (.jpg) files are, by their nature, automatically compressed. Some jpegs will benefit from additional compression, others will receive little benefit from it.

Other compression formats include Zip (.zip), StuffIt (.sit), and Stuffit Self-Extracting (.sea).

 

Should I turn on security or “lock” my PDF files?
NEVER lock files to be submitted to a printer. Security must be off, or the file may not allow certain devices to utilize it. This is a setting in Job Options in Adobe Acrobat Distiller.

 

What is Live Area?
Live Area defines the "safety box" on a page in which text, graphics and photo elements should be contained. Designing within the Live Area will keep elements from straying too close to the edge of the physical page size (trim size).  Elements that stray too close to the Trim Size are in jeopardy of being cut off when the page is trimmed down to size during the binding process.

 

Why is a Bleed necessary?
The bleed area is the minimum area to which your page should extend (if you have elements overhanging the edge of the page). Extending areas of a page 1/8" past the trim are ensures that ink runs all the way to the edge of the page.

 

What does Trim Size refer to?
Trim size is the final, finished size of a piece. Typically commericial printing is done on sheets of paper larger than the intended final size, with crop marks to show where a page must be cut, an industrial papercutter is used to trim off the excess paper.