Docucopies Offers Tips on Getting the Most Out of Digital Printing
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA (PRWEB) July 31, 2013 -- Everyone needs printing sometimes but unfortunately not everyone knows how best to prepare and set up their files to get the best possible product returned to them.
The online color printing company Docucopies.com has been in the printing industry for over 25 years. In that time their business model has changed from a walk-in local copy shop to an online-only, all-digital operation serving the entire continent. This has opened their business to a wide range of customers, but not everyone is a designer. This is usually okay, according to the Docucopies, because there are a number of issues that are common and most have fairly easy solutions.
Docucopies has assembled this list of common problems and solutions to help anyone from any knowledge level achieve a great-looking, print-ready design.
• Choose a common software to create a design. It’s best to use a graphics software like Photoshop or Microsoft Publisher to create a design, but word processing software like Word can be fine too, as long as you…
• Submit your file as a print-ready PDF or high-resolution JPG. This will ensure that your graphics are crisp and clear and nothing changes when converting file types. There are many third-party websites and plug-ins which will let you convert most file types to a PDF for free.
• Use a resolution of at least 300dpi. This refers to “dots per inch” (sometimes “pixels per inch”) and relates to how detailed and clear your images will be. Most web graphics are 72dpi or 96dpi, which looks fine on a screen but generally doesn’t reproduce well in print.
• Design in CMYK. This is a color process common to most digital printing. Some tones are remarkably different from RGB color, which is more common for on-screen and web graphics. Designing your file in CMYK from the get-go helps avoid any surprises when getting your product back.
• Embed fonts. Not everyone has the same wacky fonts on their computer! To avoid substitutions, convert fonts to outlines/curves or embed fonts using a graphics software. There should be instructions for this in the Help section. If converting to PDF from Word or other non-graphic programs, double check your PDF for accuracy before sending it.
• Be aware of bleed specifications. Bleeds are where an image, color or background prints all the way to the edge of the page. This is accomplished by printing the image on a larger sheet and trimming it down. This is ideal for many situations, but not all printing companies have the same specifications for bleed printing! Docucopies has created a helpful Bleed Setup page which should be consulted before beginning.
• Leave 1/4” white margins when printing without bleeds. Files which are not ordered to bleed should have a 1/4” white margin around the edge, and the people setting up these files will usually scale the image down to fit within the required margin. Designing the file with a margin already present is especially important, since you must…
• Mind the fold lines when designing brochures. For the common letterfold or trifold brochure, the fold lines are at 3.66” and 7.33” from left to right. If you’re not ordering a bleed, and you have graphics going to the edge of the design, scaling the image down to fit within the print margins will throw off your fold lines.
For more information on Docucopies.com and their color printing services, including color copies, books, booklets, postcards, business cards, calendars, door hangers and more, visit them online at http://www.Docucopies.com, where you’ll also find more help for setting up files for print.
Lynn Klatt, Docucopies.com, http://www.docucopies.com, 877-222-4842, [email protected]
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