Pre-Design Specifications:

Listed below are some guidelines that you should follow if you are supplying us with your pre-designed files. In order for us to process your data files and produce composed color separated film. There are many quality PC and MAC applications that can produce digital files. Files we use are Quark Xpress, Photoshop, and Illustrator. These programs produce resolution control and ability to make an JPEG, EPS or TIFF file format.

Quark Xpress (PC format)
A good program. But PC fonts seem to be a real pickle in making good quality film. We recommend that you use "Ariel" as the only font in this program unless you import "converted or outlined" type from such programs as Freehand or Illustrator. This works very well.

Quark Xpress (MAC format)
A good program. When laying out type on a MAC make sure you "collect" all fonts used in the document. If you're familiar with the "collect for output" feature of Quark, make a folder and place all images, vector files and fonts in that folder. If you prefer you can import "converted or outlined" type from Illustrator. This works very well.

Quark Xpress (general info - both formats)
Make sure you don't use hairlines (very thin lines) in your document. All lines must be a minimum of 1 point in width. No picture boxes with a fill of none, unless it is Vector Art or EPS with clipping paths being used in that box. When using the colorlist menu in Quark to fill a large box or area with "BLACK", the film will only produce that black color with the BLACK plate. To achieve a rich or deep BLACK, make a new color in your list called "rich black" with these values:

Optimal Built Black Formula:
40% Cyan
30% Magenta
20% Yellow
100% Black

This only applies to large fill areas. NEVER use rich black for small type or lines. This could cause blurring in those areas.

Adobe Illustrator (PC or MAC format)
This is a good vector based program. When completing your design make sure to convert all type used to "outlines" (from the type pull down). This will prevent the need to supply fonts with your file. Also, when placing images in your Illustrator file, make sure to place only TIFF or EPS formats with no compression. (TIFF uses LZW compression - EPS uses jpeg compression) These compressions should never be used. They will impair the placed image. Make sure all colors used are CMYK. Unless, you're ordering SPOT colors for your printing. Before sending the file to DTGraphics, you need to turn that file into a Illustrator EPS. This will lock all outlines and images in position.

Adobe Photoshop (PC or MAC format)
This is a great photo manipulation program. When sending Photoshop files make sure the resolution is proper so that image quality is never sacrificed. The general rule is. always start your design with a resolution of 300 ppi/dpi. On the web, resolutions can be low for file size reasons. But when making good color printing, resolution is everything. If you are placing small type directly into your Photoshop image, we advise making the resolution even 350 ppi/dpi. Here's a common mistake people make when designing. They start a file with a lower resolution, and when they are done they increase the resolution to the correct dpi. Wrong! Even though you increased the resolution and the end, the image will still be soft or blurred. Save the image and CMYK with either TIFF or EPS formats.

The Bleed Question
Bleed is a process to where printers need an area outside of the final trim area. Bleed was first developed as a "catch all" for paper cutter operators where computerizationa and consistent accuracy by the equipment used was not there. Today, programmed cutting is commonplace in commercial printing.

There are two terms you need to know so we may talk the same printing lingo.
"Final trim area" and "Live area"

Final Trim Area
This refers to the final size of the printed item. So a business card is 3.5"x2" final trim area. Or, a 1/2 pager is 5.5"x8.5" final trim area.

Live Area
This refers to the area where type should be inside the final trim area. We ask that the live area be 1/8 to a 1/4" from the final trim area. Example: if a 1/2 pager has a final trim area of 8. 5"x5.5" the live area should be 8.25"x5.25". This ensure good balance with the printed product and prevent the possibility of cutting type when final trimmed.

Here are DTGraphics guidelines in regards to bleed and cutting areas.

Business Cards 2.10"x3.6"
Since business cards are very small, we ask that you place a .05" bleed on all sides of your business cards. These dimensions should be 2.10"x3.6" Now remember, many people make the misconception of placing type to close to the edges of their business cards. Since we have big monitors and blow up our business card images on the screen, we think that the type is far enough away. The live area of a business card should be 1.75"x3.25" or an 1/8" from the final trim area.

Postcards & Flyers
These printed items do not need bleed. Listed below are the dimensions for general postcard and flyers sizes:

Specs for Flyers with Bleed:
1/8 page flyer - 2.75x4.25 or 2.125x5.5 (wide version)

1/6 page flyer - 3.66x4.25 or 2.83x5.5 (wide version)

1/4 page flyer - 4.25x5.5 or 2.75x8.5 (wide version)

1/3 page flyer - 3.66x8.5

1/2 page flyer - 5.5x8.5 or 11x4.25 (wide version)

Extended postcard - 4.25x6 - (maximum size postal mailer)