oem design templates usage guide

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OEM Design Templates

A Users Guide

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Table Of Contents Submitting Your Artwork

Templates and Setting Up Your Design

Transparency and Flattening

Importance of Bleed and Trim

Checking Your Images

Font Guidelines

Special Printing Effects - (Coatings, Foil Stamping, Embossing)

Setting Up Colors In Your Design

Setting Up CD and DVD booklets

Disc Tray Placement for Digipaks

Requirements For Barcodes

Requirements For Sticker Art

Upload Checklist and Upload Requirements

Top Problems Encountered With Digital Files

Prepress/Print Terms Glossary

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SUBMITTING YOUR WORK:Acceptable File Formats:

Listed below are acceptable file layout applications and available template formats that best fit your needs:

Layout File Applications:• InDesign CS6 (none older than CS4)• Quark Express (none older than v7)• Illustrator CS6 (none older than CS1)• Photoshop CS6 (none older than CS1)

REMINDER:Files should always be saved in the latest version of software you have available. This will ensure you receive the desired results of your layout. Saving in an older version could cause items to change or certain effects to appear differently than intended. Supplied art file must reference template used for design.

* Check your files closely! We do not check for misspellings, wrong track listings, typos, incorrect image placement, improper grammar, etc.

File Folder Organization:

Create one master folder to contain all sub-folders and name it according to your project. InDesign and Quark allow you to “package” your artwork. This automatically collects the fonts and linked images in separate folders along with your layout file into a master folder.

Either way you choose, there should be 4 items inside your project folder:

• Page Layout• “Links” sub-folder with all of your images inside of it.• “Fonts” sub-folder with all of your printer and screen fonts inside of it.• PDF for reference

Available Formats:• INDD (InDesign)• PDF• EPS• JPEG

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Setting up your design:

Use the layer called “Artwork” in your template.This layer is intended for you to use when designing your artwork. Additional layers may be added as needed. Please don’t place any of your design on the “Template” layer. If you wish to view the guides as you build your design, simply move the “Template” layer to the top.

Using the guides:

Red Guides:Make sure your design extends to the outside edgeof the Bleed Area to avoid white borders aroundthe edge of your print.

Blue Guides:The trim line indicates the edge of your final print.

Orange Guides:To avoid any essential items being cut off, keep anytext and critical design elements within the Safe Area.

Parts of our templates:Templates should not be altered.In order to ensure the integrity of our templates, avoid the following:• unlock any elements • attempt to reposition template on the document • ungroup the elements • edit the “template” colors• remove any elements from the template (e.g., legend, measurements, etc.)

Our templates include guidelines to show the bleed (artwork area that extends beyond the trim),folds, trim and type safe area. These are indicated and described in the legend.



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Guide Lines Legend

Template Descriptions and Details

Crop marks used in production to indicate the trim size once the piece is printed.

Template Measurements

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Using transparency and flattening it in your design:

Transparency refers to objects that are 100% opaque, or those that use effects such as blending mode,soft drop shadows, or feathered edges. Such objects add complexity to a design since they interact closely with other layered artwork and require special treatment when printed.

When you print a file or convert it into a EPS or PDF file, all transparent objects in that file, as well as objects that interact with transparency, must be flattened. The process of flattening removes the transparency settings and creates individual objects that take on the same appearance as the original transparent objects, but in a format that can be understood by the printing device or file format. During flattening, all overlapping areas of a group of objects affected by tranparency are broken down into separate opaque pieces (atomic regions) that may include vectors, raster data, or both. The end result retains the same appearance as the original transparent objects when printed, but no longer contains native transparency settings. Once flattened, the original objects can no longer be modified.

Be sure to choose the “High Resolution” setting under the transparency flattener window when saving your linked graphics and final designs. Any other setting might not achieve the results you desire.

Examples of different transparency effects used during the design process that must be flattened and typical settings used in flattening them:

a designer’s Guide to transparency � for Print output

Tips for creating transparency effects in Illustrator CS3The following topics will help you create transparency effects easily and that reproduce as desired.

Setting a raster effects resolutionAs you create them, raster effects are assigned a resolution setting. (The selected flattener preset and its rasterization settings apply only during flattening.) Because these settings greatly impact the resulting artwork, it’s important to check the document raster effects settings before you start working with filters and effects.

Raster effects are effects that generate pixels, rather than vector data. Raster effects include SVG filters, all effects in the bottom section of the Effect menu, and the Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, Outer Glow, and Feather commands in the Effect > Stylize submenu. Whenever you apply a raster effect, Illustrator uses the document’s raster effects settings (Effect > Document Raster Effects Settings) to determine the resolution of the resulting effect.)

Multiply blending mode applied to two flowerlike shapes

Two shapes grouped and Luminosity blending mode applied.

Drop Shadow effect, using a Raster Effects Setting of 72 dpi

Drop Shadow effect, using a Raster Effects Setting of 300 dpi

The Raster Effects Resolution setting is global and applies to all effects in a document; the default is 72 points per inch (ppi). You cannot apply different resolution settings to different objects. Changing the Raster Effects Resolution value updates all effects that have already been applied in the document.

If you have a complex illustration with many transparency effects, you may find it faster to work on the illustration at a lower resolution of 72 ppi, by selecting a Raster Effects Setting of Screen (72 ppi) resolution. Be sure to switch to a 300 ppi Raster Effects setting to finalize your artwork, and tweak it at the final resolution, because some effects may look different at the higher resolution.

If you are printing to a high-resolution output device or exporting a file for eventual high-resolution output, be sure to set a resolution value appropriate for the printer. Raster-based live effects are no longer live once they are converted from their native application.

a designer’s Guide to transparency �� for Print output

In Mac OS, if you are printing to a printer that is not a PostScript printer, the (Transparency Flattener) Preset is not available. In this case, select the Simulate Overprint in the Output pane of the Print dialog box to produce a proof print that looks the same as on-screen with Overprint Preview (View menu) enabled.

The Transparency Flattener preset you choose determines how transparency effects are flattened when the file is printed or exported in a file format that doesn’t preserve live transparency.

Printing proofs with Acrobat 8 Professional To choose a flattener preset when printing PDF files that contain live transparency, use the Transparency Flattener settings in the Print dialog box: Choose File > Print, click the Advanced button, and select Output in the left pane of the dialog box; on the right side of the menu, choose a preset from the Transparency Flattener Preset pop-up menu.

Acrobat 8 Professional Advanced Print Setup dialog box.

For more information on print options, see online Acrobat 8 Professional Help.

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Importance of Bleed:

Bleed is the image area that extends past the trim line of your design template, usually a minimum of .125” (1/8”). In the diagrams below, you will see an example of a document set-up with the proper amount of bleed and one without bleed. Any element of your design that you intend to extend to the final template trim line needs to be extended to .125” (1/8”) beyond this final trimmed edge of your layout. When your print items are being cut down to size, they are usually trimmed in a stack or die-cut. By allowing the required bleed in your design layout, you will prevent a white or blank edge to show should the print shift slightly during the die-cutting or trimming process.

In this example, the design properly extends to the outside edge of the bleed area to avoid white borders around the edge of the print.

The trim line indicates the edge of your final print.

In this example, the design does notextend to the outside edge of the bleed area. This will create white borders around the edge of the print when it is trimmed.

The trim line indicates the edge of your final print.

Importance of Trim:

Printed pieces are cut to size in stacks. Some movement can occur and pieces may not be trimmed exactly on the trim lines. As noted above, the bleed extending beyond the trim line is critical. This prevents any blank paper from showing along the cut edges. The same applies to the type safe margins. Any text inside the safety guide will not be trimmed off if the print is cut slightly inside the trim lines.



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Artwork prior to trimming Artwork after trimming



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CORRECT!

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Checking your images:

Below is a checklist you should always use before you begin your design. This list will help ensure your artwork will flow smoothly through the proofing process and achieve the desired results:

• Grayscale and CMYK color images must be a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch).• Update all linked graphics and images in your layout file. Be sure to flatten all Photoshop images and save in TIFF or EPS formats. • No files using OPI (The Open Prepress Interface creates a prepress work flow in which designers use low-resolution proxies as substitutes for high-resolution bitmaps) are accepted. Be sure you are using high resolution images.• All images you are intending to print in process colors need to be in the CMYK color space. All RGB colors must be converted to CMYK prior to importing into your layout design. • Try to avoid using any image compression on your photos. This can cause “artifacts” to appear in your photos.• Use PSD, EPS, or TIFF file formats whenever you are saving your images from a photo-editing program like Photoshop. • Do not use any .JPG, .GIF, or .PNG file formats.• Save vector images (Illustrator) as EPS files. Most page layout programs will not properly process a vector image in its native file format, though it may appear fine on screen.• Be sure to include any and all images you have used in your layout in the final folder you have created to send to us.• To avoid over-saturation of inks, the total combined value of CMYK colors should not exceed 320% (i.e. Cyan=75%, Magenta=68%, Yellow=67%, Black=90%). The example on the left below shows how the ink density should be. The example on the right shows an ink density that is too high.

WRONG!CORRECT!

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Font Guidelines:

• NEVER USE “menu-style” or “artificial” fonts - these styles in the menu bars of layout software will not likely have matching printer fonts available and will not print properly. For effects such as bold or italic, it is always best to select an actual bold or italic font from the particular font family you have chosen to use.• Include all fonts used in your linked Illustrator EPS files or, alternatively, you can turn these fonts into outlines.• Fonts can be sent as Postscript Type 1, Open Type or TrueType. Multiple Master fonts should not be used, as they are less reliable and can cause issues when your design is printed.• Any text that knocks out or reverses out of your background artwork must not be less than six (6) point. Any text less than six (6) point will fill-in and may not be legible. • Trademarks and register marks (©, ®, TM) are always smaller and may not print well. It is always best to print these as a solid color (preferrably black whenever possible) for best results. Avoid reversing or knocking out these symbols unless you have them at the six (6) point minimum for reversed type. Anything smaller may not be legible.• Make every attempt to avoid reverse text from a halftone, or gradient. Due to the process used to create the halftones and gradients, text may appear broken or unreadable. This is due to the varying dot sizes that are used to achieve the graduated background or halftone.• Any text created in Photoshop can appear fuzzy when printed, if saved in the native PSD or TIFF file formats. These formats change the text into bitmapped artwork that is flattened with the rest of the image. Optionally, you can save the Photoshop file as a Photoshop EPS which will retain the font information, and allow the text to print as vector art. This means it will print sharp and clear. You must include any fonts used in these file types when sending your artwork.• Any colored text smaller than nine (9) points should only be colored with a solid color (i.e. 100% Cyan or PMS 185). Do not color type smaller than four (4) or five (5) point unless you are using a solid color or solid process color. Building a non-solid color requires dots of various colors, and in small type these dots degrade the sharpness of the type. If using fonts that are a serif typeface (fonts that have thin lines and curves to them), you must use a larger point size or a bolder version to ensure printability.• An alternative to supplying the fonts in your layout, and avoiding the chance of missing a critical font, is to outline all the fonts in your layout. All the major layout applications like Quark, InDesign, and Illustrator offer this function. This changes your text from a font to vector artwork, while maintaining the look and feel of the font as you originally created it.

Original typed text Outlined text

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For special printing effects follow these simple rules:

• File must have a separate layer set-up in the layout. Place on top of other artwork layers, but below template layer.• Make sure the effect (Varnish, UV, Aqueous, Foil Stamping, Embossing, etc.) is set in one SPOT color labeled as the effect. Each effect must have it’s own individual layer.• Item/s in this layer must be set to OVERPRINT.• The effect should be created as a vector item for best results whenever possible. If necessary, due to design constraints, TIFF images can also be used .

UV/AQUEOUS COATINGS:

• “Spot” applications of these coatings must be at least 1/8” from folds or trim areas.• Name the layer appropriately: Varnish, Matte UV, Gloss UV, Matte AQ, or Gloss AQ.

FOIL STAMPING:

• Note that Foil Stamping is OPAQUE: this means it needs to overprint (print on top) over the top of the arwork without being knocked out underneath.• Remember, no type should be placed under foil or it will not show. Do not knock out the artwork under the foil. The foil stamping function is completed after the printing process, but prior to trimming / die cutting.

EMBOSSING:

• Embossing can be done as single or multi-leveled. Single layer is the same height across the embossed area. Multi-leveled embossing will have several different heights in the embossing area. • Name the layer appropriately: Emboss, Level1, Level2, Level3.• Embossing can’t be folded or trimmed because the cardboard fiber will break. Therefore, you must set your embossing layer 1/8” away from any edge or fold.

Layer Effect set in SPOT colorand set to overprint

Layer Name

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Setting up the colors in your design:

What is the difference between process and spot colors?Process colors use CMYK inks laid on top of one another to fool your eye into seeing other colors. A spot or Pantone color ink is a specially mixed hue that is not made by combining two or more inks, but rather a single ink of a specific color. Spot colors can be brighter or more saturated than process colors, or have special properties, such as metallic gold or fluorescent green.

• Create design layout using CMYK color only. We cannot use RGB colors for printing.

• If you chose to include PMS Spot Colors into your layout, only use colors that come from the Pantone Solid Coated color palette.

• Never rename or alter any of the Pantone Swatch names.

• You can customize and rename any of the CMYK swatches you create BUT they must be designated as “Process Color” in the Color Type of the swatch.

• Inspect the color attributes for all items to which you have assigned a color (i.e. make sure CMYK colors are set up as process under “Color Mode” in the color swatch panel, and PMS Spot colors are set as PANTONE + Solid Coated.)

• If you have assigned the color of “White” to any object so that it will “knock out” of the CMYK art and print the color of the paper, it is critical that you check the attributes of that item to ensure it is NOT set to “overprint”! If it is, then the object you are trying to “knock out” will not print at all!

WRONG!CORRECT!

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Setting up your art for CD or DVD booklets:

A ‘booklet’ is a series of 4 panel folders that are stacked together, stapled and then folded to create a mini-book or ‘booklet’. Your booklet design needs to be provided to us in ‘printer spreads’ (not ‘reader spreads’). Simply put, printer spreads follow a specific page order to ensure the booklet has the correct page se-quence after it has been printed, cut, assembled and stapled. Reader spreads are simply the pages set in original numerical order (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ...etc.). For the simplest way to create your booklet, choose the appropriate OEM design template for the number of pages you would like your booklet to be (for example 8, 12, 16, or 20 pages, etc.). These templates have already been set up in printer spreads, with the proper page numbers already in place. If you are using software other than what we have designed these tem-plates in, use the following steps to properly create your printer spreads:

• Use the standard ‘4 panel folder’ design template as many times as required to build your booklet.• The number of pages in your booklet must be a multiple of four. The smallest stapled booklet size is 8 pages - see below for the five most commonly requested booklet sizes.• If you are saving a separate file for each ‘2 page printer spread’ in a program like Adobe Illustrator, name each file with the appropriate page sequence. This is important to help prevent confusion. For example, an 8 page booklet would require four files which would be saved as: ‘page8_page1.eps’ / ‘page2_page7.eps’ / ‘page6_page3.eps’ / ‘page4_page5.eps’.

Shown to the right is the proper page sequencing you should use setting up your design layout to. These are the most common booklet types used. This sequencing is used for BOTH CD size and DVD size booklets. Should you have more than 24 pages, the sequencing order will follow the same numbering pattern for the number of pages you are using.

BOOKLET PRINTER SPREADS

8-Page Booklet 12-Page Booklet 16-Page Booklet 20-Page Booklet 24-Page Booklet

PA-203-000

BACK FRONT

2 23

22 3

4 21

20 5

6 19

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8 17

16 9

10 15

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12 13

24 1

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2 19

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4 17

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6 15

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8 13

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10 11

20 1

BACK FRONT

2 15

14 3

4 13

12 5

6 11

10 7

8 9

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BACK FRONT

2 11

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4 9

8 5

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BACK FRONT

2 7

6 3

4 5

8 1

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Disc Tray Placement on Digipaks:

All OEM digipak templates will include a tray placement guideline for reference during art creation.

5.445” 5.445”

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4 Panel CD Digipack1 Tray RightNo Pocket

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OUTSIDE FRONT

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2073368-DP01_JC_SacredFire_OutsideD3001.pdf 1 10/12/11 11:10 AM

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4 Panel CD Digipack1 Tray Right and No Pocket

Tray/Disc placement is approximate

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Requirements for using bar codes in design:

UPC-A / EAN 13 BARCODE SPECIFICATIONS

Standard Untruncated BarcodeThe standard EAN/UPC Council size is 37mm wide by 26mm high(1.5” x 1.0”). A quiet zone of 4mm (.157”) must appear to the leftand right of the bars and is also required above the bar at a size noless than the width of the fattest bar or 1/32”.

Alternate Truncated BarcodeA minimum bar code height of 10mm high (.4”) for packaging onuncoated stock. Additionally, the 37mm (1.5”) width may be reducedto no less than 30mm (1.2”). A quiet zone of 4mm (.157) must appear to the left and right of the bars and is also required above the bar at a size no less than the width of the fattest bar or 1/32”.

Orientation• Barcodes, as measured from the outside edge of the quiet zone, must be no closer than 4mm (.157”) - 6mm (.236”) from any trim edge, fold or perforation, for all formats. Barcodes must NOT bleed off any edge.• Barcodes must be completely horizontal or vertical. NO diagonal or angle-orientation is allowed on the layout.

Color Requirements• Bars MUST be 100% black.• The background color should be 100% white.

Barcodes on Uncoated StockThe “untruncated” style is the only approved style for use on Uncoated Stock. Uncoated stock may still present problems due to bleeding or smudging and is not recommended in general.

Barcodes on Coated StockThe “untruncated” and “truncated” styles can be used on Coated Stock.

6 06949 04092 5

37mm

4mmquiet zoneto left andright of bars

1/32" quiet zone

m4mfrom perf, fold or trim

Untruncated

26mmbar height

(NOT TO SCALE)

6 06949 04092 5

10mmmin barheight

4m37mm (normal)

30mm Minimum Bar Width

mquiet zoneto left andright of bars

1/32" quiet zone

4mmfrom perf, fold or trim

Truncated

(NOT TO SCALE)

6 06949 04092 5

37mm

4mmquiet zoneto left andright of bars

1/32" quiet zone

m4mfrom perf, fold or trim

Untruncated

26mmbar height

(NOT TO SCALE)

6 06949 04092 5

10mmmin barheight

4m37mm (normal)

30mm Minimum Bar Width

mquiet zoneto left andright of bars

1/32" quiet zone

4mmfrom perf, fold or trim

Truncated

(NOT TO SCALE)

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Sticker Printing Art Requirements:

Sticker margin, size and bleed tips

Stickers with a border should have at least a 3/16” (.1875”) border.

Stickers with bleed (design that goes to the edge); should have at least a 1/8” (.125”) bleed on all sides and include registration marks. By cutting through part of the design you don’t end up with a hairline of white stock around your sticker. The registration marks determine where to place your design on the sticker.

Reversal/Negative prints: It looks better to print black ink on white vinyl than to print white ink on black vinyl. For white letters on a black background, the best way is to reverse or knock out the letters from the background.

Reversal/Negative print tips: Thin lines (less than 1pt) tend to fill in.Serif fonts tend to fill in, avoid them whenever possible.Font sizes under 8pt. tend to fill in.

Most sticker artwork will use Pantone Spot Colors. Make sure you choose your colors from the Pantone Solid Color Pallette in your layout program.

Always make sure your artwork is oriented as shown below. Stickers are shipped in rolls. Below is the position required for stickers on the roll - Position #3.

OEM AUTOMATED STICKER APPLICATION SPECIFICATIONS:

• Adhesive must not have edge bleed that transfers the adhesive to the backing.• Labels must be die cut with the waste removed.• A minimum space between labels is 1/8”, not to exceed 3/16”, and not vary more than .010” per roll.• The webbing/backing can not be perforated.• The die cut must be cut through the label, but not into the webbing/backing as to cause the webbing/backing to break when tension is applied.• Labels may be circular, rectangular, or square.• Transparent labels require a black sensor mark to be applied under the area of the label onto the backing/webbing.• The minimum size of the label is ¾” X ¾”.• The maximum size of the label is 4” X 4”.• The core width must be the same width of the backing/webbing +/- ¼”.• The maximum diameter of the roll is 12”.• The labels must wound on a core.• The core inner diameter is 3”.• The labels should not be wound too tight as to cause adhesive bleeding.

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY

CO

PY C

OP

YC

OP

Y

1.5” ACROSS

3” AROUND

3” ACROSS

1.5” AROUND

Min. 1/8”Max. 3/16”

Min. 3/4”Max. 4”

Min. 3/4”Max. 4”

CO

CO

CO

3” Core Diameter

12” Maximum Roll Diameter

• Labels must be die cut with the waste removed.• The webbing/backing can not be perforated.• Labels may be circular, rectangular, or square.• Transparent labels require a black sensor mark to be applied under the area of the label onto the backing/webbing.• The core width must be the same width of the backing/ webbing +/- 1/4”.

REWIND #3 / RIGHT SIDE OFF ROLL FIRSTLABEL SIZE LISTED AS 3” ACROSS X 1.5” AROUND (height x length)

REWIND #3 / RIGHT SIDE OFF ROLL FIRSTLABEL SIZE LISTED AS 1.5” ACROSS X 3” AROUND (height x length)

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Final Steps Prior To Upload:

Checklist

q File saved using current version of the OEM design template.q All art is CMYK.q Fonts are either supplied, embedded, or outlined.q Artwork has proper bleed (1/8” minimum).q Images are a minimum of 300 dpi.q Included additional layers for special coatings/foil stamping.q File saved in latest version available.q File references OEM template.q Reference PDF is included.q Barcode is 100% black on white background.q All unused colors have been deleted from color pallette.

File Naming Instructions

DO NOT use symbols or blank spaces in any file name. File names should be less than 32 characters.

Name all your layout files and linked graphics with proper file extensions (.tif, .eps, .qxd, .indd, etc.).

Compressing art files into a single file for upload

Compress your folder containing all your artwork into a .ZIP or .SIT(stuff-it) file before uploading.

Artwork Upload Section:

Delivering Digital Files

FTP upload is the preferred method of uploading your digital files. Our FTP site can be accessed with any standard FTP software (Fetch, Filezilla, Transmit, etc.). Our server address is: ftp.oemdisc.com. Please contact your OEM Representative to receive the username and password required to access the OEM FTP site.

Very Important: Specify file name and location of any artwork posted to the OEM FTP to your AM.

*Optionally, physical media like CD-R, DVD-R, Flash Drive, or hard drive can also be used.

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Top problems commonly encountered with digital files:

1. Missing or corrupted fonts - The number one issue with supplied art files is missing or corrupt fonts. As mentioned earlier in this manual, we suggest use of the collection functions built into many of the popular layout programs used for artwork today. These programs do a very good job of collecting all the necessary fonts used in the design you have created. However, you must be sure to include the additional fonts that have been used in linked EPS files. Fonts can be corrupted easily during the process of sending your files to the print vendor. The best way to prevent this corruption is to stuff or compress your fonts, along with the rest of your art, before uploading them or burn them to a disc.

2. Lack of bleed - You must always have a minimum bleed of 1/8” (.125”). Any images that extend to the edge of your page in your layout must overlap past the trim line of the design template.

3. Low resolution Images or missing graphics - Always check to make sure you have collected all the images that you have used in your design. Also, be sure that the images you have used in your design are the proper resolution - a minimum of 300 dpi.

4. Supplied files don’t match referenced PDF or supplied laser prints - Be sure that the final version of artwork submitted matches the reference laser prints or PDFs you have provided. Common issues are text changes or re-flow, color differences, size, or wrong/revised templates used, etc.

5. Fonts modified by the applications font style palette - Make sure you have only used the actual font and its appropriate versions (i.e. bold, italic, heavy, etc.). Using the built-in font style palette can alter the appearance of the font, but will not transfer over to the final output of your artwork. Most imagesetters and RIP’s (Raster Image Processors) used to process your art files do not recognize fonts that have been changed by a software’s built-in font styles palette.

6. Photos or graphic images in RGB color mode - Images saved in this, any other color mode other than CMYK or Pantone colors, cannot be printed correctly. You must have all images used in your design set-up in the proper color mode to ensure your final printed project turns out as expected.

7. Inaccurate clipping paths or too many used - Clipping paths are used to “clip” or “crop” an image to a particular shape or section of your design. It is important that any clipping paths you have used are set-up accurately. It is also equally as important that these are used sparingly. Too many of these clipping paths, or paths that are too complex, can dramatically slow down the processing of your file.

8. Booklet pages not numbered - It is imperative that all booklet artwork has the pages numbered to ensure that your artwork will print in the correct page sequence.

9. Improper template used in design layout - Only use the appropriate OEM template for your design project. Use of any other template can cause delays or mistakes due to differences in template dimensions and other specifications between the different templates.

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Prepress and printing industry terms glossary

Bitmap GraphicsBitmapped, or raster images, are defined as a series of dots. Although the manipulation of bitmapped images is relatively simple, their output resolution is limited by the size of the pixel matrix. A standard computer monitor has a resolution of 72 pixels per inch (ppi), which is far below what is sufficient for high-quality output. Although some anti-aliasing functions can reduce this problem on the computer dis-play, it is almost impossible to eliminate on printed outputs. Images can be input into a computer at res-olutions sufficient for high-quality output. The minimum resolution is 300 ppi. Although displayed on the screen at the maximum resolution of the monitor, they will nonetheless be output at the higher resolution.

BleedsWhen a page or a cover design extends to and off the edge of the paper, it is called a “bleed”. In print design, the artwork or block of color must extend off the edge of the page. The artwork or block of color is then printed on larger-size paper. The printed page is then trimmed to the desired size.

BMPA file format and file extension for a bit map graphic. BMP files were initially used in the Windows environ-ment to display, for example, the desktop background (known as “wallpaper”).

CMYK ColorA standardized method of printing color by using four ink colors – cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Often referred to as “process color” or “four color”. This color model works by combining the above men-tioned colors in varied percentages or halftones to produce a picture on a white background.

Color Hard ProofA “hard” proof is printed on a substrate by a high resolution color plotter and is used to check the color balance, registration, and other aspects of a job which may need to be corrected prior to printing.

It should be noted that digital color hard proofs will give you an accurate indication of exactly what goes where, and although they are color accurate, they cannot give you an EXACT representation of a job that is printed on a printing press. Color can be very subjective.

Cover weight StockHeavier card type stock that is used for the printing of the outside pages of your printed items should it be different from the inside pages. If it is not, it is considered a “self-cover”. In addition, it is used for common “board” items like wallets, sleeves and digipacks.

Die Score or Die cutA “steel rule” die is composed of thin pieces of steel that will be used to stamp out a specified shape on a printed piece. To die-cut is to cut the printed piece almost like a cookie cutter. An example of die-cut items are all “board” items like wallets, digipacks, sleeves, etc.

DPIConsidered as “dots per square inch,” a measure of output resolution in relationship to printers, imag-esetters and monitors. In print media, DPI refers to dots per square inch. For web graphics, DPI usually expressed as pixels per inch instead of DPI.

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Prepress and printing industry terms glossary (...continued)

EmbossTo die stamp the paper or board from the rear in order to create a raised effect. The opposite is to deboss and stamp from the front of the paper or board in order to create a lowered effect.

EPSEncapsulated Post Script, a known file format usually used to transfer post script information from one program to another.

Foil StampingIn binding and finishing, a finishing operation in which a design or other image is pressed onto a substrate. In foil stamping, a heated die containing a relief (raised) image presses down on a roll of foil passing above the substrate to be decorated. As the die hits the foil, it is transferred to the substrate. Foils are available in many different colors, patterns, finishes, textures, etc.

Fold TypeThe type of fold used to complete your printing job. Several different types of folds are available. The most common are roll fold, accordion fold and gate fold. The roll fold is designed for the artwork to “roll” into itself, with the panels rolling in from smallest to largest. In an accordion fold, all the panels are the same size and do not overlap each other. They instead form a “Z” shape, similar to an accordion. A gate fold is where the two end panels meet in the center with the center panel being the width equal to both end panels.

Fluorescent InksSpecialty inks available in the Pantone Matching System that appear extremely bright and seem to glow.

GIFGraphics Interchange Format (GIF) is an 8-bit-per-pixel bitmap image format that is ideal for use in the World Wide Web due to its wide support and portability. The format uses a pallet of up to 256 distinct colors from the 24-bit RGB color space. The color limitation makes a GIF format unsuitable for reproducing color photographs and other images with continuous color. This limits its usefulness in printing. However, it is well-suited for more simple images used in web pages such as logos, or graphics with solid areas of color. GIF images are compressed using the LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch) lossless data compression technique to reduce file size without degrading the visual quality.

HalftonesThe traditional printing technology of converting the analog photo image to dots that can be etched onto the printing plate. Two types of halftones are listed below:

(1) To photograph or scan a continuous tone image to convert the image into dots. (2) A photograph or continuous-tone illustration that has been half-toned and appears on film, paper, printing plate or the final printed product.

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Halftone ScreenA piece of film or glass containing a grid of lines that breaks light into dots. Also known as a contact screen or just a screen.

JPG/JPEGPronounced JAY-peg, is a commonly used method of compression for photographic images. JPG is also considered to be a file format. JPEG is the most common image format used by digital cameras and other photographic image capture devices. It is also the most common format for storing and transmitting pho-tographic images.

Metallic InksFine metallic flakes that are mixed with a varnish and used as a pigment in some types of printing inks to impart silver, gold, and other types of metallic luster to the printed image.

PantoneThe brand-name for a popular color matching system or series of printed color swatches used to match, specify, identify and display specific colors or colored ink combinations. PANTONE systems are available for spot colors as well as metallic, fluorescent and specialty inks.

PDFThe Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format created and maintained by Adobe Systems. The PDF format is meant to completely contain and encode all the information necessary to reproduce (display and/or print) a document exactly, with complete visual fidelity. Each PDF file contains a complete description of the document including the text, fonts, images, and 2D vector graphics that compose the document. PDF files do not include software, hardware, or operating system-specific information. This ensures that a valid PDF should be rendered the same regardless of its origin or destination.

Perfect BindA squared off edge and glued pages define this bindery type. An example is your typical paperback novel.

PixelShort for picture element, a dot made by a computer, scanner or other digital device. Pixels are also re-ferred to as “dots”, used in the term DPI. See definition of DPI.

PreflightThe process of reviewing a computer art file to ensure all elements are included, and that all necessary print specifications have been met so that it will print properly to an output device.

ResolutionSharpness of an image on film, paper, computer screen, disc, tape, or other medium. This is usually mea-sured in DPI or PPI (pixels per inch). See definitions of DPI or Pixel.

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RGBA color model composed of the colors red, green and blue. This color model is designed to be used on a computer monitor. It is not designed to be used for printing.

Saddle StitchTwo staples added to the center of the piece on the fold line. This is a typical magazine printing bind.

Text Weight StockIs the lighter weight paper stock commonly used in the printing of booklets and folders. It is generally lighter and thinner than the stock used for other printed pieces that use cover weight stock.

TIF/TIFFTagged Image File Format (abbreviated TIFF or TIF) is a file format for storing images, including photo-graphs and line art. The TIFF format is widely supported by image-manipulation applications, by publishing and page layout applications, and by scanning, faxing, word processing, optical character recognition and other applications.

TrueType FontA digital font technology designed by Apple Computer, and now used by both Apple and Microsoft in their operating systems. TrueType fonts offer the highest possible quality on computer screens and printers, and include a range of features which make them easy to use.

Type 1 FontA format for high quality typefaces used for the graphics industry. “Postscript” fonts are Type 1 fonts.

Vector GraphicA type of computer graphics system which describes a computer image as a series of complex mathe-matical formulas and coordinates that describe lines, curves and other geometric shapes. Vector images take up less disk space and require less processing power and RAM to create and manipulate. As they are described mathematically, they can be output at as high a resolution as the output device is capable of generating, so long as the file format in which the file is saved is one that can handle vectors. A con-ventional computer monitor can only display an image as a bitmap, so a vector graphic will never look as smooth on screen as it does when output. It will always have to be displayed at the resolution of the monitor, which is much less than that of imagesetters or even laser printers.

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