Starting with good quality raw material is essential for any process, and printing is no exception. In this section we explain a few things that are important for creating great files for printing.
Files, colours, fonts and images
When you upload your file through our website, our software will automatically flight check it, convert it into a PDF file, and tell you if you have any problems with the colours, fonts, or resolution of your images. If there is a problem with your file, you can then choose to fix the file or just add the open file as an attachment to the order and we can try to fix it for you. Digital Link will always send you an estimate for artwork amendments before we start the job.
For standard jobs ordered from the internet, Digital Link accepts CMYK files. If you would like to have a job printed with spot colour, no problem - just give us a call on 09 631 5693. If you are sending us a file via email (not through the website flight check program), please make sure the typeface (or font) is converted to outlines or flattened. Images must be a least 300dpi (150 dpi @ 1:1 for large format printing) for us to guarantee the quality of the print.
Finished size and bleed
When you create artwork to be printed, the finished size of the document is the size it will be trimmed to. It is important to make sure you do not have copy or images any closer than 3mm to the edge of the finished size. This will avoid the chance of images or text being cut off, or making the job difficult to trim or fold. Bleed is required when you want to have colour or an image going right to the very edge of your document. To make sure you do not end up with a thin white line on one of your edges, you must add bleed to the document. This means you must extend the colour or image 3mm to 5mm past the finished size on all sides.
Colour formats - CMYK, RGB
Setting up your file in the correct colour format is very important for a good print result. CMYK is short for cyan magenta yellow black, and is pronounced as separate letters. It is a colour model in which all colours are made from a mixture of these four process colours. CMYK is the standard colour model used in offset and digital printing for colour documents. Because such printing uses inks of these four basic colours, it is often called four-colour printing.
In contrast, display devices like your computer screen and televisions generally use a different colour model called RGB, which stands for red green blue. RGB files will be automatically converted to CMYK by the RIP. This will not provide a recommended outcome e.g. you will often get a lime/yellow colour instead of “true yellow”.
To print your files, we must have them set up in CMYK. Software such as Illustrator, Photoshop and In design can convert colours from RGB to CMYK. Many things can influence colour: the calibration of your screen, the fact you are seeing RGB on your screen and we are printing in CMYK, the whiteness and the finish of the paper, the type of printing we use, as well as how the file has been set up and saved. We will endeavour to get the colour as close to your file as possible. However, please be aware the colours on your screen generally appear brighter than printed CMYK colours.
Image resolution - dpi, pixels, fuzziness
If the image resolution is too low, your logo or picture will look fuzzy or appear to be made up of little squares. We must have images that are at least 300dpi (dots per inch), and have not been enlarged to more than 1 ½ times their original image size. Images taken from the internet are only about 72dpi. They are generally very small and do not print well. When you upload your file through our website, our flight checking program will tell you if you have any images that are less than 300dpi.
Ink Saturation
No more than 300%
100% C, 100% M, 100% Y, 100% K is difficult to dry fold,
trim etc and can cause scuffing.
Solid Black Areas
Use 4 colour black
i.e. 30% C – 30% M – 30% Y and 100% K
Use single colour black for text
(do not use 4 colour as above)
Typefaces or fonts
The typefaces in your files need to be embedded, converted to outlines, or flattened into a graphic. This will eliminate the chance of fonts not displaying correctly and not printing the way you intended. Try to use the standard typefaces on your PC and always view the PDF created on your order to check that it is the same as the file you have created. If you are using a program such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Publisher, we recommend that you download our printer driver to create a PDF file.
If it all seems too hard
Most people don’t want to become artwork experts, they just want a great print result. We make it easy for our customers by offering templates or a full design and print service. It’s all about choice.
Why not simplify your ordering process with a catalogue or template?
Alternatively, we can create a design for you - a modest fee will apply. Just call our team on 09 631 5693
CMYK unless spot colours are specifically required
3mm bleed on each edge
300 dpi @ 1:1
Text needs to be kept 3mm inside the finished size
Flatten all layers
Printing A2 size and over:
CMYK unless spot colours are specifically required
3mm bleed on each edge
Minimum 150 dpi @ 1:1
Text needs to be kept 3mm inside the finished size
Flatten all layers
Tips for Setting up Files
Standard Sizes:
A0 841 x 1190 mm A1 594 x 841 mm A2 420 x 594 mm A3 297 x 420 mm A4 210 x 297 mm A5 148 x 210 mm A6 105 x 148 mm
DLE 99 x 210 mm Business Cards 55 x 90 mm DVD 274 x 184 mm CD Booklet 242 x 120 mm CD Front Cover 120 x 120 mm CD Base Cover 151 x 118 mm Banner stand (anodised base) 800 x 2030 mm Banner stand (anodised base) 850 x 2030 mm Mini stand (anodised base) 600 x 1600 mm Banner stand (5 yr guarantee) 830 x 2030 mm Or as above 850 x 2050 mm
Finishing Services
Most people don’t want to become artwork experts, they just want a great print result. That’s why we make it easy for our customers by offering ready-to-go templates or a full design and print service. It’s all about choice.