??? How to deliver a file for printing?

Printing is like a perfect recipe. We need to get a list of ingredients right in order to get the right output. The relationship of designers with printers is, in some ways, very similar to that of architects and builders.

If you haven't seen examples of their printing job, always ask them to show an example. It is like designers showing their portfolios; printers will happily show their work.

?? HOW TO CREATE PRINT FILES:

If something looks good on-screen, it might not necessarily look good on print. If you feel unsure about an artwork to print, ask the printer about its possibilities.

There's a small checklist to be followed before sending any design for print:

• Keep the resolution higher than 300 ppi (though ppi is a digital parameter, it is a good practice to follow).
• The DPI resolution is 300 or higher than that.
• The color format is CMYK only.
• Check and convey if there are any spot colours separately.
• Check if all the key lines are removed. Check all the images and fonts are linked or outlined in the file.

?? HOW TO PACKAGE A FILE FOR DELIVERY?

Now that the checklist is done, have a final formal sign-off from the client. Packaging a file ensures all the fonts and images are collected in the print file and none of them are missing. For example, in InDesign, We go to File > Package. Now the packaged file is ready to be shared with the printer.

??? PRINTING FOR HIGHER SCALE?

There's a difference between image resolution & scale is huge. Check actual PPI and effective PPI in the link window of any selected image on InDesign.

When printing larger than average, ask the printer what he needs, since they will often use their own software to blow things up.

?? WHY TO USE A COLOR MATCHING BOOK?

Printing actual paper and looking at a computer screen is quite misleading. Inks react differently on different surfaces like matte, gloss, silk, uncoated, coated, etc.

A matching book will show you how the same colour looks different on different mediums and surfaces. When deciding for a corporate identity palette, it is important to see how a colour looks in various media. A matching book will help in all these terms.

?? DIFFERENT PRINT PROOFS

Usually, while printing bulk, there comes a slight difference in shades of colour due to multiple technical reasons, especially quantity and flow of the ink.

In an ideal scenario, a total of three tolerance levels of the shades are taken into consideration. One with the actual shade, one slightly lighter, and the third slightly darker. These tolerance levels should also be signed off by the client before the final print cycle.

This practice is followed in bulk printing, especially in large-scale packaging.

Printing now sounds technically heavy, but it is extremely fun and satisfying. Try to follow this checklist as a part of good practice as a designer for your next upcoming prints.