I don't want to seem arrogant, but

[patkennedy78]

Does clicking on "[Press Quality]" when saving a PDF from Illustrator all there is to making a print ready file?

I think I have a good handle on how a file needs to be set up for your standard 4C print job. I'll use my latest ad as an example.

I created a 3.5 x 4.75 file in Illy. CMYK Color Mode, 300 dpi raster effect settings (I had one drop shadow), I outlined my text, and imported a picture as a 100% sized CMYK eps file. oh heck, I'll just attach the ad.

The magazine wanted it submitted as a high res PDF, so I went with the standard "Press Quality" settings, well minus all printers marks, from the PDF dialog.

So is this all there is to it? Don't get me wrong, I'm not belittling pre-press here, I really want to know if there are other things I need to do or consider to get the best possible result.

Here's the ad for reference. Not really looking for a critique, I don't think it's that great, the client did all the copy.
http://www.digitaltaffy.com/Images/ThePerfectLawn_2.jpg

[PrintDriver]

My answer is it's not all there is to it but I'm not qualified to answer in your specific instance.
Several things come to mind, specifically: transparency flattening, image compression, and ICC profiling...the last two generally being print device specific

[rickself]

Even from Illy, I postscript the file and run it thru Acrobat as a PDF/X-1a process printing

[Broacher]

Most magazines would prefer the PDF-x1 over the 'Press Quality' setting for PDF submissions. In fact, it's this publishing group that was the main 'push' behind making the PDF-x1 a viable standard (it's actually a retro-standard, but that's why it works!)

PDFx also flattens transparency and eleminates RGB and spot colours.

Arrogant? If all you do is design CMYK magazine ads, it shouldn't take you too long to figure out how to follow specs without trouble. The real fun comes when you move to your own printed pieces and start mixing all the other prepress fun into the mix.

My one question: is that drop shadow effect falling within your booking dimensions? Don't count on composing to not trim it out or muck it up if it's not.

[patkennedy78]

PD: I've been told to watch out for Transparencys from Illy, so I generally to to avoid them. The Color Profiles always throw me, generally I just go with what it says unless it's something funky I don't recognize or RGB anything. I need to look into SWOP more.

rick: Um, you lost me there :) Is this something you do as a prepress person, or something I should do as a designer before I hand it to you?

[patkennedy78]

Most magazines would prefer the PDF-x1 over the 'Press Quality' setting for PDF submissions. PDFx also flattens transparency and eleminates RGB and spot colours.

Hmm, honestly I've never heard of PDF-x1, I'll google it up. Sounds like it looks out for some common problems us creative folks have. Thanks.

My one question: is that drop shadow effect falling within your booking dimensions? Don't count on composing to not trim it out or muck it up if it's not.

The drop shadow starts inside the ad dimensions by 1/8 inch. I knew the magazine wouldn't give me any extra, but thank you for pointing it out.

[steve2112]

definetly pdf-x1a. Just make sure to preflight before and after to make sure that all images are correct resolution and color space. I also do not subset font but i embed the whole font as it makes it easy to edit if they have to in a pdf format.

steve

[PrintDriver]

drop shadows are transparency effects.
They are also raster effects.
Watch your raster effects setting too (again device dependent).
Hopefully it was applied as an effect and not a filter.The filter can't be changed after it is applied and if your Raster effects setting has to be changed, the Filtered drop shadow has to be replaced.

[CamarotaDesign]

depending on their RIP, a PDF straight out of illustrator can be fine. The newest RIPs, even with plenty of transparency are pretty solid, though there is no pre press tech that likes working with transparency.

If you are in Illustrator, when you export to pdf, make sure all images are bicubic downsampled to 300DPI with either ZIP or no compression, because if you resize images in Illustrator it changes the resolution not just the size of the image and that makes the file size huge.

I think you'll be fine with an Illustrator PDF as long as their RIP is decent.

[rickself]

rick: Um, you lost me there :) Is this something you do as a prepress person, or something I should do as a designer before I hand it to you?If your printer is asking specifically for a pdf, get their printdriver and postscript the file using their settings. OR you can take an Illy eps file and drop it into Distiller, with the PDF/X1-a chosen.

Ortherwise, give me the native file, (with fonts and links, even if you have 'em embedded).

But as always, talk to your printer.

[urstwile]

It's hard to do that when it's for a magazine, Rick. So I always err on the side that their RIP might not print it properly if something fancy's goin' on, set the layout file up accordingly.

And yes, generally when magazines I send ads to ask for PDF's, I give them PDF/X-1A. Pat, there should be a distiller preset already set up for it.

[PrintDriver]

Does clicking on "[Press Quality]" when saving a PDF from Illustrator all there is to making a print ready file?

This has been making me chuckle all day...
I wish.
:)

Now I'm going back to matching 27, count em 27 pms spot colors for a multi-panel project. Thankfully each panel only uses 6 or 7. Just because wide format doesn't charge per plate is no reason to do this to a person...wah.

[patkennedy78]

I'm glad I could give you a good laugh PD! Much rather give you that then a mucked up file. I did take a prepress class, I guess it just wasen't very good, more of a Quark / ID angel. I think there is this 'gray zone' between design and press that I'm trying to bridge, and its a tricky thing to do.

It's sad to say but I've never used Distiller or been shown how or why to use Distiller. I hear its a powerfull program, but damned if I know what it's for. The only 'official' preflight I know of is in ID, or through 'collect for output' in quark. So when working from Illy, I kind of do my own check of images and type.

[rainbow2bryte]

I'm glad I could give you a good laugh PD! Much rather give you that then a mucked up file. I did take a prepress class, I guess it just wasen't very good, more of a Quark / ID angel. I think there is this 'gray zone' between design and press that I'm trying to bridge, and its a tricky thing to do.

It's sad to say but I've never used Distiller or been shown how or why to use Distiller. I hear its a powerfull program, but damned if I know what it's for. The only 'official' preflight I know of is in ID, or through 'collect for output' in quark. So when working from Illy, I kind of do my own check of images and type.

check this out
http://www.tailrecursive.org/postscript/postscript.html[/URL]
that 'Press Quality' option burns me to no end. it seems logical that this WOULD be the choice, but pretty sure everything come out low res. and i'm not even sure it embeds the fonts.....

also, check out the top 2 links on this google search...
REALLY good info on transparencies for print as well as design
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=transparencies+in+adobe[/URL]