Advice on going to print (using Photoshop)

[markthedoc]

Hi
I'm not used to using Photoshop for anything other than web work.
However I've designed a leaflet for a friends shop. The leaflets going to be full colour A6.
I've designed the flyer in CMYK at 300dpi.
What file type am I best sending the printer for a pinsharp result?
They accept pretty much anything. tiffs, pdf's etc.
Is there anything I need to be aware of before I send the file off to be printed?
Also when I save the file do I have the 'Embed color profile:US coated (swop) box checked?
I'm using a Mac by the way (don't know if that's an issue).
Many thanks in advance for all help and advice.:)

[Botchup]

I would save it as a TIF, JPEG (PDF if you can), and I'm not sure on the colour profile, but I would embed it anyway. (You should be able to add compression for the TIF as well to greatly reduce file size)

Make sure that if the flyer prints to the edge of the A6 that you extend the image by about 3mm passed the edge (this is called bleed).

[PrintDriver]

The best advice is to call the printer.
See if they can print text from Photoshop without rasterizing it. They will probably need you to send the fonts you used.
Raster text is never 'pin sharp'.
You may need to send your layered native photoshop file.
As for profiles, again, ask. They may not want an embedded profile.

[LittleBlu]

Smarties. Depending on the size of the job, .PDF is usualy standard, at least here. If you are not sure, send the design files to the printer as well so they can troubleshoot if they need to.

When you get the chance, I recommend experimenting with Adobe Distiller if you haven't yet. You simply open Distiller and drag your .PDF into the window with standard prepress settings selected. The prog will advise you of any major issues (ie: True-type or home-made fonts, missing fonts, Mac behavior issues, lol).

I hope that your job goes well =)

[SpugNothuson]

Your major issue here is going to be any type that is included on your page. Assuming that you haven't already flattened the document or rasterized those layers.

If you want the type to come out perfect tiff and jpeg are not for you. On the other hand a Photoshop eps is HUGE and I've never trusted it's ability to pdf. If it was me I'd save it as a psd with all your layers find all the fonts used and send all that to the printers, but call the printers first to check they'll accept this file type as some will not.

Ask for a proof and cross them fingers. ;)

[carter the artist]

or you could do it the right way and rebuild it in indesign/illy/quark...
just my opinion.

[DesignVHL]

i'm with carter :P Use tiffs in your layout.....output and include all images and fonts in a folder...


ALTHOUGH I print flyers all the time and my client requires a simple tiff sometimes and my text is always PIN SHARP....whenever I can though, I just use InDesign (or quark - blechy)

[PrintDriver]

Pin Sharp is a function of visual accuity. To some, a flattened tif is fine.
I can see the dots on a 600dpi inkjet. Nothing is ever pin sharp. ;) But there is definitely a difference between raster and vector text. Some clients don't care.

[DesignVHL]

MOST clients just don't notice it...we've been trained.

[PrintDriver]

Ah but do you? And do YOU care? :D

[DesignVHL]

I usually do care and I CAN see a difference - not so much on an inknet or laser print - more on the final press printing....

:) I typically use InDesign for my layouts....or Quark when the boss requests it - but i prefer ID for sure. Its a big peeve of mine when a client DOES ask for it a certain way, and I've gotten tired of trying to "educate" lol.

[Alan G]

I can see a deep philoshopical discussion coming. <ducks for cover>

[Two-Toe Tom]

if a piece is printed at 72 dpi, but no sees it anyway, does it still matter?

[PrintDriver]

As long as the printer gets paid, it doesn't matter. :D

[jimking]

if a piece is printed at 72 dpi, but no sees it anyway, does it still matter?
It can matter because if you keep letting it slide and become complacent and not letting clients become aware of it- a savvy quality oriented client with deep pockets may not want to do repeat business with you because of some quality issues were not brought up in a timely manner. Happens all the time.

[Two-Toe Tom]

wow, i really butchered the grammar in that post. i was kidding, but thanks for the advice! i'm pretty picky when it comes to quality of stuff i design, and getting pickier as i learn more stuff.

[Ned]

I got the joke, Tom. "If a tree falls in a forest, but nobody hears it, does it make a sound?" (Answer, by the way, is yes. It will create a sound wave, whether that waveform hits any receptacle or not.)

As far as the OP's question, I would use a non-layered TIFF, using no compression, for maximum compatibility and raster quality, or send the native PSD file to the printer if they can use that, so they can read the editable text. Of course step 1 is to call the printer and ask.

Out of all answers posted here, the only one I would disagree with is the use of JPG. JPG is a high lossy compression format. Why would you ever use that for print, if given a choice? Even if the resolution is kept the same, quality is still going to suffer drastically.

That's without going into a discussion on why not to use Photoshop for jobs that require text. :D

[carter the artist]

if a piece is printed at 72 dpi, but no sees it anyway, does it still matter?

not if Jesus tells you to print at 72 dpi.

[Two-Toe Tom]

ahhh! stop pls drudging up mine bad gramer!

Answer, by the way, is yes. It will create a sound wave, whether that waveform hits any receptacle or not.

depends on how you define sound:
1 a : a particular auditory impression : TONE b : the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing c : mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air) and is the objective cause of hearing

for definitions a and b, no, for definition c, yes :p

[PrintDriver]

Ned, as has been pointed out by a photog who no longer frequents the GDF, jpg format can be used successfully in some instances for print. I'm not saying I'd do it, but apparently some do.

And tell me, how do you download your stock images??? jpg right? So your high cost image just went through one compression. That's why I send for tifs on disk when at all possible and state in MY ordering contract that the tifs cannot be created from jpg scans. Original source rescans or RAW only.

[Two-Toe Tom]

with photographs, i don't think i'd be able to tell the difference between a maximum quality jpeg and a tiff.

[PrintDriver]

Depends on how large you print it. :D

[Jhihmoac]

It depends upon the size...When I've ever sent letter-sized totally Photoshop-designed documents (mostly simple flyers with very little text) to the printers, they have always been high res .pdfs...otherwise, I'd use Quark or InDesign packages...