format for letterhead

[toolman]

Hi there,

I have been asked to design a letterhead, business card and comp slip.

I wanted to know how I should design it.. should I design it as a graphic , ie a vector format or should I design it as a letter in word for the letterhead?

Many thanks!

[CkretAjint]

I would use a layout program (InDesign or QuarkXPress), using it to place vector logos.

[toolman]

I see thanks, but I don't have those programs. Is there any other programs I can use? I have Photoshop. What format would the printers need?

[jimking]

You'll need the correct tools, Toolman. :)

[CkretAjint]

What format would the printers need?

An offset printer would like a Quark or Indy file. A quicky photoshop could use a PS file, although I doubt they recommend it. It's kinda easy to the trained eye to tell what was used when printing. Call your printer and ask them what they accept.

Personally... If you can't do it right, don't do it at all.

[double A-ron]

I see thanks, but I don't have those programs. Is there any other programs I can use? I have Photoshop.?

Photoshop should never be used to create things like business cards or letterheads. To mimic what has already been said, if you don't have the right tools to do a job, you shouldn't do the job.

[Virgo Nightingale]

Whatever you do, don't design ANYTHING in Word. That's not what it's for. And your printer will most likely HATE you.

Not in Photoshop either, that's not what that's for either.

If you don't have the proper tools for the job and can't afford to buy those tools, hire a graphic designer. A simple BC and LH shouldn't cost too much.

[WadeVC]

As one who preforms the prepress operations where I work, I had to go out and have a smoke just thinking of the poor prepress operator who may be getting a "design" made in Word. http://www.runemasterstudios.com/graemlins/images/banghead.gif

Although all of us here had to learn somewhere, as others have noted, the first order of business is to start with the proper tools. Microsoft Word is NOT one of them.

[JudyP]

Toolman-
You can use photoshop, just make sure you turn all your font into outlined (rasterized) shapes..that way you don't have an issue with the fonts not working. Make sure you know what you are printing- these days-printers can "copy" art- which takes out alot of frustrations with separations (cmyk) or using specific inks (pantone)...I'd go to the printer and ask for assistance..

[WadeVC]

these days-printers can "copy" art- which takes out alot of frustrations with separations (cmyk) or using specific inks (pantone)...I'd go to the printer and ask for assistance..

As the Prepress operator for a printer, I am curious as to what you mean by "copy" art...?? It sounds as if you have entered the world of "Kinko's Design"; which is about as quality-driven as a business suit from WalMart. If you are referring to scanning the image, then yes, the printer can do that; and gleefully charge you the going rate for scanning, layout, design and prepress.

As a Graphic Designer as well, I am equally curious as to why anyone would suggest that someone new to designing create a letterhead & business card in PhotoShop. Don't forget to add the new spot-color channel(s), unless of course you are designing a full-color letterhead & business card.
:confused:

Yes,. it can be done, yes it can look good, and YES; there is a lot of other considerations one must take into account before designing something like this in PhotoShop.

The only thing worse than not having the proper tools for the job at hand is having the proper tools and not knowing how to use them.

...just my 2-cents.

[Drazan]

As many here said there is a reason to use a vector program. Why?

When you design something in Photoshop it is a raster image. raster means that the edges of the artwork is pixelated. These jagged edges greatly reduce the clarity of the printed work, especially when the offset press uses plates.

The vector artwork uses mathematics to draw a smooth line. These paths create that nice crisp clean look that you see on letter heads and business cards.

If you were to try this in photoshop, take your image to 2 color, black and white. Then you will see the edges become really jagged and that is how the plates will see them.

So go to adobe and at least download the trial versions to get through this job.

More info on the print process: The reason that letterheads are done on offset is price. It costs less to produce one or two color on offset than a full digital press.

Whenever you do a job, find out the end printer and what they want for a file setup. You can realistically design something that is very hard if not impossible to print. Ask if they have a template or a spec sheet. What are their acceptable margins/gutters/sizes/file formats?

Hope this helps.
:)
Jade

[Virgo Nightingale]

Toolman-
You can use photoshop, just make sure you turn all your font into outlined (rasterized) shapes..that way you don't have an issue with the fonts not working.
It has nothing to do with the fonts. It has to do with how crappy vectorized text looks, especially when it's as small as say, an address on a lettehead, or worse, a BC.

In an absolute dire emergency, PS will do in a pinch, but I'd have to be pretty damn desparate.:rolleyes:

[budafist]

Have you spoken to the client how many colours this is going to be printed in? This may make a huge difference in printing cost. If it is going to be full colour, it will be pricey if you are only doing a short run.

Letterheads are usually printed offset so that they can go through laser priners (what many companies use for overprinting letters onto letterhead stock). The copiers at my work cannot do letterheads that can go through lasers a second time so we do all our letterheads offset.

You might want to check 1 piece out if you do decide to go digital/copier just in case it doesn't work on your client's laser printer. Wouldn't be good if you printed a few reams only to realise they couldn't be used.

You need to consider where the client wants it printed. Will the be using letterheads on a daily basis? Or will they be using a couple per week?

If the order is very small (less than 250 sheets), then the client may want to print themselves. Therefore they may prefer this to be set in Word so that they can print out the letterhead as they write letters. This is the only time I would set up a letterhead in Word. But I would still try to convince the client that the quality of offset letterheads would be better than their little inkjet.

[Octon]

The previous three comments are good explanations.

I just wanted to add that it is fine to set the guy up a word doc format that he can type into, but as the previous comments say, you have to make the artwork in a design programme first, preferably a vector design programme such as Adobe Illustrator / indesign.

[AD-vantage]

Wow!
You guys are all so interesting! ~ and helpful!
I do my business cards in illustrator... I have had to do letterhead in word (that is a complete pain!) also jazzed up a business proposal in word (it was a nightmare!)
WORD is not a design program! NOT! NOT! NOT!!
I have done business card all in photoshop and realize the difference now with doing them in illustrator ~ clean crisp edges!

I am on a HUGE learning curve and again say how thankful I am that I found this forum site.

Good luck with your job Toolman!

[PrintDriver]

Does the OP have to design the logo as well as the letterhead?

[Tikamars]

I have read all the replies to this topic totally agree that if you don't have the right tools don't do the job! Working in the prepress department of a printing company, my practice is to cuss a lot, pull out some quickly graying hairs when a customer brings me a designed file from word. Then I generally end up creating the design AGAIN but using Illustrator and/or InDesign. Talk to your local printer, they generally can help you in layout and design at a minimal cost (and helps keep their sanity!):eek:

[budafist]

Letterheads in Word aren't to send to the printing company. They are so that they client can print out their letterhead and letters themselves. Some client's (small businesses) prefer it this way.

[doubting_thomas]

Letterheads in Word aren't to send to the printing company. Don't tell our clinets that!! We'd lose a fair amount of business if Word
wasn't accepted here. It's all about what the client wants. BUT, if it
was all about what I wanted, our clients would use Word for word processing
only.

[AD-vantage]

I just finished electronic invoicing... in word ~ it was very frustrating and I would have prefered to work with the Adobe Suite...
but the client needed it to be compatible with his computer to make changes and fill in the fields.
I said " I will never do that again!" ~ lol... watch me get a call in two days for more....
My client has 3 companies.

What did you decide to do Toolman?