PDF Compression, Transparency, Printing, File Types...

[giantcactus]

I am new to the print world and pdf compression seems a little tricky. I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject but it hasn't seemed to help my disasterous printing episodes.

I have a logo that needs to be used mainly for print. It was created in Illustrator (just text) and contains a psd file that has a clipping mask.

This ai file was saved as a pdf, brought into InDesign, and a drop shadow applied.

When the card with this logo was exported as a pdf and printed, the area of transparency showed up all around it.

What would be the best file type to use in InDesign when wanting a transparency knowing it's final destination will be a pdf?

How do transparency flattener settings relate to pdf compression?

Also, what files types are best used for raster images placed into Illustrator that are ultimately headed for InDesign and exported as pdf files for print?

Thanks for any enlightenment!

[PrintDriver]

you started off on the wrong foot.
A logo with a PSD with a clipping mask is bad form. Logos should be vector only.

That said, assuming you have enough resolution in the .psd file to use a logo in all its forms, try saving that .psd as a photoshop .eps and see if that gives you what you need.

Also try creating a pdf that keeps transparency live.

here are some very informative reads from Adobe. They should be required reading before being allowed to open the software box.
Scroll down and read the white papers titled:

Adobe PDF in a print production workflow

Adobe PDF in Creative Workflows.

Transparency in Adobe Applications: A print production guide

Designer's guide to transparency for print output.

http://www.adobe.com/studio/print/index.html

If in doubt, call your printer. They'd rather you did it right and shouldn't mind you asking what PDF settings they want. Some even post them in Design Guidelines on their website.

[giantcactus]

you started off on the wrong foot.
A logo with a PSD with a clipping mask is bad form. Logos should be vector only...

...If in doubt, call your printer. They'd rather you did it right and shouldn't mind you asking what PDF settings they want. Some even post them in Design Guidelines on their website.

PrintDriver,

Thanks so much for the advice and resources. This is not my design, I 'inherited' it when I got the job. One way I handled it was recreated the text and imported the raster image, but since it's a globe with a shadow that runs ALL around the perimeter I clipped it and created a blurred spot underneath it in InDesign. That one didn't compress well either.

You give me a great idea though, I could try to recreate the raster image in
Illustrator. The time it would take might be worth future headaches.

Until I can do that though, is there a better way to handle this?

AND: Is there an ideal PDF compression setting that handles transparencies well without creating an enormous file?

Wanda

[PrintDriver]

Define enormous. Enormous to me is anything over 2 gigs.
:)