These procedures help to ensure proper printing of your files. Laser separations allow us and you to catch incorrect colors, font problems, etc. These procedures protect both us and you from the common problems that cause late and incorrectly printed orders. Incorrect files will delay your production until we can either fix the problem (indefinite delay which may incur extra costs) or you can provide us with correct files.

One-Color
A laser printout showing position

Two or More Colors
A composite laser printout showing position
Laser printouts of each separation
Laser separations allow us and you to catch incorrect colors, font problems, etc.

Color: MAKE SURE ALL COLORS ARE CORRECT – Print separations and check printouts before sending your files. PANTONE® colors specified as CMYK or Process may not provide the results you are expecting. Some PMS colors convert to process better than others. If in doubt, consult a PANTONE® Color Bridge Guide to view how your specified PANTONE® color will convert to CMYK.

Use the same color names in all files. When using multiple programs, ensure that all the color names are consistent – the slightest difference will cause the colors to separate incorrectly. (i.e., PANTONE® 185 CV and PANTONE® 185 C are two different names for the same colors and will cause two plates to output instead of one.)

Color Matching: We cannot guarantee color matching to customer-supplied proofs. Distributors Printing Services will run industry standard ink densities on the press for both PMS® colors and four color process printing. If your project requires an exception to this, it must be clarified and approved before production begins

Image Resolution: All submitted images should be 300 dpi or higher. Remember: Pixel-based images lose resolution when their size is increased. IMPORTANT: 72 dpi JPEG or GIF graphics, logos or photos copied from web sites are unacceptable for high resolution printing. Low resolution images ALWAYS provide less than satisfactory results!

Photos: We can scan photographs for replacement into your document. Please provide good quality black and white or color photos. The images must be solid continuous tone. Dots from images that are already screened (previously printed) can cause severe, undesireable (moiré) patterns to occur in the scanniing process and will produce undesirable results when printed in hi-resolution.

For scanning of graphics or logos, please provide a good clean copy of the image in the largest form you have, 11" x 17" or less. Photocopies don't reproduce well. Extra charges will be incurred to "clean -up" logos...a time consuming process!.

Fonts:
Convert all fonts to outlines/paths whenever possible.
Postscript (Type 1) and Truetype fonts only.
Bold & Italic – ensure that your printer font has these styles built in before you use bold and/or italic from your program’s style menu. Software font styling will not print correctly.
Send all font files associated with the fonts you are using (i.e., all screen and printer font files).

Documents:
Set up artwork in a page layout program (QuarkXPress or InDesign) whenever possible.
Set up files to size. If you don’t, send positioning information.
Include at least 1/8” bleed when necessary.

Files:
Send all files being used – fonts, graphics, etc.
Commands such as “Collect for Output” (QuarkXPress) and “Package” (InDesign) gather all needed links and fonts. Send ONLY the files we need.
Duotones and Monotones “Embedded” in Illustrator will translate as CMYK images.

PDF’s:
Send artwork in a “one-up” format
Make them the correct size (i.e., not 8-1/2” x 11” for a 3-1/2" x 2" business card).
Embed all fonts.
Run laser print separations to ensure correct color breaks.
Be sure to have 1/8” bleed in artwork for all sides on which copy is to bleed.