Prepress

When preparing files for printing, it is necessary to take into account some important factors to ensure that the final product is flawless.

• Files should be prepared in a pdf format (Portable Document Format) and at a 1:1 ratio. All graphic programmes allow the creation of pdf files. We recommended the use of professional graphic programmes, such as Adobe Indesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, Corel Draw, Affinity Designer, etc.

• Files for printing must be prepared in an exact 1:1 format. Formats are defined by the ISO standard. We recommend use of the A format, mainly due to its better utilisation of paper.

• Colour space should be the CMYK or PANTONE colour scale. Other colours such as LAB, RGB are unsuitable for printing. Monitor calibration is also very important.

• Pictures or photos used in print design should be high resolution, at least 300 dpi (dots per inch).

• Logos and various signs should be in vector format, as their quality does not decrease when enlarged.

• It is also necessary to take into account the colour coverage (the sum of the CMYK combination in percentages). This should not be higher than 330% for coated and 280% for uncoated papers. If the colour coverage is too high, it can result in transfer of colour, which can result in the final print having an irregular appearance.

• Black font (smaller than 20 pt) should only be prepared from the colour black. A combination of fonts from all four colours can lead to a lag in colour registration (paper stretching).

• For darker surfaces, solid black should be used (C=40%, M=30%, Y=30%, K=100%)

• The number of pages in notebooks, books and brochures should be divisible by 4.

• When designing printed materials, it is also necessary to take into account the bleed allowance, which should be at least 3mm beyond the edge of the cut printed material. Other graphic elements should be at least 3-5 mm from the edge of the inside of printed matter (margins) for business cards and leaflets, 15mm for spiral binding, and at least 10mm for brochures.
• For instructions on how to properly export files to pdf, please contact us and we will send them to you.