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File Formats:

The preferred application for page layout for any type of digital output is Quark Xpress.

TGI accepts files in all of the following formats:

Tips for using Quark Xpress (Macintosh):

Creating New Documents:

Create your document to the exact trim size of your final project. If the project will exceed 48” (47” if full bleed), create your document to 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4 the final size. Always include at least 1/8” of bleed on all 4 sides if applicable.

Saving Jobs:

Once your document is saved, do not put the art files into new folders. This will break the links created in the layout document; essentially the document cannot “see” these art files once they have moved into different folders. When these links are broken the Prepress technicians need to re-create all the links before they can print the document. This causes a delay and opens the door for errors.

Bold or Italic:

When using bold and/or italicized type in your design use the actual font versions. Clicking the “I” or “B” button in Quark XPress or any page layout application will NOT consistently reproduce that attribute in print. You must find the bold or italic version of the desired font and choose it from the font list.

Tips for using Quark Xpress on the Windows OS:

When using bold and/or italicized type in your design, click the “I” or “B” button in Quark XPress or any page layout application. Please note that if the font family you are working with does not have a printer font for what you choose to stylize, it may not reproduce in print. An example of this is the “Symbol” font. While the font can be seen on the screen as a bold font if stylized, it will not print as such.

When designing with PMS Colors:

Be sure to use Quark versions 5 and 6 if specifying Pantone colors. Quark 4 contains older, inaccurate CMYK values for the Pantone library. Note also that Adobe Illustrator 8 and 9 also contain these inaccurate CMYK values. For accurate Pantone interaction between Quark XPress and Adobe Illustrator, use versions 5 and 6, and versions 10 and CS respectively.

Specify Pantone colors using the Pantone solid coated palette. Note that unless we are specifically printing your job as a spot color job, all Pantone colors will be converted to CMYK, and simulated as depicted in the 4/C Process column in the latest Solid to Process Pantone book. Rely on the physical color chip when selecting your color, and never your computer’s monitor.

Tips for using Adobe Illustrator:

Create your document to the exact trim size of your final project. If printing full bleed, make sure your document has at least 1/8" bleed on all 4 sides.

Never create an Illustrator document in RGB color space. Never convert an Illustrator document from RGB to CMYK.

For accurate Pantone color depiction with Adobe Illustrator be sure to work in Version 10 or CS. The integrity of any Pantone colors in any earlier version of Illustrator is NOT reliable. Files created in earlier versions of Illustrator also interact unreliably with other applications.

Transparency Features in Adobe Illustrator:

The transparency feature in Adobe Illustrator looks good on screen, but prints very unpredictably. Unless you are an advanced user of Illustrator 10 or CS, it is highly recommended to stay clear of the application’s transparency features.

If you really need to use this feature, be extremely cautious, particularly if objects containing spot colors are layered over each other, or over placed raster art. Most often, this transparency feature looks good on screen, but is completely unpredictable when the file is rasterized for print. You can pseudo-print preview your transparency effect by going to select all>object>flatten transparency>. Then select the preview radio button and move the vector/raster slider a little at a time until you get a result you are pleased with. Make sure the rasterization resolution is set to the desired output resolution. When setting this resolution, it is very important to consider if the file will be enlarged in a layout program, or enlarged upon output. Save this “flattened” Illustrator file as an EPS. Supply us also with the native un-flattened Illustrator file in case we need to manipulate it for output.

Placing Scans in Illustrator:

When placing scans into your Illustrator layout, binary encoded Photoshop EPS’ will preview faster and make it easier to navigate the Illustrator document. Conversely, Photoshop TIFFs will preview rather slowly and make for cumbersome manipulation of the Illustrator document. Do not place layered Photoshop files into Illustrator.

Output Resolution:

Output Resolution for paths should always be left at 800 dpi; set it higher (1600, 3200, 6400) if you are enlarging the document more than 400%, or placing it in another page layout program at more than 400%.

Tips for using Adobe Photoshop:

Using Photoshop for layouts that contain text is not recommended. If the file is not saved as an eps to include vector data, then the text will print with fuzzy edges. If you are an advanced Photoshop user in versions 7 and/or CS and know how to save your text as vector data, then you can avoid this problem. If you are not familiar with this, then it is best to use a different application to lay out your text.

Working in RGB mode in Photoshop will enable you to utilize more of the filters supplied in the application. Except for Wide Format jobs, any RGB Photoshop (including EPS, TIFF, PSD) files must be converted to CMYK before sending to print.

When saving a file as a Photoshop EPS, never check the button for “Postscript Color Management”.

Wide Format workflow:

Clearing up some common misconceptions and about setting up Wide Format jobs:

1) Raster art should not be 300dpi at final output size. It only has to be between 100 and 150dpi for all Wide Format jobs. Any larger files will waste your time, your disk space and not give you any improvement in quality.

2) “RGB Workflow” ONLY pertains to raster art, or Photoshop files-NOT Illustrator files, any other vector files, or Pantone colors. Do not convert Pantones to RGB, nor should you use Pantone’s RGB in CMYK conversion tables. We work in CMYK for all vector files and Pantone colors. Any other color space for this type of file will result in very unpredictable color. Your Wide Format layout should contain:

• RGB EPS or CMYK TIFFs, spot colors specified as Pantone Solid or their CMYK equivalents.

Color Space Guidelines:

Our Wide Format Inkjet printers contain very bright inks. When preparing files for Wide Format output, we recommend you keep your scans in RGB. If you convert from RGB to CMYK, you could be throwing out brighter colors that could have made your Wide Format job brighter and more saturated. Following are some guidelines for preparing files for Wide Format Production:

If your scans contain very bright, saturated colors and have been scanned in RGB, leave them in RGB. Work in the “Adobe RGB” color space in Photoshop. Save the file as a Photoshop EPS with Binary encoding. Don’t save the RGB file as a TIFF if you will be placing it in any page layout application. Embed the Adobe RGB profile when saving.

If your scans contain muted colors, skin tones, subjects where bright exaggerated colors would be undesirable, a CMYK workflow is better. Unless you have a high-end scanner that can give you great CMYK conversions, you’ll probably be scanning in RGB. Once you’re through the scanning process, you’ll want to convert to CMYK before placing or importing the file into any page layout program. We recommend you work in the “US Sheetfed Coated v2” color space for converting from RGB to CMYK. Embed the profile when saving.

Keep in mind that converting from RGB to CMYK will cause brighter colors to be lost permanently. Therefore, the original RGB scan should be saved for future projects. This is a common workflow and is useful if you use an image that will be output on several different output devices.

You can save CMYK Photoshop work in either TIFF or EPS format.

If you are working with RGB Photoshop files, they MUST be saved as binary encoded Photoshop EPS’ before placing into any page layout application. When saving a file as a Photoshop EPS, never check the button for “Postscript Color Management”.

Important: If your scans are already in CMYK, leave them in CMYK; don’t convert them from CMYK to RGB.

Using Microsoft Office applications for print output:

Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel and Publisher files were not designed for professional print production. The output from these files formats are unpredictable, we do not recommend using any of these programs to create files for print. If files are created in these types of applications, a hard copy is required when submitting your order, and additional charges for reformatting could be incurred.

Resolution:

Required resolution for raster art for TGI’s output devices:

• Digital Offset: 400dpi @ final output size
• HP Indigo: 300dpi @ final output size
• Wide Format: 100-150dpi @ final output size

Mailing:

TGI will manage your whole project including preparing either first class or pre-sorted standard mail. TGI’s Indicia account can be used to mail from Philadelphia PA. Postage must be paid when the job is placed.

When using an indicia permit, TGI’s or your own, the mailing must be a minimum of 50 pounds or 200 identical pieces of mail. The mailing must be delivered to the post office that issued the indicia permit.  TGI’s Indicia mailings all leave from 30^th Street Post Office in Philadelphia, PA.

For more information go right to the source at: http://www.usps.com/directmail/

Mail Sizes:

There are two sizes for business mail, card size (postcards) and letter size. The card size has a minimum of 3.5" x 5" and a maximum of 4.25" x 6" and costs less to mail than the letter size. The letter size has a maximum size of 11 1/2" x 6 1/8" and costs $0.39 per piece first class.

The post office charges a surcharge for square pieces of mail. To determine if your piece is within the allowable standard calculate the aspect ratio. Divide the length by height, if the number is less than 1.3 or greater than 2.5, there will be a surcharge.

Formatting Addresses for Mailings:

Mailing addresses must be on the same side as the postage (regardless of the type of postage, stamps meter, indicia). The post office recommends that you omit any punctuation, use simple fonts in black letters on white or light background, use all capital letters, left justify every line, use one space between city and state and two spaces between state and zip code. The Post office will accept mail that does not follow this format, but the mail may not be processed as quickly. You can use white type on a dark background, but it must be readable by the automated machine. You cannot put anything underneath the State and Zip or in the bottom right corner of your mail piece, due to the automatic reader.