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EPP Guidelines
Things to remember
There is no better way to assure that your job will reach it’s ultimate publishing potential, not to mention save everyone time, money, and headaches, than for the job to arrive correctly in the first place.
A few of the easiest to remember, and helpful rules of thumb are to never use embedded art and images in your publications, do not use Microsoft Word Art if you can avoid it, and limit your publication to 4 or fewer fonts.
Our guidelines:
Sizes
Supplying electronic files
File formats
Include linked files and fonts
Submitting text and layout
Supplying camera-ready files
Supplying film
Image file formats
Color usage
Scanner and image settings
Trapping
Common publication sizes
• Tabloid Sizes:
11.25” x 17”
11.25” x 15”
11.25" x 13.5"
• Signature: 8.125” x 10.625”
We can do other sizes, so please contact a customer service representative for more information.
These sizes represent the finished, trimmed page. The “live” (printable) area for tabloids is roughly 1” smaller, with preferably .5” margins around all sides, or at the absolute least .4375” margins. If the image goes beyond this margin it may be cut off.
Tabloid publications must contain multiples of 4 pages; signatures should be multiples of 8. The number of pages your publication contains will determine which pages can be full and spot color. The general rule of thumb is usually front, back, and center can contain process color. However, there are many options so please check with an MPI printing representative before assuming which pages will be color. Top
Supplying electronic files
MPI accepts Zip Disks, 3.5” floppy disks, CD-R, Jaz disks and can also receive files by FTP (mullenpublications.net) or by email: epp@mullenpublications.com. Please ensure that your transfer disk is not corrupted and virus free before you send it to MPI. The best way to do this is to open the file from the disk. NEVER send your only copy of a job.
We are Mac-Based, but also have PC capabilities. Top
File formats
We are equipped to receive digital files in these formats:
Quark XPress
Adobe PageMaker
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Acrobat
Macromedia FreeHand up to 8.0
Microsoft Word (for copy transfer only)
ASCII Text
Others (contact a representative)
Laser prints of the most updated version of your document should be sent along with your disk. Otherwise, we are not responsible for discrepancies between what is provided and what goes to film. (You may send reduced-size lasers if your printer will not accommodate your page size.)
Also double check your dates and page number orders and spellcheck before transferring your job. If we see discrepancies we will change them or contact the customer. However, we are not responsible for these mistakes. Top
Include linked files and fonts
Whatever program you use, please ensure that all linked graphic files are copied onto the disk. This includes clip art, especially color clip art. We recommend and sell Markzware FlightCheck Designer. Use FlightCheck to ensure your images are high resolution and to collect all the files into one folder. Click here to obtain your FREE trial copy.
In Quark XPress, Choose File > Collect For Output. This will allow you to create a folder on your transfer disk. This does not include fonts. You must collect your fonts separately.
In PageMaker 6.5, Choose File > Save As and then select Save All Linked Files. This also does not include fonts.
It is very helpful to us to include all of your images in one folder. This makes it much easier to relink the files.
It is imperative to provide all fonts with your job to avoid acquiring additional costs for our time to fix them. There are three main types of fonts, Post Script, True Type and OpenType. Post Script fonts are most preferable. They also can be contained in Suitcases that contain several members of the same font family (like the bold and italic versions). These fonts also require that you include the corresponding “printer fonts”. These are usually noted by and have names that are abbreviated versions of the font. True Type fonts do not require a printer font, but are more likely to cause inconsistencies. For instance, beware of using “font attributes” (like bold, italic or outline) built into page layout programs. Often these will not print properly. OpenType fonts are the most reliable and can be used on Windows machines as well as Macs.
You can determine the fonts that you use in Quark under Window: Usage and in Pagemaker under Plug-Ins: Pub Info (If you have the plug-in).
It’s best to put all your fonts in one folder.
Do not put completely different fonts in the same suitcase. Top
Submitting text and layout information
• Save text in ASCII format or Text Only format.
• For hard copy text to be scanned, do not fax it to us and do not write on, or make corrections on the original.
• For publications which we are to create, a mock-up or dummy of the finished publication indicating rough placement of articles, graphics and advertising will reduce layout time and avoid confusion. Top
Supplying camera ready
• 600 dpi (or greater) black-and-white laser output of text and line art is acceptable. Inkjet printouts do not produce desirable results in most cases.
• Sizes and margins should be the same as specified previously.
• All images should be scaled and clearly marked as to their placement position.
• Pasted up pages need to be imposed in “printer spreads”, preferably at 100% of their intended printed size. If you have any questions about the proper configuration, contact us. Top
Supplying film
• Film supplied to MPI must be right reading, emulsion down. Halftones preferably should be 100 linescreen. Other linescreens may be acceptable.
• Color separations should be identified as to their ink color outside the image area.
• Please double check the image area and page size specifications. Top
Image file formats
For photos, TIFF files (uncompressed) are most preferable for optimal quality. Bitmaps (.BMP), PICTs, (.PIC) or Windows Metafiles (.WMF) and others are strongly discouraged, as they are more likely not to print properly.
Freehand, Illustrator or other vector graphic program files should be saved as EPS files. Before saving the file, you may avoid potential problems by selecting any text in the illustration and converting it to paths. Try to include all native images in the EPS files just in case as well. Consider trapping color elements which touch or overlap in these files or ask for help.
Clip Art images should preferably be opened and converted to TIFF or EPS images if they are already not. Top
Color usage
Spot colors: Use only one color swatch icon in your page layout program for all of your spot color usage. Similar colors or shades of a color that don’t have the exact same name will not separate on the same plate. However, tints of the same color swatch are fine. This is also true of EPS/vector files and Channels in Photoshop files. Lastly, you need to define your colors as spot. Creating spot color in Photoshop can be a rather complicated procedure that we can explain to you. However, it requires a solid knowledge of the program.
Inform a Mullen representative of the spot color you choose to use before submitting your job in case a special order must be placed.
All full color images must be in CMYK, not RGB, especially check color clip art. Otherwise they will not separate properly.
Do not use “registration” color for blacks. This causes the color to print on all plates, which oversaturates and complicates registration. Top
Scanner and image settings
Scan photos at 200 dpi or ppi (150-300 is acceptable), or at line screen 133 (100-150 is acceptable). Also the physical Image Size in Photoshop should be as close to the size that it will appear printed as possible. The greater the distortion in the Page Layout program the less accurate the image.
Scan Line Art at 600 dpi and save as a 1 bit tif.
Add a little more resolution for lower quality scanners.
Our press has a dot gain of about 30%. This means that images will darken on press. You can set this in the Color Settings in your Photoshop preferences.
Use Levels or Curves to manipulate photos. The brightest point in your image should be about 3%-5% (in info palette). Any brighter will wash out. The darkest point should be about 80-85% in the info palette. Any darker will muddy on press. Visually change midtones. Top
• Rule of thumb: More yellow than magenta in skin.
• If there is a neutral area, use the mid-tone eyedropper to eliminate color cast.
• Eliminate over-saturation of a color with Selective Color in the Adjust menu.
• Black created in Photoshop defaults to being built. You should set your black area, easpecially type, to overprint (100% black plus the color underneath0. Check info palette to test results. Black type over a color or photo can be set to overprint by selecting "Multipy" in the Layers palette.
• Sharpen photo if necessary. The Unsharp Mask filter allows you the best control. The settings you use will vary depending on the image and the quality of your scanner. It’s better to under-sharpen than over-sharpen.
• EPS’s with clipping paths should have a flatness of 3 or higher.
• PageMaker and Quark users should remove all extra items from the pasteboard (non-printing area).
• Our ECRM Scriptsetter outputs at a 100 linescreen at 1270 dots per inch. Top
Trapping
Trapping is a process of compensating for the slight shift in registration which can occur from one plate of color to the next.
If a publication uses spot or process color, TRAPPING MUST BE USED. Some layout programs will trap automatically, but only if you specify that they do so.
Usually default settings will be accurate. However, if you have any question please contact a representative.
Quark Trapping Preferences
(under Edit > Preferences > Trapping... )
Auto Method: Absolute
Auto Amount: .01”
Indeterminate: .01”
Overprint Limit: 95%
X Ignore White
X Process Trap
PageMaker Trapping Preferences
(under Utilities menu)
X Enable Trapping
X Traps over imported objects
Default: 0.003”
Auto Overprint: Text below 72 pts.
In closing …
While this is certainly not the entirety of the complexities of preparing your job for press, following these will steer you well on your way to assuring that you "Realize Your Publishing Potential"! Top