Artwork Requirements
We can accept material from you in many different formats; from hard copy to digital files. We can accept both PC and Mac generated artwork.
Preferred digital applications
Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop CS4 or previous versions.
QuarkXpress 8 or previous versions, Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
We can accept files from standard office software such as Microsoft Word, Publisher, Excel and PowerPoint (files supplied from these programs might not always be suitable for direct CMYK printing and may require additional studio time to prepare, which may incur an extra charge).
We can advise you on the best way to set your documents for print, or our in-house design team can prepare the design work for you.
Bleed (for Trim/Cutting)
If your artwork needs to be printed to the very edge of the finished size document, any images, colour etc. needs to “bleed” off the edge of the paper by at least 3mm - this bleed will be printed and then cut off, this will insure that there is no white edges present on the job.
Resolution
When supplying images, ensure that they are scanned at 300 dpi and are at 100% otherwise quality will be compromised. If images have been downloaded from the Internet, the normal screen resolution is just 72 dpi and therefore, they will not reproduce a high quality result when printed.
Colour
All documents need to be set to either CMYK or a specific Pantone spot colour.
RGB is not an ideal printing format and may cause undesired effects.
Full colour artwork should contain CMYK colour only, RGB files should be converted to CMYK. All colour proofs will be converted to CMYK and may affect appearance of any artwork supplied to us in RGB format. If a colour match is require please ensure that a reference or hard copy is supplied.
Pantone colours made up of CMYK, should be checked on a correct Pantone colour chart before printing, due to certain colours being unachievable in the CMYK process.
Fonts
All fonts used should be embedded (High Quality/ X-1a PDF’s with fonts embedded ticked, should ensure this) or converted to outlines (EPS, Illustrator). If fonts are supplied, please ensure that all are included and that any redundant fonts are removed.
Supplying Files
If the files are below 20mb they can be e-mailed to your sales representative.
If they are above 20mb they can be supplied on CD/DVD, ftp site (please provide address and login details) or alternatively upload to our Concept FTP, (a username and password will need to be requested proir to use). CDs and discs will not be returned unless specifically requested at the time of order. We try to hold any supplied artwork in case of re-printing but this cannot be guaranteed. Concept Communications cannot accept responsibility for any printing errors if no proof is supplied.
Maximum Print Area (Digital Press)
When using our hp indigo digital press we generally use SRA3 sheets but can now print to a maximum sheet dimension of 330mm x 482mm due to press processes this leaves a maximum print area of 464mm x 317mm, any job that exceeds this size will need to be reduced to fit within this area.
If further clarification is required please discuss with your account manager.
Job Specific Requirements
How the artwork is supplied can also depend on how the job is being printed.
Fold/Stitch/Trim Booklet
A fold/stitch/trim booklet requires the page count to be divisible by 4. If the page count cannot be divided by 4, please add blank pages in the desired position or give details of where they should be inserted. If being supplied as a PDF please supply as either single pages or as printers pairs spreads.
Read order spreads (as they would appear once the document has been finished) are not suitable and will require additional studio time to prepare. If being supplied in Adobe InDesign or QuarkXpress read order spreads or single pages are both acceptable.
Perfect bound booklet
A perfect bound booklet should be supplied as 2 separate files.
File 1 for the cover which should include a spine respective to the thickness of the booklet and an additional 2mm to allow for a crease either side of the spine.
The cover file should include the inside front and back cover as well as the front and back.
File 2 for the inside text pages should be supplied as single pages with 3mm bleed on all edges. Both of these files can be supplied in Adobe InDesign, QuarkXpress & Adobe Acrobat PDF files.
WiroBound Booklet
A WiroBound booklet can be supplied in Adobe InDesign, QuarkXpress & Adobe Acrobat PDF files however the files will need to be set with a 10mm margin (to the respective edge) to ensure that the wire does not punch through any text / images.
Large format Printing
When using the large format press the best image quality and resolution is required. If an images is being supplied for large format printing it should be as close to the preferred output size as possible and be no lower than 300dpi. Vector images will be suitable supplied at any size as they do not distort on enlargement.
Variable Data
Please supply all data as an Excel workbook format saved as xls or csv file, fixed field (i.e./ every field within each record is in a fixed & common position) with each field in a separate cell.
Example of comma delimited txt file with each field separated by a comma :-
Contact,
Company Name,
Address1,
Address2,
Address3,
Address4,
Address5,
POSTCODE,
Salutation
Keith Cartwright,
Concept Communications Group Ltd,
Units 11 & 12,
Birchanger Industrial Estate,
Stansted Road,
Bishops Stortford,
Hertfordshire,
CM23 2TH,
Dear Mr Cartwright
Together with your data please supply a full data specification including references & job title along with a dump of the 1st 50 records. Please incorporate a record file layout identifying which fields are to print together with a print image layout to indicate printed data field positions on a copy of your actual stationery and a full data processing, laser & mailing brief.
Title, Initials (if any), Surname, Company Name, Salutation, UR Codes, POSTCODE (and ideally the Post Town & County) should all be in a fixed and common position within each logical record. Details of a default salutation should be supplied for records where there isn't a valid title. The parameters on which mailsort is to be based should be supplied (i.e./ item pack weight, bag / bundle sizes, mailing date and preferred mailsort service. Adhering to the set guidelines/specifications will ensure that your project will incur minimal problems.