Santa Barbara Signs & Graphics - Preparing & Sending Files for Digital Printing

preparing files for digital printing

We accept files from most Mac and PC graphics applications. Many graphics file types can be brought directly into our Onyx Postershop 7 Raster Image Processor (RIP). Direct printing vector file formats include encapsulated postscript (EPS) and Adobe PDF. Direct printing bitmap formats include JPEG and TIFF formats as well as Photoshop EPS files. Text within vector EPS files must be converted to outlines, paths or curves to avoid any font issues. Files that include bitmaps need to have sufficient resolution for proper reproduction at the typically large sizes for posters and banners. For close viewing (under five feet), the resolution should be 150 to 200 pixels per inch (ppi) at the final printing size; for longer viewing (over five feet), the resolution should be 75 to 100 ppi.

Many page layout programs, including Adobe Indesign, Adobe Pagemaker, and QuarkXpress, will save a high resolution PDF file for printing. Files may be saved at a percentage size of the final print, but the resolution of that file must be higher to compensate for the final size.

Native-format files, such as Illustrator and Quark files, may be used with all graphics and fonts provided, but additional make ready charges will apply. Certain other applications, such as Word and Excel, can also make a PDF file using a third party PDF generator such as PrimoPDF, available free at www.primopdf.com. Please note that PrimoPDF only makes letter size pages.

Files may be RGB or CMYK, but for best results, all objects created in the application, as well as all embedded and linked files, must be in the same color format. RGB files have the widest initial color gamut for hi fi color printing without the limitations of CMYK, but some applications, such as Quark Express, do not support RGB output. RGB files must include an embedded profile for proper RIP color conversion.

Each of our printers has a different color gamut capability due to the inks and media used. Please contact us directly for details.

sending files

Files may be supplied on CD, DVD, floppy, Zip or Jaz disk, Mac or PC. You can e-mail smaller files (up to 8MB) to our address. Our FTP site is also available for larger files. For FTP instructions click here.