High Res Film & Paper Output File Preparation

Supported Applications and Media

Typefaces

General Imaging has an extensive typeface library but recommends that you include all necessary font files with your job. Most modern Page Layout programs will provide the user a list of necessary fonts. Be sure to include fonts contained in .eps files (which the Page Layout program may not list). For PostScript Fonts supply both the screen and printer fonts files.

Proofs

General Type requests proofs of all pages you send for high-res output. These can be at reduced size for larger page sizes. Black and white proofs are acceptable, but color proofs are better. This ensures your final output is produced as expected; assures you that the files can be printed; and provides a guide for any possible troubleshooting the file may require.

General Imaging also recommends that you use your proofing device to produce separations before going to final high-res film or paper. Again, this ensures your final output can be separated as expected before outputting high cost film.

For files delivered via e-mail or FTP, we ask for an Acrobat PDF proof.

Photographs (bitmap images)

Photographs (continuous tone images) should be scanned at twice the resolution of the line screen they will be printed at. For instance, if the final line screen is 150 lpi, then the scan should be 300 dpi at full size. As another example, if the printed line screen is 100 lpi, then the scan should be 200 dpi at full size. Following this rule of thumb helps avoid undesirable bitmapping in the photos when they are output at high resolution.

General Imaging prefers photos that are to be separated for 4-color process to be saved as CMYK TIFF files.

Miscellaneous

Ideally, you should send all files used to create your document such as fonts and art files (.eps, .tiff, etc.) whether they are embedded in the document or not. Should there be problems outputting the file, having the source files can significantly reduce billable troubleshooting time and speed turn around.

If possible you should send any photos or line art that was scanned to produce art for your document. If those art files have problems (bad resolution or file corruption) General Imaging can rescan them speeding turn around time.

Remove unused colors and page elements from the document. Simplifying files in this manner can remove problems, decrease file sizes, and shorten font lists.

If you cannot get a document to print from your PostScript proofing device, General Imaging will also have trouble getting it to print. We are an experienced service bureau and can normally track down problems, but we will bill you for the time we have to spend doing this. Producing a file on your end that prints well helps ensure there will be no problems at our end.