Design Q&A
Proper Formatting Ensures Print-Perfect Graphics
Graphics—photographs, charts, artwork, logos, and so forth—are what makes your publication stand out from the competition. For this issue of Newsletter Communications, we talked to Newsletter Factory Art Director Kyle Sox about the best ways to save, send, and receive your newsletter graphics.
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This
image is saved at 300 dpi, which is perfect for print use,
unlike the low resolution version below. |
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| An example of an image optimized for use on the Internet resized for print use. At 72 dpi the distortion is obvious. |
What types of graphic files look or work best in print?
Generally TIFF and EPS files work best because they contain the most information relevant for printing. The resolution of TIFF and EPS files should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher.
What types look or work worst?
GIF and bitmap files, as well as some JPEG files. Sometimes people mistakenly think an image on their web site can be used for print, but those images have been stripped down to load quickly on their site, missing the necessary information for printing such as an acceptable resolution and wide color pallet.
What makes the first group superior to the second?
EPS and TIFF files have the desired resolution and are designed to work with Raster Image Processors (RIPs), which are film output devices. GIF and bitmap files are small and have a limited color pallet—everything that a print image should not be.
What are some of dos and don’ts of graphic file formats?
Do make sure photos are the correct resolution and format. If there is a question, send or request the original photo or transparency, just to be on the safe side.
Do make sure logos and graphics are the correct format. All logos have to be created in a vector drawing program (Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or Macromedia Freehand). Once created in one of these programs, the graphic should be saved in whatever file format it was created. If the logo has not been saved in digital form, provide or request a printed sample and PMS colors (if the logo requires it).
Don’t send or ask to receive graphics that are imbedded in word processing or presentation documents (PowerPoint)—these are much harder to open and place than “plain” graphics files.
Remember, the quality of your images will be reflected in your final piece. Make sure to provide your publication designer or printer with the best materials possible.
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Arrow
logo saved correctly as a vector image. (Adobe® Illustrator
EPS) |
Arrow
logo saved incorrectly as a low resolution JPEG. (Note the "artifacts" — undesirable miscolored pixels in the white areas. |
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