Camera Ready Artwork

Camera ready artwork will either be (a) shot on camera or (b) scanned to create a digital file. To ensure that a customer receives the highest quality product, we offer the following guidelines for supplying artwork.

1. The best artwork to shoot or scan from is a black copy on a white background.

2. Asking us to shoot of scan from a fax will result in very poor quality.

3. Actual photographs (color of black and white) are preferable to digital or previously printed prints. If you provide us with a digital or previously printed piece, we would have to scan it and a screen or moiré pattern could appear. All images in print are made of tiny dots that are not noticeable when viewing with the naked eye. These dots give the illusion that an image is a continuous tone. In trying to reproduce previously printed images, these dots are weak and not distinct. This is why they don not reproduce well. Actual photographs from a film camera are true continuous tone and would eliminate the situation described above.

4. Original copy, art or photos should have:

• (a) no folds folds through them
• (b) no staple holes in them
• (c) no screens or tints, unless you are using 85 to 100 line originals to submit as originals direct from compute printouts. Preprinted screens or tints produce poor results
• (d) no hairline rules (use .5 pt as thinnest rules
• (e) tape should not be use to hold down copy (use rubber cement or other removable paste down material).

5. If tape is used for paste down, which is not a good idea, make sure to keep tape one eighth of an inch away from live copy. You should leave the same distance from any cut marks. Tape edges and cut marks could show up and if the are too close to the live copy area, they are harder to eliminate on film or photo direct plates.

6. If you can, provide copy with crop marks to show positioning.

7. Multiple originals that need to be combined together should be provided with a mockup.

8. If you are providing a black and white camera ready piece that you want printed in color, please Indicate any spot color breaks that you require on a tissue paper overlay.

9. Do not write on the backs of photos with pen or marker and then stack photos on top of one another. The ink will rub off and transfer onto the photos.

10. Writing on backs of photos with a hard point can cause an impression to show through the picture side and can cause this to show up in the printing of the photo.