Commercial Printing Toolkit

Index

Contact Us

Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Common Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Electronic Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Tips For Adjusting Grayscale Images & Gray Bar Usage . . . . . . . . . .6

Imaging Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Distiller Job Options & Size Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Creating PDFs in Your Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Do’s & Don’ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

The Sedalia Democrat700 S. Massachusetts

Sedalia, MO 65301

Commercial PrintPaul Hunting

660-826-1000 [email protected]

Becky Baker660-826-1000 x272

[email protected]

Internet SystemsFTP Contact

Richard Deford660-826-1000 x286

[email protected]

Publisher:Dave Phillips

660-826-1000 [email protected]

2

Q & AWhy is color matching inconsistent betweendays and even between the same pages on thesame day?There are many challenges when printing colorpages on the press. The speed of the press andlength of the press run can affect the ink density.When the press starts, the pressroom operatorsare working to apply the proper amount of inkdensity to every page. There may be pages thatare slightly lighter or darker initially. However,as the press continues to run the ink densities areset to standard.

Can I use Pantone® (PMS) colors for spotcolor?If you choose to use a Pantone color for a spotcolor, it will be converted to its CMYK matchwhen processing through our system. We useprocess colors to mix all colors. You shouldbuild your Pantone color from process color inits native application. Our system will add blackto a Pantone color conversion in an effort tomatch the darkness of your Pantone color. If youneed to darken a Pantone color when convertingto CMYK, try adding 5-20% cyan.

How do I set up and create PDF files to outputcorrectly in your system?You want to create an EPS file from whateverapplication in which the file is created. The mostimportant part is using the correct settings withinAcrobat Distiller to create the final PDF file thatyou will send to us. The proper Distiller settingswill be uploaded to your FTP folder.

What is Dot Gain?Dot Gain is an increase in the diameter of thehalftone dot. Dot Gain will always be present inoffset printing. A 40% dot in an image may readas high as 70% when printed. This indicates atotal Dot Gain of 30%. Not all dots grow at thesame degree. The highest area of Dot Gain is inthe mid tones (30%-50%-60%). See the exam-ples on Page 6 for more information.

Why do photos and tinted screens appeardarker in the paper than they look on my moni-tor?Dot Gain plays a big factor in the relationship ofcolor differences from your monitor to theprinted results of your product. Several factorsaffect the appearance of screens and images onyour monitor including: light conditions, monitormanufacturer, and your own eyes. We suggestusing the values and settings on Page 6 foradjusting images.

Why can’t I submit materials via email?Due to the size restrictions set by the firewallthere is a good chance that files can becomecorrupt when they are sent via email. There is nofile size restriction on FTP, the preferred way tosubmit your materials.

Should I create black using 4 colors (richblack)?4-color black, or rich black should not be used.Misregistration of type will be highly visible.

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At The Sedalia Democrat we accept electronic files created on Macintosh-compatible systems.Electronic transfers bypass the need for scanning an image, ensuring that the final printed version is of“original” quality. Your material suffers no second or third generation reproduction loss in the electronictransfer. Before submitting electronic material, please use the information in this publication to be sureyour design applications are compatible with those in use at The Sedalia Democrat.

Supported Applications and Formats:We currently accept PDFs created from materials prepared in the following or previous versions of

these supported applications:• Adobe Illustrator CS3 (EPS)• Adobe Photoshop CS3 (EPS or PDF)• Adobe Acrobat 7 (PDF or EPS)• InDesign CS5• QuarkXpress 7.2 (QXP)• Adobe Pagemaker 7

If the application you are working in cannot create a PDF file then it is not supported.

Test Files:First time digital accounts must submit a test file no later than 48 hours before scheduled copy due

deadline. We prefer to test material and make adjustments before your job goes live. If you do not supplytest files and the job fails due to corruptions, transfer errors, or disk errors, we cannot be held responsiblefor the integrity of the product.

Virus Protection:All electronic files are scanned for viruses before processing. Files found to be infected will be rejected

and returned to the client.

Fonts:PDFsMUST have the fonts embedded.

Deadlines:Our deadlines help us ensure the quality of your product. Your material must be submitted on or before

deadline. We will not be accountable for production problems for material submitted after the deadline.

Graphics:We require that all photos or illustrations be imported into page layout programs at 100%. Downsizing

larger files into a layout program increases copying and production times. Photos (raster) must be savedusing the correct mode and format (EPS or TIFF). Do not save files as JPEG or save your EPS file withJPEG encoding. EPS files should have 8 bit TIFF and binary encoding.

Electronic Requirements

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Color Modes:Use bitmap for line art, grayscale for B/W photos and CMYK for 4/color photos. Never save a photo

using RGB mode. Never create a PDF for print using RGB mode. Duotones must be converted to CMYK.Save as TIFF or EPS format. Vector and line art must be saved as an EPS.

The Sedalia Democrat prints all custom and spot colors using the four process colors. Color in suppliedmaterials must be created in CMYK. All spot colors (including Pantone) must be set up for processseparations in the layout application. Before submitting your files, either print the separations to a laserprinter or view separation preview (output preview) in Acrobat to ensure your colors separate out correctlyin CMYK. AVOID DUOTONE GRAPHICS.If your press run consists of one spot color and black and you are using a custom color as the spot color,

choose either cyan or magenta as the color in your page layout application. The custom color you orderwill actually be in the fountain on the press.

Resolution & Line Screen:The Sedalia Democrat outputs at 100 lpi at 1270 dpi. Before saving in Photoshop, make the resolution

of all B/W and color images 150 ppi (equal or twice our line screen). Scanned Line Art or Bitmapillustrations may be saved as high as 1200 ppi. Using the information provided in this publication, pleaseset up all files accordingly to ensure quality reproduction of your ad.

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The Sedalia Democrat press has a dot gain of 30% which means it may darken the image considerablywhen printed. Below are examples that show the original unadjusted image next to an image that hasbeen adjusted for the 30% dot gain. A person’s complexion can be very difficult to adjust. Lighter com-plected people, like the the children on top, should have a highlight in their faces of about 7%. Darkercomplected people, like the woman on the bottom, can have slightly darker highlights, but should stillbe no more than 15% for a highlight.

Tips For Adjusting Grayscale Images

Original Images Adjusted Images

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One of the best ways to adjust Grayscale Images is to use the Curves tool in Photoshop.It is located in Images>Adjustments>Curves. You can adjust the graph to lighten and darken various tonal

ranges in an image. It is best to lighten the midtones between 10-15%. Highlights should also be lightened tohelp retain contrast in the image.

When your adjustments have been made, all images should be sharpened using the Unsharp Mask located inFilters>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask. Images should be sharpened between 100-150% to improve clarity.Use a Radius of 1 and a Threshold of 2. Use the Preview. Oversharpening can result in the appearance ofan outline effect and the image may become too light.

Gray Bar UsageGray Balance:Gray balance is the most important step in the calibration of the color scanner procedures. To obtain a

neutral shade or gray balance in a photo the pressroom must print the correct amount of cyan, magenta andyellow. Black ink is not used in reproducing gray balance. Proper color reproduction at the press can onlyoccur when the press has achieved the same gray balance proportions as were present in the color separations.Gray balance is achieved when the values put in during scanning are reproduced on the prepress proof and theprinting press with little or no color difference. The Sedalia Democrat uses gray bars on editorial pages toensure proper gray balance. By utilizing densitometers to measure the gray bars, we are able to achieveconsistent results throughout the printing process.What is a Densitometer?A densitometer is an instrument which measures ink film thickness or density. In effect, density is a

function of the amount of light absorbed. A thicker ink film, or one with higher pigment content, will absorbmore light, and will therefore produce a higher density reading. Density readings are logarithmic calculationswhich approximate the way the human eye sees objects.GuidelinesEveryone sees color differently. By using gray bars and densitometers we are able to take the human factor

out of setting proper ink densities. The gray bar percentages at The Sedalia Democrat are 40% cyan, 30%magenta and 30% yellow. We highly recommend using gray bars on 4/color pages. If you have any questionsregarding gray bars, please contact the pre-press department at 660-826-1000 x 270.

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Imaging Guidelines: Resolution

Image Resolution: 150ppi or aboveImage Size: 2.2MBOptimum for 100lpi @ 1270 dpi output

Image Resolution: 72ppiImage Size: 1.7MB

Image Resolution: 300ppiImage Size 4.1MB

The Sedalia Democrat Standard

Resolution:It is important to understand the difference between ppi (pixels per inch), dpi (dots per inch) and lpi(lines per inch). The first image is optimum for our output and less than half the size of the higher reso-lution third image. The Sedalia Democrat prints 100lpi. For best reproduction and to avoid long diskcopying and file ripping times, your ppi should be between 1.5 to 2 times your lpi.

The examples above show the differences in the file size of a 150ppi image compared to a 72 & 300ppiimage. Use the image size dialog box (below) to adjust your image according to our requirements.

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Amount: 50%Radius: 1Threshold: 2



The examples above show how the Unsharp Mask filer can alter an image. Each image is different. Thevalues are used for reference only. Experiment with your images because the results will vary with differentoriginals. Use the Unsharp Mask dialog box in Photoshop to make your adjustments.

The Unsharp Mask filter in Photoshop can sharpen images if they cannot be sharpened during thescanning process. This filter can be useful on any scanned image including pre-printed materials.

Imaging Guidelines: Unsharpening

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30% Dot Gain 35% Dot Gain 40% Dot Gain

The Sedalia Democrat Standard

Dot gain is the result of the change in dot size when ink is absorbed on the newsprint.

Set your CMYK Setups in Photoshop as shown to achieve the best reproduction for your images whenprinted in our paper. Use the Color Settings and Custom CMYK dialog box in Photoshop to make youradjustments.

Imaging Guidelines: Dot Gain

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Sedalia Democrat Distiller job options will be uploaded to your folder on the FTP site.Download the file.Copy the joboptions file to:On a Macintosh using system 10:Macintosh HD>Library>Application Support>Adobe>Adobe PDF>Settings

Start Distiller and choose seddemocratjoboptions from the Job Options pop-up menu.The next time you run Distiller, the Job Options should still be set to joboptions. If not, choosesedemocratjoboptions and create your file.

The best way to create a PDF using Distiller is to create an EPS of your original file and drop thatEPS directly onto the Distiller window. (If you are unable to make an EPS from your application, apostscript file will also work). Distiller will create a PDF and save it in the same place as your EPS orPS file.

Web Width Broadsheet Tabloid Mini-Tabloid

22 10 x 21.5 10.25 x 10

23 10.5 x 21.5 10.25 x 10.5

25 11.5 x 21.5

27.5 13 x 21.5 10 x 13 6 x 10

30 14 x 215. 10 x 14 6.5 x 10

34 7.5 x 10*

DOUBLE TRUCK DIMENSIONS22” web width: 21” x 21.5” as a true double truck23” web width: 22” x 21.5” as a true double truck25” web width: 24” x 21.5” as a true double truckMini-Tabloid: As 2 separate pages 7.75” x 10”

*Mini-Tabloid with any bleed: 7.50” x 9.75” image area

Distiller Job Options

COMMERCIAL PRINTING

IMAGE AREA IN INCHES

11

Creating PDFs in Your EnvironmentQuarkXpress

• 7.2• Follow the settings below to create an EPS.• Distill the Quark EPS using Acrobat Distiller.• Make sure you have installed the ???joboptions in Acrobat Distiller.(see page 11)

• Double-check your pdf for page size and color separation.• Upload your PDF to your FTP folder.

Although some applicationsallow you to create a PDFdirectly out of them, thesePDFs are good for Proofpurposes only.

THESE FILES WILL NOTOUTPUT PROPERLY!

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Creating PDFs in Your EnvironmentInDesign

• CS3• Be sure to use placed art that has been flattened i.e., EPS, TIFF.• Follow the settings below to create an EPS.• Distill the InDesign EPS using Acrobat Distiller.• Make sure you have installed the ???joboptions in Acrobat Distiller.(see page 11)




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Creating PDFs in Your EnvironmentIllustrator*

• Be sure to use placed art that has been flattened i.e., EPS, TIFF.• Follow the settings below to create an EPS.• Distill the Illustrator EPS using Acrobat Distiller.• Make sure you have installed the ???joboptions in Acrobat Distiller.(see page 11)


* A layout application such InDesign or QuarkXpress is recommended.



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Do’s & Don’tsDO start with a clean document in your page layout application.

DO confine your image area to the specifications on page 11.

DO remember that page numbers and folios are included in the image area dimensions.They must fit within the parameters of the page if you want them to print.

DON’T use any “auto black” settings in any application to create a black. This includes“Registration” in the color palette of QuarkXpress.

DON’T select Red, Blue or Green as they are from the QuarkXpress color palette.Those colors will need to be converted to CMYK before using them.

DO call us if you need assistance in setting up your layout for a bleed.

DON’T use printer marks and registration generated by your application.

DO tell us in advance of your pressrun the number of copies you want to run, the num-ber of pages for your job and which pages are color.

DO look over your PDF before you upload it.Are all the pages there?Does the color separate correctly?Are all the images on the pages?Are the page dimensions correct?Do elements knockout or overprint correctly?If you have output preview or separation preview in Acrobat use that to look at yourpages. Print your separations to a laser printer if needed.

DO call us with questions about color placement. It can affect the overall quality ofyour product.

DON’T use unlicensed fonts.

DON’T HESITATE TO CALLUSWITHANYQUESTION YOUMAYHAVE.WEWANTYOUR PRODUCT TO LOOK GOOD, TOO.

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Documents

Commercial Printing Toolkit