From beginners to seasoned graphic designers, creating artwork files for print is challenging and often takes place under pressure with last-minute changes and revisions leading to errors, mistakes, etc. Hence, it’s not uncommon for files submitted to a printer to have errors that incur extra costs and cause delays. Here are a few of the more common problems that crop up in submitted artwork files:
Insufficient Margins
This problem arises when content, particularly text, is placed too close to the edge of a printed piece with full bleeds. During the trim process, the text can be truncated or portions thereof cut-off. Also, from a design point of view, having text completely fill a page without a sufficient border makes the text more difficult to read and the page appear unsightly.
Bleeds Not Set-Up Correctly
This problem often appears in files created by beginning designers or amateurs who don’t understand how the effect of having images or artwork extend to the edge of a printed piece is actually realized. Extending artwork/images 1/8” beyond the paper’s edge is the most common amount of bleed printers require. For professionals, in the rush between generating an initial design for approval by the client and generating the final artwork file, the need to set-up bleeds can be overlooked or forgotten.
Crop Marks are Missing
Professional graphics software, like all of the Adobe Creative Suite products, can automatically generate crop marks when saving or exporting files as ready-to-print PDF files. However, in the rush of getting a job to print, including crop marks in the output file is often overlooked. For non-professional graphics software, crop marks have to be manually generated and placed, which most non-professional designers often overlook or may not possess the knowledge to implement.
Document Improperly Sized
This problem usually arises when the artwork file doesn’t match the desired size of the finished piece, but the submitter of the file believes (incorrectly, of course) that because the file has been generated on a computer, it can be easily transformed to any size via a keystroke.
RGB Instead of CMYK
For full-color printing, colors/inks need to be designated as CMYK. When designing/creating pieces for print, particularly when there are time constraints or pressures, it’s easy to forget to convert RGB color objects (e.g., photographs, graphics, text) to the CMYK color space. Also, sometimes in a piece intended for 4-Color CMYK printing, a designer will inadvertently designate a headline or block of text in a color defined as a spot ink color instead of CMYK. This error can result in an additional, unnecessary plate being generated in pre-press. Hence, it’s best to work in the CMYK color mode from the beginning when creating full-color pieces.
Insufficient Contrast or Color Differentiation
For text overlaying a background image or color, there needs to be significant contrast between the color of the text and the background (hue), and between the lightness (or darkness) of the text in contrast to the background (value). Also, thin-stroked fonts reversed against a dark background is generally a bad idea.
Insufficient Image Resolution
300 ppi is the standard resolution necessary for images (photos) to achieve the proper clarity when printed, particularly for items printed on a coated paper stock. Images printed on uncoated paper stock or newsprint can be set at a lower resolution, but it’s usually safe to save all images at 300 ppi. General rule of thumb: hi-res images can be downsized; lo-res images cannot be upsized.
Grammar and Spelling
Always rigorously check your documents for spelling and grammar issues before sending them out for print. There’s an old saw about typos being invisible until a document is printed. No one wants to have to re-print a job because of a glaring spelling error, etc.
If you have any questions about Problems in Artwork Files, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We’re happy to help you get the most out of your printing project.
