8 mistakes were in the document. Our job was to find them. This was interesting and a bit of a change from just theory, this time we were applying it and seeing how much we knew. It also helped me to get an idea of the pre-press routine and how to package publications and export to PDF correctly right until sending off to the printer. Very cool.
- Missing links > Check the source link, replace the link in the links pane or alternately click on options and relink. The Tree Silhouette file on the cover is missing so when printed it will be low resolution and most probably have a white background.
- Two spot colours are not being used, which is something you should always check. A red and green. It means 2 extra plates will be produced, most likely a blank plate.
- RGB Swatch. Not suitable for print as the colour may be out of gamut. It's being used in the separations obviously but it's still a problem for print. It's easy to change to CMYK. Double click the swatch > change colour mode> to CMYK. Luckily in this case it wasn't out of gamut
- Bird1.tif file is needlessly big, it's dimensions are so that it's 15.8% of actual scale. The rest of the placed bird images are resized. This could cause issues when trying to send off for print and package the file as it could take a lot of processing power for no reason. Alt + Double click to open in Photoshop and resize to 15% scale. Save. Update links in Indesign, if not already automatically updated
- Bird3.tif is an RGB image which will lead to errors and problems when trying to print. It should have been saved out from Photoshop as CMYK and this is an easy fix.
- Bird5.psd is 72PPI - screen resolution. It results in a pixelated image with nearly 4 times less information in for each inch. This can't really be fixed as converting the image to 300PPI in Photoshop will just add more 'information' but in the end just look blurry and still not ideal. You can't just add quality, you can lose quality though. It's like hair for example!
- The website link at the bottom of page 4 is set in Registration, rather than 100% K. Registration uses all 4 CMYK plates at 100% as it needs to have marks on each plate. For each plate to add a little bit of different information and registrations each time. it won't cost you more as C M Y are being used to produce the images and blues anyway but it could mess up the paper. If the plates aren't perfectly aligned, you'd have blurry text.
- The front cover doesn't have bleed for the spot colour background. This is risky business, trimming it even a mm out will lead to an unsightly white edge.
PRE FLIGHTING - "1 error" when you click the notice at the bottom of the screen, click on PREFLIGHT PANEL which gives you a list of errors
Interesting point to note. It doesn't pick up any of the 7 other areas we picked up, so always better to trust your own judgement as well as what ID picks up.
PACKAGING FILES
File > Package
Packaging files gathers everything you need into one folder, images, fonts and even includes instruction files you can type into it in the output menu which comes up.
Colours + inks, automatically assignes angles for each of the used colours so they work together and don't interfere when not needed.
PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS
Gives text file along with the package so for example you can specify for a spot colour to be applied with a gloss varnish.
If you are linking images from all over your hard drive, the package brings them all together and even UPDATES THE LINKS FOR YOU.
ISSUE: the person who receives the ID could still actually edit the document, as well as print.
SOLUTION? PDF.
The printer's will have specialised software and technicians who will open up the PDF through alternative software to ID and print out all the positives and gain information about spot colours and specifications through the PDF.
File > Export PDF.
There are different qualities of exportations - "PRESS QUALITY PDF" is for high quality prints. "SMALLEST FILE SIZE" is ideal for proofing the work or displaying the work on screen, or even emailing the work out
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