Specifying
Color
- When creating
gradients or blends, be aware of the limitations of postscript. Banding
can occur in Illustrator or Quark generated blends depending on the
colors and length of the gradation.
- Create gradations
in Photoshop and add some noise to diminish possible banding.
- When printing
spot colors, disable process separation in Quark's Edit/Colors menu.
In FrameMaker move the PMS color into the spot color column in the
Print menu/print separations dialog box.
- In Quark, when
creating CMYK colors, enable process separations in Edit/Colors menu.
Colors created in CMYK mode without process separation checked will
separate as a spot color. When creating CMYK colors, name the colors
based on their components and shade ie: M50, Y20.
- In FrameMaker
apply color to text with the paragraph or character designer, this
is the only way to make a global color change if needed.
- In FrameMaker,
only graphic elements that are on a reference page and set up as a
property of a paragraph format can have the colors changed on the
reference page and updated where it is used.
- All scans should
be saved in CMYK mode for film output.
- Spot colors will
process separate when created in Photoshop in CMYK or RGB mode. Files
that contain only the PMS color can be created in duotone mode using
the monotone model.
- Gradations created
in Photoshop that consist of a PMS blending to a process color (ie:
PMS #314 to Yellow), must be created as two process colors to correctly
output two pieces of film (ie: created as cyan and yellow).
- When creating
gradations or blends remember how each program handles color separation:
- Quark
Gradations:
*PMS to PMS separates correctly - 2 plates generated
*PMS to one process color separates correctly - 2 plates generated
*PMS to white separates correctly - 1 plate generated
*PMS to 2 process colors (70M, 30Y - separation on), separates
correctly - 3 plates generated
- Illustrator
Gradations:
*PMS to PMS separates correctly - 2 plates generated
*PMS to white separates correctly - 1 plate generated
*PMS to one process color - generates process plates
- Illustrator
Blends
*PMS to PMS - process separates
*PMS to white - process separates
*PMS to process - process separates
Creating
Line Art
- Before drafting
submit sample files for evaluation.
- Draft art to
size.
- Use Adobe Fonts
#1-360 only. If circumstances call for additional fonts, check with
a Production Coordinator or Editorial Production Manager before using
them.
- If using an uncommon
font as part of the illustration only (not in the page layout as text),
consider creating outlines of the font so it will not be needed to
output the file.
- Reflective line
art should be scanned at 800-1200 dpi, Streamlined when appropriate
and re-drafted in Adobe Illustrator.
- If using alternative
vector line-based illustration programs, save the art in an .eps format
and remember to supply the original native versions of the file along
with the .eps file.
- Trap all art
that is 2 color or more within the illustration program. Traps should
be .25 pt. unless specified otherwise by the printer. If creating
a stroke around an element to be the trap, make the stroke .5 pt.
(because a stroke draws from the center out, only .25 pt. will overprint
the background.)
- Set black text
and rules to overprint if it prints over a tint. When appropriate,
large black objects, text and rules over a tint should have a stroke
trap set instead of overprinting.
- Delete all custom
colors not used within the illustration.
- Define colors
used in art files with the same name and values as colors defined
in the page layout files.
- If importing
any raster images into vector illustration files, be sure they are
hi- resolution, converted to the CMYK color space and supplied when
submitting final files.
- Set labels and
leaders on a separate named layer for editorial purposes.
- Group masked
objects.
- Do not mask objects
from different layers.
- Name all files
and graphics according to Prentice Hall's filenaming conventions.
If you have not received a copy, please request one from the Project
Coordinator.
Creating
Raster Art
- Before drafting
any art, submit sample files for evaluation.
- Scan black and
white photographs in grayscale mode not halftone.
- Hi-resolution
images should be scanned at 1 1/2 to 2 times the output line screen
resolution and 100% of the output image size. NOTE: With all hi-resolution
scanning or digital separation for print media, issues such as gain
on press should be taken into consideration.
- All images rendered
in raster-based image programs should be created at 1 1/2 to 2 times
the output line screen resolution and 100% of the output image size.
- When rendering
3-Dimensional images for print media be sure anti-aliasing is set
to medium or highest.
- When supplying
CAD files that may require editing or corrections, save them as DXF
file format and supply all associated color scheme and texture files.
If files are considered final save them as TIFF or EPS.
- Be sure the final
image files are created or converted to the appropriate color space
for intended use, such as CMYK for print media. Be certain the final
image files can be opened by Adobe Photoshop.
- Placed hi-res
Photoshop files should not be enlarged more than approximately 120%
in the page layout program.
- Reduce placed
hi-res images in Photoshop instead of in the layout program. The files
will be easier to process, image, and transport.
- Increasing the
resolution of an already scanned image does not make it hi-res. It
has to be rescanned at the higher resolution.
- Name all files
and graphics according to Prentice Hall's filenaming conventions.
If you have not received a copy, please request one from the Project
Coordinator.
Screen
Captures
- Use screen capture
as a technique for saving image files only when appropriate. Never
substitute screen capture for actually saving your image files in
an appropriate format in the native image application software.
- The quality of
color screen captures is determined by many factors including the
video card installed in the computer being used to do the capturing,
the color model, the capabilities of the capture program, and conversion
and sizing methods. For every project that includes screen captures,
testing of sample files should be performed prior to production process.
- HiJaak for Windows
as the capture program, using either SCREENCAPTURE, Blues, or Windows
Default color models, yields acceptable color results. Be aware that
other color models may yield an unsightly screen patterning or Moiré.
From a design point of view, it should be decided which color model
is to be used.
- Capture all screens
at 100% of full screen or window size, taking care not to resize or
input an interpolated higher resolution than the typical monitor default
of 72 DPI (MAC) or 96 DPI (Windows) in the capture program. Be consistent
when capturing if one has control over the window size.
- The most preferred
file format for screen capture is color PICT, the least preferred
being PCX.
- Screen captures
need to be converted for print media via Adobe Photoshop. The captures
should be converted to either Grayscale or CMYK color mode.
- Screen capture
Black text - If the project is a CMYK project, it should be decided
what kind of black text is appropriate - black text consisting of
100% black only, or black text consisting of CMYK values.
- CMYK black text,
a result of the Photoshop default conversion to CMYK, is sometimes
preferred because it tends to appear "heavier" when printed on press.
It appears heavier because registration on press is never perfect
enough to print small elements containing multiple tints.
- Some feel CMYK
screen capture text is simply "blurry" and prefer 100% black only
text. To generate 100% black text in a screen capture, the Preferences,
Separation Setups in Photoshop need to be set to Black Generation
MAXIMUM before the conversion to CMYK.
- Converted screen
captures should be saved as either TIFF or EPS file format. There
is no need to resize the screen capture in Photoshop, scaling the
screen capture down in the page layout program yields acceptable results.
Electronic
Production Standards
Our page layout programs of choice are QuarkXpress
and FrameMaker. The preferred illustration program is Adobe Illustrator.
If any other program has to be used, it must first be approved by the
Production Manager. At Prentice Hall, all electronic files received from
authors are converted into a Macintosh format for production. Files can
be accepted from DOS, Windows and Macintosh platforms as long as they
are saved in an appropriate file format.
Page
Layout
- Text
files with Style Sheets applied can be imported into the page layout
program. Preferred word processing programs are Microsoft Word and
WordPerfect.
- Do
not perform extensive formatting and page layout functions in the
word processing program, most of it will not translate correctly during
the conversion process or when importing into the page layout program.
- Build
documents in QuarkXpress or FrameMaker to trim size of project.
- Bleed
elements off the document by .125" (in FrameMaker enter a minus -.125"
in the graphic properties).
- Build
document by chapters. Make sure the H&J settings are the same for
all chapters.
- Have
"Convert Quotes" checked when importing ASCII documents.
- Run
"Spell Check" on all documents.
- In
Quark, check "Picture Usage" in the Utilities menu. Update all missing
or modified graphic elements.
- Use
Find/Change to delete extra spaces.
- Check
overflow boxes for hidden text.
- Check
for widows and orphans.
- Use
Adobe Fonts #1-360 only. If circumstances call for additional fonts,
check with a Production Coordinator or Editorial Production Manager
before using them.
- For
printed projects, use Postscript fonts, not TrueType fonts.
- Delete
all unused colors from the color menu.
- Set
trap amount in QuarkXpress to .25 pt. in Edit/Preferences/Trapping.
Turn off process trap.
- Group
text and graphic overlay objects to art.
- Name
all files and graphics according to Prentice Hall's filenaming conventions.
If you have not received a copy, please request one from the Project
Coordinator.
Final
Files
- Supply
100% final hard copy with disk.
- Supply
color hard copy for color projects.
- Mark
FPO on scans that are "For Position Only".
- Make
sure only files needed for final output are on the disk. QuarkXpress
has a "Collect for Output" option. A new folder can be created and
all elements needed for the project will be collected into the folder,
assuring that only what is needed will be on the disk.
- PreFlight
your files by printing separated laserprints to make sure the files
separate correctly before sending your disk for film output.
- Adobe
allows their fonts to be sent to vendors if they already own them.
Sending screen and printer fonts guarantees that the project will
be output with the correct versions of the fonts used. Check with
the vendor before sending them the printer fonts.
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