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Thanks to everyone who took part in Debate #1 – ‘If you had to give up all but one application, which one would you keep?’. It was very successful with 28 comments in total, and I think it’s safe to say Firefox was the most chosen application due to the quality of the free web-based applications that are available today!
So here is Debate number two! This week we have a Christmas and Print Design related question:
You’re designing a Christmas Card, how would you set it up ready for print?
Be sure to answer the question in detail. Which software would you use? How would you export it as a PDF? Are there any particular settings you would use? Remember to include details on bleed and fold lines. I want you to pretend this is a real project that you’re about to prepare for print! The card is standard 4-color CMYK.
Looking forward to hear your answers! Be sure to come back, this is going to be interesting!
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Jan : Visit Jan's website & twitter
Posted at 11:10 on 18/12/09
Set up in InDesign. Open new doc set up bleed to .125 uniform. Make card size .25 smaller than envelope when folded. Set-up to folded size. Uncheck facing pages box.
Set pages up as two spreads. pg 1 is card back, 2 is cover 3 & 4 are inside spread. Make beautiful. Export as hi-quality print pdf with crops and bleed (fold will show up as crop marks). Check spreads box. Only use 300 dpi art.
Arturo Velazquez : Visit Arturo Velazquez's website
Posted at 16:29 on 18/12/09
Photoshop, open new file and choose cmyk colors import only high resolution pics(300dpis) or vectors, (be sure u are using cmyk swatches), once u got ur design ready save as pdf (high quality print)with crops and, i d discard layers and edit capabilities.
Cameron Chapman : Visit Cameron Chapman's website & twitter
Posted at 16:45 on 18/12/09
I would use InDesign. 1/8″ bleed. I would probably set it up as a two-page layout, with the front/back on one page and the inside/outside on the other. I’d use a guide for the center fold to keep it straight.
I’d also probably have the color/image from the front bleed onto the back by 1/16″ or so, ’cause it’ll look better to have a little wrap on the back than to have blank space on the front if the printing is off.
Artwork would be 300dpi minimum. If it was a photo background, I’d do any touchups with Photoshop before importing it to InDesign (as a TIFF). Touchups on other types of artwork would be done the same, if necessary.
Export with PDF/X1-a specs unless specified otherwise by the printer.
Will B. : Visit Will B.'s twitter
Posted at 19:16 on 18/12/09
Using Illustrator open new document at a size larger than my overall design including crop marks.Make sure raster elements are set to High (300ppi).
Any Photo, or solid image elements would be embedded *.Tif’s from Photoshop.
Crop marks on the artboard to designate cut lines. Bleed one eighth of an inch outside the cut line. Make sure all important text is in a safe zone one eighth of an inch inside the cut line.
Outline all text.
save as adobe standard *.pdf
If the card has an inside layout it would be set up the same as a seperate *.pdf
The outside graphic labeled Outside, and the inside graphic labeled inside.