CREATING A DIGITAL FILE: Details

DOCUMENT AND PAGE SIZE

Document sizes should be specified to trim size to account for proper placement of bleed elements and margins and to allow for the most efficient method of production at Webcom. Even if your job does not include bleeds the document size should still be the same as the final trim size.

HARDCOPY PROOFS

Your hardcopy proofs are vital to ensuring the integrity of the final product. As a quality control measure, we compare the hardcopy that you send us with the final plate. The hardcopy proof must match the electronic files that you submit to us.

If you are sending files to Webcom electronically, you should fax a hardcopy of the proof that is 100% size and then forward the original proof via courier. A job without accompanying hardcopy will not be expedited, so please include hardcopy with all of the files you submit.

Hard Copy Proof Specifications

1. Proofs should be 100% in size. If necessary, tiling is preferred to off-size proofs. Proofs not at 100% cause quality control problems. Tiled proofs should be complete and taped together as a page or spread.
2. Remember to consider the print area of your printer. Most laser printers have a non-printable border.
3. Print the proof with file name, crop marks, date and time. On most applications, you can click the registration marks option in the print dialog box to get these features.
4. If you are sending us colour work, a colour proof is preferred (even if the quality of the colour is not high). If you cannot send a colour proof, a black and white proof using gray scale values for the colours is the next best option.
5. When submitting black and white proofs you should:
   • Mark all pages as 1/C, 2/C, 3/C or 4/C.
   • Mark all layering of tints with similar gray values.
   • Clearly mark all colour images as 4/C.
6. Handwritten instructions can clarify aspects of your proof, making it easier for us to process the job. You should mark up your proof as if it was a tissue overlay of a mechanical or a keyline.
7. Tell us about any images that appear on the proofs. Are they "For Position Only" (FPO) which you expect us to replace with scans or digital images from our system? Alternatively are they "live images" that should be used for output directly?
   • In general, we consider EPS files as live images unless clearly marked FPO. If you are creating desktop scans as FPOs save these images in PICT format to avoid confusion.
   • When working with FPOs, keep in mind that low resolution PICT files look better on screen than TIFF but look worse when output. PICT files are fine for FPO.
   • Special effects such as digitized images, step blends, etc. should be clearly marked and labeled FPO or Live. Skewing and anamorphic scaling (a disproportional scaling of the horizontal and vertical axis of scanned images) must be clearly marked. Note that caution should be taken when sizing images. It is easy to accidentally achieve anamorphic scaling when you want to maintain a relative aspect ratio and this is why any intentional scaling should be explicitly designated on the proof.
   • Be sure to note whether keylines are to print.
8. Mark the margins required on the head, wing and foot.

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