Designer Resources
This section contains some useful tips and other resources to help designers work more effectively with printers.
If you're ready to send your files to Whitley for printing, be sure to review Art Preparation and File Submission.
Designing for Print
File Submission
The Whitley Printing Company can accept most media. Contact your Whitley representative if you have questions about your file’s format. We have an FTP site available for large files. E-mail can be used to send files under five megabytes.
Submitting Files
Use a single document file whenever possible. The fewer the documents, the faster the pre-flight process will be, with fewer potential document set-up errors.
If supplying multiple documents, file names should include the page numbers they contain. For example, if the document contains pages 8 through 24, then label the document “08-24”.
You may add custom naming after the page numbers for your own use. You may name graphic and illustration files however you like, with two exceptions. Do not use any of these “illegal” characters:
+ ( [ ] ) / \ < > : ; “ , =
And don’t use spaces or periods at the beginning or end of a file name. Also, be sure no two files have the same name. Duplicate file names will cause conflict errors.
Clearly identify all disks and their contents by the project name and each disk’s printed directory.
Send only the files needed for output. DO NOT send FPO or low-resolution placement files.
Whitley recommends a set of 100 percent-sized, up-to-date, composite laser prints from the job to be printed to be included. The composite laser proofs represent the final version of the file and must be printed from the file that you’re providing to your printer. For example; if you’re supplying a PDF file, your laser must be printed from the same PDF file.
If your page/printer size allows, print the lasers with crop marks
It’s extremely important that the laser proof matches the file. A furnished hard-copy proof is critical when verifying page content and layout.
Creating PDF files
When creating PDF files use Adobe Distiller to Distill PDFs.
When submitting a PDF file for print, make sure it is a high-resolution PDF file and that bleeds are incorporated into the PDF.
Embed all fonts.
Use the “job options” as shown in these screen captures:
