Frequently Asked Questions

What software formats do you accept for printing? What computer media do you prefer, such as Zip, CD, etc.? Do you accept files from Publisher, Word, etc.? Should I avoid some software applications? Should I include the fonts I used? Will my scans print well? Why do you think your scans are better? I don't understand your terms. Would you explain? Could you give me an estimate on my printing job? How do I get to your building? Software Formats We support both Macintosh, Windows 9x and NT platforms, and prefer to work with the following file formats: Adobe Illustrator CS FreeHand 10.0 Adobe PageMaker 7.0 QuarkXPress 6.0 Adobe Photoshop 7.0 CorelDraw 10.0 Adobe InDesign CS .TIF, .PSD, .JPG Return to Top Computer Media We accept files via the following: CD-ROM Iomega Zip (100, 250 or 750) 3.5" floppy Jaz disks (Windows or Mac format) email of smaller files If you are sending files by modem please "zip" or "stuff" files to reduce transfer time. Return to Top Software Requiring Extra Effort Avoid art and publishing products intended for the home user, such as Microsoft Publisher, Printshop, PrintMaster, Print Artist, and similar “budget” titles. They are intended for low-resolution home inkjet printers, and are not meant for professional PostScript imagesetters. Don’t use the software for the wrong purpose (e.g., a three-panel color brochure composed in Word or PowerPoint). You’ll find it’s generally cheaper to supply us with text and art components, rather than assembling the whole project yourself. Due to difficulty in working with other software packages, we have the following policies: Microsoft Word: Subject to a reformatting charge Word files cannot be color separated for multicolored offset printing Corel Draw All files must be constructed with traps and spreads or will be subject to a charge plus additional proofing costs. However, we accept the following file formats: CorelDraw files exported as a placeable EPS or as an AI file (Adobe Illustrator) PC .tif files Adobe PhotoShop files (.pcx, .gif, .tif, and .eps) Please inquire beforehand if you plan to use some of the simpler, less expensive software. It is often impossible to obtain professional results from "bargain bin" software. Return to Top Fonts Please include all necessary fonts. When providing scanned images, please ensure that the resolution is 300 dpi at actual size. All images must be CMYK, Grayscale and/or black and white Bitmap. RGB images are acceptable for color prints and on-screen viewing only. Incorporate any necessary bleeds off the page.Please include all necessary fonts! Return to Top Scans We accept the following artwork for scanning: 35mm slides or transparencies Prints or photographs Reflective or flat artwork Due to the price of scanners today, many customers prefer to scan their own artwork and photos. We strongly urge that you don't! In our thousands of hours of using professional scanning equipment, we've developed a number of techniques to get the most out of even the worst pictures. Your scans may indeed look great on-screen or printed to your injet printer. But that's no guarantee that they'll be able to meet the demands of commercial printing. We know our pre-press and printing departments' needs; through trial and error (mostly error!), we've learned to tailor our desktop graphics and text to those demanding specifications. Trust us to give you the best scans. Return to Top Getting an Estimate If you want us to quote a job you have in mind, please call us at 256-539-2279, or fax us at 256-551-0819, or you can email us. We treat each job as a unique project, making it difficult for us to offer a "cookie-cutter" price. Return to Top Additional Help If our terminology is confusing, check the index or glossary of your software manual. Often a publisher will even include a separate book on how to prepare a document for professional printing. Also re-read the chapters on importing text and graphics, and how to export a file in various formats. Home | FAQs | Gallery | Slide Show | Engineering Copier | Location | Contact Us © 2005 Colonial Graphics Group, Inc.