File Specifications for Pre-Press Needs
Layout and Line Art
The line art part of a design must be created in any of the software listed under line art with Adobe Illustrator being the first choice.
Line images created in Adobe Photoshop will have ragged edges and look unsharp and can cause problems on the press.
| Layout and Line Art File Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Recommend | Reason |
| Adobe Illustrator Versions 8, 9, or 10 | Most commonly used in North America. Most compatible with commonly used output devices. Most versatile. |
| Quark Express | Limited in its abilities and usually requires converting to Illustrator. This results in a file where the copy will not re-flow to accommodate copy changes. |
| Freehand | Limited in its abilities and usually requires converting to Illustrator. This results in a file where the copy will not re-flow to accommodate copy changes. |
| Corel Draw | This is a PC platform and can be converted to Illustrator with some difficulty. It is not usually used by packaging designers. |
| PC files | Illustrator for PC can be converted to Mac files and are O.K. |
Photographs
| File Specifications for Photographs | |
|---|---|
| Recommend | Reason |
| Adobe Photoshop | Must have layered files |
What is a layered file?
A layered file is one where each element of the design is on a seperate layer allowing elements of the design to be removed or edited as required. This means that a picture with type across it can have the type removed and the background picture remains intact.
A flat file is one where all of the elements are on one layer and if type were to be removed from a picture there would be a white "hole" in the shape of the type where the type had been.
