How to Prepare Illustrator Files for Offset Printing Niagara Falls ON

Steps

1. Open the file in Illustrator. Many file types can be opened in Illustrator but .pdf, .ai and .eps are the most common.
2. Using the layers palette Unlock all wanted art. Art isn't always locked but this is good practice to make sure the art needed can be copied.
3. Copy Art
4. Open the template.
5. Note: In the printing industry templates are used to create the plates used on offset presses. The templates ensure the artwork is positioned correctly for various workflows.
6. Paste the copied art onto the template.
7. Make the art color correct. This may include changing PMS colors, making it 4 color process, etc. depending on what the customer's printed product requires.
8. Check the color separations. If a color is showing up in the seperations window that the printed product does not require, that element will need to be found and changed to the desired color. This can be done using the following steps:
9. - Click on an object
10. - Identify it's color
11. - Pull down the "Select" menu and choose "Same"
12. - Lock those items
13. - Once all objects and colors are identified the non-color correct object can be made color correct.
14. Scale and Arrange objects to fit the customers requested layout.
15. Note: Pay close attention to centering.
16. Check resolution to make sure it meets press room standards (this will vary depending on press type and/or company policy).
17. Generate a .pdf or save as an .eps to place into another layout program such as Quark or InDesign (this will also vary depending on equipment and/or ripping software).

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Prepare Illustrator Files for Offset Printing. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.