File Preparation tips for display prints:

ALL FILES ART:
 TIF, RGB, 100 dpi at 100% finished size EXCEPT LAMBDA. If you have some photos that have been heavily retouched, you may prefer to to save at 200 dpi.

DOCUMENT SIZE: Please create your banner at the exact finished size- no crop marks, no bleeds. This applies to all banner materials and display units.

HANGING BANNER STANDS:
Duo.sprint and duo.freestyle layout:
width: 23.62", 31.5", 39.37", 47.25"
height- any up to 98"
Beware-actual width of hangars are less than even number i.e 32" hangar is really 31 7/8".

All other hanging banners, see technical specs for that product

RETRACTABLE BANNER STANDS: All retractables have a live area, plus extra non-visible area for the feed roller. We ask that you create your file to include the 9" or other feed specified. 2" may include a bleed for your graphic, the rest should be white because it will never be seen.

Quickscreen standard document size layout: 33.5" X88.5"; live area 33.5" X 79.5"

Quickscreen extended high pole: 95.5"h; live area 87"h

Quickscreen extended wide unit: 39.375" wide

MediaScreen 1 3 pack special file specs

Mediascreen XL  47.25" wide X 125" high live area is 118"

Imax Quick 2000 budget retractable bannerstands 33.5"x87"; live area 33.5" X 78.74". Add a 2" bleed into the BOTTOM ONLY for all retractables. For example, your graphic area will be 33.5 X 81.5 and your document size will be 33.5" X88.5".

POP UP TRADE SHOW BOOTHS
We will email you the template or sizes. We recommend you create one large panel and let us do the panel sizing on our rip.

ART SPECIFICATIONS AND FILE FORMAT:
All files: If you have all native CMYK, do not convert to RGB, it is best to let us do the conversion on the RIP.

Because page sizes may be larger than quark express can handle, we recommend you choose either Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, or Adobe InDesign for your file creation. We have found that the Adobe software produces consistantly dependable files for output. They also allow you to convert fonts to outline, which removes a source of many production bottlenecks. We do not handle native Quark files, so you’ll have to output them as pdf’s to send to us. Make sure that you use high res output settings, and remember to double check all measurements.

If working in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or InDesign, please be sure to set up enable color management and choose U.S prepress defaults as your setting.

Illustrator. If using Illustrator, please send the native AI file. Choose the document color mode based on your preferred way of working, RGB or CMYK. Please select all type and convert to outline. (Make sure no text is locked before doing this). Save as a copy, using compression and embedding the icc profile.

Photoshop: Please save as a flat tif using lzw compression and embedding the color profile.

InDesign, select all text and convert it to outline. Save as a copy, and then package. Compress the package and send to us. Alternatively, export using the PRESS setting, and send us the pdf file.

Quark- we do not accept Quark files for large format printing due to unpredictable results.

FILE HANDLING
Our system is compatible with the following transfer media in order of dependability: CDs, ZIP and JAZ disks, 4mm DAT tape, 3.5" double-sided/high-density diskettes, Magneto-Optical 230MB.

FONTS-
Please be sure to submit all screen and Postscript (printer) fonts with all files for output. Watch for fonts buried in EPS files (logos, manipulated type, etc.) Don't mix True Type fonts with Type 1 fonts. Avoid True Type fonts when working on the Macintosh as they may not print. When working in Windows,True Type fonts are OK, embed them in the file if possible. When working in Illustrator or Freehand it is helpful if you convert fonts to paths or outlines. If, in Quark, you need to use bold or italic type, be sure to select that type from the fonts menu and NOT the style menu

GRADATIONS AND BLENDS-
Although simple one or two color blends are easily handled by the RIP, very complex blends may choke the RIP. Banding can also be a problem. Rasterizing an Illustrator or Freehand blend in PhotoShop and adding noise to the image can help, then render it to final resolution (100 DPI at final size). The rendered file can then be placed back in the page layout or drawing program.

RICH BLACKS AND BACKLIT PRINTS-
When creating a file in a page layout or drawing program for output to backlit material, it is very helpful if you can assign your solid blacks (rules, boxes, text, black areas of EPS graphics) to a "rich black". We do this by creating a black in the color palette that is composed of 80% C, 80% M, 20% Y, and 100% B. This process will give you a much more opaque black image.

SCALING AND PROPORTION-
One of the most common problems encountered are requests to print files that are not proportioned properly for the final output dimensions desired. Please make sure to print a small version on a laser printer and measure it or use a proportion wheel to check the proportions. It's far less expensive for you to fix any problem then for us to rework the file for you.

COLOR MANAGEMENT-
Please discuss any particular needs you may have regarding custom colors etc. We can usually reproduce most colors within the SWOP gamut, however certain Pantone mixes may not reproduce with accuracy.

HARD COPY-
When providing a job for output, it is VERY important to provide a hard copy. It enables us to check that our output matches your file.

LAMINATION & MOUNTING-
Protection of the water soluble inks is strongly recommended. The gloss or matte laminate is effective for general purposes.
Prints can be mounted on a variety of substrate materials to provide the rigidity needed to place the prints on walls, easels or display surfaces. These materials include Foamcore, Gatorboard, Sintra, Permaflex and Plexiglass.

FILE STORAGE-
We use an automated archiving system to back up to DAT tape. Due to the nature of automated systems, we cannot guarantee that your file will be available for you to reuse. It is our policy to return to you only those files supplied to us. If you wish to receive copies of any files revised by us to create your final output, please provide us with suitable storage media to do so. We MUST be informed of this at the time you place your order.

CREATIVE SERVICES: $150/HR, minor file changes $100/hr

Authorized Adobe Print Solutions Provider: We always have the latest versions of Adobe products for Mac & PC including:
Illustrator
Photoshop
InDesign
Pagemaker
Freehand

As a final check, especially if you don't prepare a lot of large format print files,  we recommend you Read the most common file problems and solutions