OUGD504 // Software Workshop//design for print//Proofing Documents

In todays session we were looking at proofing documents and finding the problems within a already designed document, which could effect the output of the printed work.

Problem: When the document opened it came up with the missing link panel, this was the silhouette tree which had a missing link. 

Solve: relink the file, by relocating the file.

Problem: On the last page there is some text at the bottom of it, the colour set for this text is registration, which means it would be printed on every positive, so the ink limit would be too high and could damage the stock

Solve: Change the colour from registration to black.

Problem: On the first page the background colour hasn't been extended to the bleed.

Solve: Extend the background to the bleed.

Problem: The owl image on this page is set to 72ppi instead of 300 ppi, so the quality will be poor when printed. Use the links info in the Links Palette to see all information about the image.

Solve: Get the original image from the customer.

You could change the resolution in photoshop to 300 dpi but this won't change the resolution of the image, it will just make it a high resolution low quality image, and it will make it a blurred image.

Problem: The owl image on this page has been scaled from an original sized image, this isn't a problem with the quality of the image, but when printing it will take a long time to process the document and converting the document to other formats could fail.

Solve: Take the image back into photoshop and resize to the size it needs to be for the InDesign document. 

To reduce to the right size in photoshop edit the image size and change to percentage, you can then enter the percentage scale that indesign displays and it scale to the right size.

 Problem: the image of the owl has been set to RGB

Solve: Go back into photoshop with the original image and convert it to CMYK then save it and it will appear in InDesign in CMYK.

Problem: Bottom two pantone colour aren't in use. 

Solve: Delete the pantone swatches from the swatch palette, as unnecessary colours could be printed onto the positives, increasing the cost.

Problem: the background blue colour swatch is set to RGB

Solve: As it is a global swatch, all the objects will automatically update. Double click the swatch colour  and change the colour mode to CMYK. Some editing of the swatch colour could be needed if it is outside of the CMYK scale.

HOW TO MAKE THE PROCESS EASIER

- Use the preflight panel 

- this will bring up all errors that InDesign can find within the document.

- Collect all files in a packaged folder

Do this by: file > package

This displays all information of the document, it will display all fonts used, links and colour and inks used within the file. This will display more information on errors within the document too, which can be fixed from this menu too.

CLICK PACKAGE

This will go through to the printing instructions, which you can put any relevant information the printer may need to know.

This menu shows what will be included in the package: all font files, linked files and the original linked files will be included so everything has the original artwork in it.

CLICK PACKAGE and it will save.

The packaged folder and all the contents.

- Create a PDF

- file > export

- file > adobe PDF presets > press quality - use this option for sending to printer

- file > adobe PDF presets > smallest file - use this option if emailing to people/proof reading document

- all document information - inks, spot colours etc will still be included in the pdf file.