Web |  Electronic Display |  Desktop Publishing |  Commercial Printing |  Sign Shop |  Embroidery

Web Display

-File color mode/resolution: RGB / 72dpi at 100% size

JPG is recommended for continuous-tone images such as photographs. GIF is better for color graphics, logos or illustrations with flat color or sharp edges.

Electronic Display / Projection

-For applications like Powerpoint®
-File color mode/resolution: RGB / dpi varies; see below

JPG is recommended for general use.

-If the file is for viewing on a monitor, 72dpi (at 100% size) is adequate.
-If the file is for projection, 150-to-200dpi is better.

PNG is recommended where transparent backgrounds are needed especially when placing logos on differently colored backgrounds. (PNG-24 set to Matte: None works well for 24-bit color graphics).

Desktop Publishing (inkjet and laserprinting)

-For applications like InDesign, Pagemaker, QuarkXPress®; and MS Word or WordPerfect
-Inkjet file color mode/resolution: RGB & greyscale / 100-150dpi; b&w bitmap / 400-600dpi
-Laserprint file color mode/resolution: RGB & greyscale [CMYK on some color lasers] / 150-240dpi is ok

Mac: EPS, PCT(PICT), TIF, JPG (When a Mac PICT is imported, the entire file is embedded into the document.)

PC: EPS, BMP, TIF, JPG (When a PC BMP is imported/placed, the entire file is embedded into the document.)

(When an EPS, TIF or JPG is imported/placed in a document, a low-resolution preview 'place-holder' file is used in the document for viewing, sizing and cropping, and this file is linked to the high-resolution file which is needed for printing only.)

TIF greyscale and b&w bitmap files allow the user to apply a color from within the layout application.

Note: using Mac-PICT or PC-BMP to embed an image in the document is suggested if the user is not too keen on keeping track of the original image, and when the image is small or not repeated too many times in the document. Otherwise, TIF or EPS are recommeded because their low-resolution previews act as 'place holders' for the high-resolution original, but as 'place holders' the original file must be available to the printer.

Note: EPS files require Adobe Postscript® language printers to print properly (If the printer does not have Postscript, like most PC laser printers and inexpensive inkjets, it will print the 72-dpi preview file which will print fair at 100%, poorly if enlarged, but fine if the file size is reduced significantly in the picture window).

Commercial Printing (press)

(For applications like InDesign, Pagemaker and QuarkXPress®)

(File color mode/resolution: CMYK / 240-300dpi for grayscale & color. 1.4-2x the linescreen used for printing; b&w bitmap art / 800-1200dpi)

Mac: Photoshop EPS, DCS, TIF (EPS with a Mac/JPEG preview has a more accurate preview color than a TIF because the EPS contains its own preview, and the TIF preview is created by the application it is imported into.)

PC: Photoshop EPS, DCS, TIF (TIF supports color images with alpha channels and layers)

(DCS is nice for proofing designs with large hi-res files because the file includes a small 72dpi preview file which is printed quickly. Select: Photoshop DCS 2.0: "Single File with Color Composite (72dpi)". Another important reason to use DCS 2.0 is because it is the only format that can export images containing spot channels (like PMS colors) for CMYK process plus spot-color printing jobs.)

(When saving Photoshop EPS files with clipping paths, set the "Device" to "3" for efficient output)

Sign Shop (vinyl cutting)

(For vector design applications like Adobe Illustrator (AI), Macromedia Freehand and Corel Draw)

Prep files. To eliminate type face problems with the sign maker, it is best to convert the type to vector format.

In Corel Draw (CDR), save 'type as Curves'; In Adobe Illustrator (AI) in the Type menu: select 'Create Outlines.'

Do not add a stroke to a path (go to Path-Outline Stroke), and paths should not overlap each other.

Mac or PC: AI, EPS vector (the EPS file includes its own 'preview image' in the file for 'placement')

CDR (only for shops with Corel Draw, a CDR cannot be opened in AI. Export file as 'AI')

Embroidery (stitching)

(For embroidery, no Mac/PC design application files are compatible, the image must be redrawn for sewing)

The usual procedure is to give the embroidery shop a large printout or a file they can print and redraw.

You can save the drawing charge in some cases if a digitized-embroidery-stitch-pattern file is available.

PC: DST file