Image Requirements

[niksagkram]

Hi.
Not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but, here goes....

When customers want to send you "artwork" how do you explain image requirements to them? Do you have a "standard form" that you give/send to them? I know it will vary from process to process, (ink jet, silkscreen, vinyl etc..) but there must be a "generic, simple" way to explain it to them.
Seems like we have been getting a lot of "artwork" lately that is just scanned business cards, or jpegs etc. and people think we have a magic button that will print it hi-res billboard size! Even our sales guys don't seem to grasp the concept of "sh%t in sh%t out" no matter how I try to explain it to them. Maybe it's me!

OK, I think I have vented enough.

Any help is much appreciated.

Mark

 

[Gino]

That's a daily thing with us. Just when you think you have a way of saying it, someone else will say.... whaddaya mean ??

Your garbage in - - - garbage out..... is the best way to explain it.

It seems I've explained this 12,476 ways..... this year alone. There's always going to be some knucklehead that just won't understand.

When you find the cure-all, patent it and sell the answer, until then..... just keep on explaining it over and over and over and over and over.................. ​

 

[The Vector Doctor]

I have dealt with designers that don't know even know what a vector is. It will be a daily struggle and you won't often succeed. Sometimes you ask for higher res art and all they do is upsample the same low res file in photoshop. Or if you ask for eps, they just embed the same low quality bitmapped image in the eps and save it thinking that it suddenly becomes vector

 

[rushworks graphics]

yep...as above, get this all the time. you can tell the same people over and over again but garenteed the next time they email you "art"..if you can call it that, it will be the same low res pic, or that same pic saved as an eps file!!!!!..............

 

[AnotherSignManiac]

I ask for an EPS or vector, I would say that 6/10 times we actually get what we need/want. But other than that.... just read the comments above.

 

[niksagkram]

Thanks for the input, folks. "Happy" to see that I'm not the only one having these problems.



Mark

 

[Locals Find!]

This usually helps its not 100% but most people with some education can figure it out

a digital file is usually considered camera-ready if it meets several conditions:

It is created with a software program commonly used in the printing industry, such as LaTeX, InDesign (Adobe), Illustrator (Adobe), Freehand (Adobe/Macromedia), Quark XPress (Quark, Inc), and exported in a commonly used file format, such as EPS, PDF and sometimes TIFF. JPEG images are usually considered not camera-ready, as the compression used in the JPEG format deteriorates the quality of the image.
The document uses the correct color setup. If printing a (full) color document, all graphics should be converted to CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black). If it is a spot color document, the color(s) to be used by the printer must be specified in the digital file.
The layout is created at the correct and final size to be printed, and the document size in the desktop publishing program matches the size of the final printed piece.
Text or graphics that are intended to bleed off the page of the final printed piece should be extended off the document boundary in the digital file. The amount varies depending on location, but is usually 1/8 inch in the US, and 3mm in metric systems.
Fonts used in the digital file are converted to vector graphics (usually defined by the software as "convert to paths" or "outline text"), or alternatively, the fonts are included in the final digital package sent to the printer.
Raster or image files are originally created at high resolution settings, such as 300 DPI (dots per inch). This ensures a high quality image. Images saved from Internet web pages are usually low-resolution, 72 dots per inch JPG or GIF files and are not considered camera-ready.

Taken from Wikipedia

 

[gabagoo]

generally no matter what I say, if your not dealing with an experienced designer you end up getting %^%$

Sometimes they have bitmaps hidden is so called vector files, or they take a low res file and save it up to 300 dpi at lets say 36" x 48" or worse you get the low res file saved as large as a house and its like 3 gig!!

I should probably put in an extra $50 on every digital job that comes in from new customers just for all the wasted back and forth emails and phone calls trying to get what I need.

 

[Gino]

Addie, that's fine and dandy when you're talking to another person in the trade.... and even then only occasionally, but when talking to an end-user, you can't throw that kinda terminology around or they'll think you're nuts..... Oh yeah, forgot who I was talking to to.........

 

[Terremoto]

If you're printing to an inkjet printer - wide format or otherwise - DON'T convert your colors to CMYK. CMYK is not a "standard" and is proprietary to the printer being used. Inkjet printers require RGB input even if they're using CMYK inks.

Work in RGB and let your RIP handle the conversion - that's what it was designed to do. For a good primer on proper color management I would recommend a read of the following PDF:

http://coreldraw.com/wikis/howto/designer-s-guide-to-color-management.aspx (Click the "Color Management Guide".)

Although the document is CorelDraw specific the information is equally valid for whatever design program you happen to want to use.

 

[gabagoo]

If you're printing to an inkjet printer - wide format or otherwise - DON'T convert your colors to CMYK. CMYK is not a "standard" and is proprietary to the printer being used. Inkjet printers require RGB input even if they're using CMYK inks.

Work in RGB and let your RIP handle the conversion - that's what it was designed to do. For a good primer on proper color management I would recommend a read of the following PDF:

http://coreldraw.com/wikis/howto/designer-s-guide-to-color-management.aspx (Click the "Color Management Guide".)

Although the document is CorelDraw specific the information is equally valid for whatever design program you happen to want to use.

So basically instruct the customer to have the file set up in RGB? I going to add that to the mix and see what happens

 

[Locals Find!]

Addie, that's fine and dandy when you're talking to another person in the trade.... and even then only occasionally, but when talking to an end-user, you can't throw that kinda terminology around or they'll think you're nuts..... Oh yeah, forgot who I was talking to to.........

Hey if they don't understand the definition of camera ready artwork. I tell them its going to cost them for me to make it camera ready. Usually that is enough to justify my having to charge them and they are happy to just let me handle things from that point.

I don't have time in my day to hold everybody's hand and walk them through it all. I am sure you don't either. This helps me keep the job moving forward without wasting everyone's time.

 

[FireSprint.com]

I generally say just email me everything you have and I'll try to use something from that. From there if they don't have something I can use, at least I can explain that in detail.

It takes alot of time sometimes but I find it's faster than trying to explain it and then go through everything they send me anyway.

I have also used this line...If you have a file that you think is a logo file, but you can't open it, send me that! Every once in a while I get an EPS file they thought was junk.

 

[thewood]

"Camera ready" is an outdated term, no? Does anyone still say that?

 

[niksagkram]

"Camera ready" is an outdated term, no? Does anyone still say that?

Said that to a customer once, response was "why do you use a camera"?

Now I just say "print ready". Still takes some explaining sometimes though.


Mark

 

[Gino]

"Camera ready" is an outdated term, no? Does anyone still say that?

Yes, it's basically an outdated term for the industry as we know it today and for what most people are referring to anymore. Same as slick, color separations and other terms for other parts of the industry, which are doubled up to sound impressive. However, I'm sure he just copied and pasted the first thing he could find and is now sticking to the terminology it has in it.

No professional would ever use the stand of either do this or pay me to do it and still be in business for each and every customer that doesn't understand his definition. In fact, he doesn't understand it himself or he wouldn't be using that for his policy on the subject, unless he was screen printing or doing logo creations. People wanna think they can do that, but for the most part, we're all pretty good to our customers. Afterall, that's what pays the bills and puts food on the table. Not being an a$$wipe to your customers.

Wanna catch more flies/customers... be sweet and watch how your business grows. Take the time to explain things... all kinds of things and watch some really nice jobs unfold for you. It happens much more than you think by being kind to potential customers.
​

 

[SightLine]

I also agree on this aspect. CMYK was really intended for press work. I know it seems counterintuitive since your inkjet is printing with CMYK inks but Adobe RGB color space files will more often than not give better output, also gives a much wider gamut to work with and a smaller file size as a bonus. Interstingly the actual RIP engine that is working behind the scenes in many popular RIP's is from Adobe (CPSI).

If you're printing to an inkjet printer - wide format or otherwise - DON'T convert your colors to CMYK. CMYK is not a "standard" and is proprietary to the printer being used. Inkjet printers require RGB input even if they're using CMYK inks.

Work in RGB and let your RIP handle the conversion - that's what it was designed to do. For a good primer on proper color management I would recommend a read of the following PDF:

http://coreldraw.com/wikis/howto/designer-s-guide-to-color-management.aspx (Click the "Color Management Guide".)

Although the document is CorelDraw specific the information is equally valid for whatever design program you happen to want to use.

 

[Locals Find!]

"Camera ready" is an outdated term, no? Does anyone still say that?

No, its not an outdated term. Its used quite often in still in most of the print industries. While its meaning has been updated somewhat for technology the understanding for most Professionals is still there.

Yes, it's basically an outdated term for the industry as we know it today and for what most people are referring to anymore. Same as slick, color separations and other terms for other parts of the industry, which are doubled up to sound impressive. However, I'm sure he just copied and pasted the first thing he could find and is now sticking to the terminology it has in it.

No professional would ever use the stand of either do this or pay me to do it and still be in business for each and every customer that doesn't understand his definition. In fact, he doesn't understand it himself or he wouldn't be using that for his policy on the subject, unless he was screen printing or doing logo creations. People wanna think they can do that, but for the most part, we're all pretty good to our customers. Afterall, that's what pays the bills and puts food on the table. Not being an a$$wipe to your customers.

Wanna catch more flies/customers... be sweet and watch how your business grows. Take the time to explain things... all kinds of things and watch some really nice jobs unfold for you. It happens much more than you think by being kind to potential customers.
​

Gino, I have been using the term for quite a long time. I have shot film and processed plates for offset printing. So, I know what I am talking about.

Now, as for telling customers that I accept only camera ready artwork. I take this stance quite successfully. If they bring me camera ready artwork they get a discount on or pay no setup charges. If I have to spend time making files work, or paying someone else to make them useable. I should be compensated for it.

 

[GAC05]

Just tell them that if it doesn't open in any of their "graphics" programs like Power Point, Word, Publisher, MS Paint or a web browser it is most likely the type of file you will need from them......


wayne k
guam usa

 

[Gino]

No, its not an outdated term. Its used quite often in still in most of the print industries. While its meaning has been updated somewhat for technology the understanding for most Professionals is still there.



Gino, I have been using the term for quite a long time. I have shot film and processed plates for offset printing. So, I know what I am talking about.

Now, as for telling customers that I accept only camera ready artwork. I take this stance quite successfully. If they bring me camera ready artwork they get a discount on or pay no setup charges. If I have to spend time making files work, or paying someone else to make them useable. I should be compensated for it.

Ya know what, Addie ?? Just forget it. It's just not worth any time explaining anything to you because you take everything out of context and twist it around to meet your needs.

Everyone uses the term, never said differently, but not as an ultimatum to their customers as you put it. For Cripe's sake, you sound like an elitist if they don't bow down to your words, you'll threaten not to do their work unless they pay you to make it right. Yeah, right. I can only imagine the kinda customers coming to you and asking for your help and then pay you on top of it.

Anyway, I digress. I presume you can explain the many steps involved in your going from paste up to stat cameras and getting your fingers into the cement and making actual camera-ready-artwork for printing... or are you just speaking of taking a photograph and then satisfied calling it camera-ready ?? I did this for many years in my early days of doing newspaper ads and such. In fact, I also used a speed-ball pen and India ink for touching up many areas.

All-in-all, the term is really an inaccurate way to define artwork today. It's only used when actually making camera-ready artwork which for the most part... computers have wrecked much of that, hence the need to tell your customers correctly what it is you need.
​