Printing on Paper and Cardboard

Before You Begin: The production assets you supply to us are deemed to be in final form. This means you have checked them thoroughly and confirm they are ready-to-manufacture without the need for modifications.

Design Software:

We strongly recommend you use either Adobe Illustrator or Adobe Indesign for general layout and typesetting, and Adobe Photoshop for processing your photos/images. Free fully functioning 30 day trials of these programs can be downloaded from adobe.com 

Design Templates:

Your designs must be supplied on the appropriate Precision Disc design templates. We can not accept the templates from other manufacturers or ‘home made’ templates. Commonly used design logos are located here.

Proofs and Proofing:

It's important that you fully understand what proofing options are available to you, what each option includes and involves, and what the limitations may be.

Basic Design Rules:

● Important: When creating/using "rich" black colour values it's possible to have the values too high, which can result in oversaturation of ink and cause ink adhesion issues. Based on our printing presses, we find that a good rich black can be achieved with the following CMYK colour values: C:25 M:25 Y:5 K:100..

● The template should be the top layer in your Layer Menu so you can always see it for visual reference while you are designing.
● Colour mode for page properties, colour values and images: CMYK
● Resolution for page properties and images: 300 ppi (pixels per inch).
● Always allow 1/8” (3mm) of bleed past the finished edges of your design (see Image #1 below).
● Don't crowd the edges with text - using a margin of no less than 1/8" (3mm) is generally recommended. 
● The ink density for the colours (other than solid black as noted above) in your design should not exceed 300%. You can 
   determine the ink density for any colour by adding up the individual CMYK values of the colour. For example: The total ink density
   of C:100 M:98 Y:19 K:16 equals 233%.
● When using transparencies, gradients, drop-shadows or anything less than 100% solid colour, the tonal range must be between 
   15% and 85%
● Flatten/rasterize any transparencies, gradients and drop-shadows you create in your design.
● Artwork files for stapled booklets must be supplied in printer spread format.

Text:

● Minimum recommended type size for dark coloured lettering on a light coloured background: 5 points
● Minimum recommended type size for light coloured lettering on a dark coloured background: 6 points
● For best print results do not use fonts with thin/fine strokes for small text (especially when using light text on a dark background).
● If using Photoshop: Small text and line-art created in Photoshop tends to look fuzzy when printed so we suggest you either: 
(A) Process your photos and images in Photoshop, then import your imagery into Adobe Illustrator or Indesign where you can assemble your images within the design template and add your typsesetting... or ...
(B) Complete your design in Photoshop (including text) but do not rasterize your text layers or flatten your design. Keep all of your design layers editable. Save your design and supply it to us with all of the font files you used in your design.

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Image #1: In the design template shown below, the solid red lines represent the trim line
for the finished product, but you must extend (aka: bleed) your design past the red
line by at least 1/8" which is represented by the template's dotted blue lines.

When Your Disc Design Is Completed

STEP 1 - Embed Your Photos/Images

Illustrator and Indesign: Go to your Menu Bar, select 'Window' and then select 'Links' to open the Link Menu on your screen. Click on an image in your design, click on the Menu button in your Link Menu and then click on 'Embed Image'. Repeat as required for other photos/images in your design. 

Photoshop: Rasterize the layer in your Layer Menu.

STEP 2 - Covert Text To Outlines

To avoid font substitution errors please convert all of your text into 'outlines'. In the image shown below the word "Text" on the left has not been outlined, and the word "Text" on the right has been outlined. 

Illustrator and Indesign: Select all text, go to your Menu Bar, select 'Type' and then select 'Create Outlines'.

 


STEP 3 - Turn Off The Template Layer

When you have finished your design please turn off the "Template" layer in your Layer Menu. After doing so, only the thin black "Crop Marks" should be visible. In the image shown below the Template layer has been turned off but the crop marks remain clearly visible. This is how we want you to supply the artwork file.

STEP 4 - Saving Your Design

You must save your design as a high resolution PDF. Please name your artwork file with your order number and the product name. For example: 32543_CS1000.pdf

In your Menu Bar select "File", then "Save As" and then select the PDF file format. A dialogue box will then appear (see example shown below) and in the "Adobe PDF Preset" field you select the "High Quality Print" option. Then click "Save PDF".

STEP 5 - Artwork instructions for your CD or DVD discs are located here.