How to prepare Adobe InDesign CS3 files

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Create a New Document

Click on "File", then click on "New" (File > New)

You will then be presented with an image similar to the one below.

Create the document with the correct size. Some standard sizes are:

  • A1 — 594mm x 840mm — eight times the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A2 — 420mm x 594mm — four times the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A3 — 297mm x 420mm — two times the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A4 — 210mm x 297mm — the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A5 — 148mm x 210mm — one-half the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A6 — 105mm x 148mm — one-quarter the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A7 — 74mm x 105mm — one-eighth the size of a standard A4 letter
  • DL — 99mm x 210mm — one-third the size of a standard A4 letter
  • Double-DL — 198mm x 210mm — two-thirds the size of a standard A4 letter
  • Half-A4 Long-drop — 105mm x 297mm — the size of a standard A4 letter that is folded in half length-ways
  • Business cards — 54mm x 89mm
  • Appointment cards — 54mm x 89mm

 

We suggest you ALWAYS allow for bleeds and margins. The bleeds (see below) should be set at 3mm, and th margin at 7mm (5mm for business cards, appointment cards and standard fridge magnets).

Creat your artwork, and please take bleeds and the margin into account (more is written on this matter below). What you will notice in the below image is that:

  • the background colours go right out to the red bleed line — this is the correct thing to do.
  • the text goes past the margin line — this is WRONG.

Bleeds

Please keep bleeds in mind when you are designing your artwork. If your artwork has a white border, then bleeds are not required. However, if your artwork is NOT white on all four sides, then you MUST include bleeds in your files, and those blleds MUST be included on all four sides.  In InDesign, this area should be extended past the page borders (the black page lines) and out to the bleeds lines (the outer red line). The bleeds MUST extend AT LEAST 3mm past the edge of the printed page.

The subject of bleeds is so important that we have written a separate page devoted to it. Click here to read all about bleeds, why you may need them and how to create them.

 

Borders and Safe Areas

The printing and cutting processes has a mechanical tolerance of up to 2mm. So, if you have a border in your artwork, it is essential that your design has at least 5mm of white space from your border to the trim line. If your border is less than the 5mm, then your job might lose its symmetrical appearance.

If your job is bigger than a business card, then we suggest your border is about 7mm.

It is also essential that no text or essential parts of your artwork come within 3mm of the trim line.  Again, due to the mechanical tolerance during the printing and trimming processes, any content within 3mm of the trim line may be cut off. In fact we advise that any essential text and images should be placed at least 5mm from the edge of the finished product.

 

Resolution

Do not use images that you have found on the worldwide web. Almost all of those images have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (72dpi or 72 pixles per inch), and they result in blurred or 'pixilated' images being printed.

If you want your printed product to look professional, then all of your images must be at least 300dpi at the final output size. 

DO NOT attempt to change a low resolution image to a higher one by changing the dpi in your imaging software — you cannot change a 72dpi image into a crisp and clear 300dpi image, all you will get is a blurred image that is set at 300dpi.

 

Be careful with Rich Black

If you are going to have your job printed digitally, then do not use "Rich Black", as it can produce a somewhat mottled appearance. We suggest that 100% "K" (i.e.: 100% back) should be sufficient if you order a Fast Digital product.

If you are ordering a Discount Priced product, then we suggest you do use "Rich Black", and your setting for Rick Black should be:

  • Cyan 70%
  • Magenta 40%
  • Yellow 15%
  • "K" (Black) 100%

 

PreFlight

The newer versions of InDesign have a 'prefight' feature. USE IT. 'PreFlight' allows the InDesign program to check your files for common printing errors and help you solve them. Again, USE IT.

To access 'PreFlight' just click on the 'File" dropdown menu and select 'Preflight'.

Once you have corrected any errors that might have occured, click on the package button and you will come to an option similar to the below image.

On the page with the above image, please ensure you have clicked the checkmarks  that are indicated.

You then click 'Package'.

Good. You are now done.

Once you Stuff or Zip your file, you can then send your file to us with your order.

 

 

Is this the wrong page? Are you using different software? Try the links below: