Guidelines For Graphics...
There are 2 basic kinds of graphics - Raster files (photos made of dots) and Vector files (drawn shapes made from lines)
Raster files are usually photos, can be color, or black and white. They can be saved as a variety of file types. They are usually created in Photoshop or other image-editing programs
Vector files are usually drawings, logos, and stylized type. These files are usually always saved as "eps" files. These are usually created in Illustrator, Freehand, or other drawing program.
Photo guidelines:
a. They should be tiff files or eps files. (other formats may not print with accurate color.)
b. Photos and other pixel images should be 300 dpi at 100% of final size.
c. Full color images should be in CMYK format.
d. Whenever possible, graphics should be rotated in their parent application ie. Photoshop, before they are brought into your page layout program.
e. When placed within a box, the box itself should have a background of white, not "none".
f. RGB images should be converted to CMYK or Grayscale mode.
Vector EPS Files guidelines:
a. They should not contain extra colors.
b. Type in the file should be converted to paths or outlines when possible. (See your documentation.).
c. Spot and Process colors should not be mixed in the illustration.
d. Whenever possible, graphics should be rotated in their parent application ie. Illustrator or Freehand, before they are brought into your page layout program.
e. Embedded images should be avoided. Placing color photos by embedding them in your illustration can produce huge files with uncontrollable color.
f. RGB images should be converted to CMYK or Grayscale mode.
Below is a list of common graphics file formats that can be used in your page layout programs:
• Tiff - This can be color, grayscale, or line-art which can be "colorized" in your page-layout program.
• EPS - This can be color, grayscale, or spot color.
• Photoshop EPS - This can be color, grayscale, monotone, duotone, tri or quad-tone.
________________These files also can contain "clipping-paths" which are silouettes around the edge of your photos
• Jpeg - These can be color or grayscale, compress well, but do not print accurately in color.
_______They are useful for sending larger files across the Internet
• Windows BMP - These can be color or grayscale; and are used on the Windows platform exclusively
One thing to note is that "EPS" files, have more than one definition. Photoshop EPS files are Raster/Pixel files. Illustrator and Freehand EPS Files are Vector files. Corel draw can create eps files that are either vector or raster files. A little confusing perhaps, but worth mentioning.
We can accept other formats, but their usefulness is limited. These would include:
• dcs 1.0
• dcs 2.0
• pict
• scitex ct
• raw - not recommended
• targa - not recommended
• pixar - not recommended
• png - not recommended
• pcx - not recommended
• dxf - not recommended