Business cards in Illustrator - print size

[Redtetra]

I'm trying to create a business card in Illustrator, but I just can't figure out what the actual card will look like when printed. When I have it at 100% on the screen, the text doesn't look very sharp. Is that what it will look like when printed?

Thanks.

[martellostudio]

Hello,

What does the text look like when you zoom in on it? Is it sharp and clear? If it is and if you created the text you speak of in Illustrator, you will not have any problems when you send the file to press. Also...to avoid any further font problems, I would suggest converting all your fonts in your file to outlines.

Hope this helps

Cheers,
Vic

[masterpeace]

In terms of print quality Illustrator will give you good results, but it doesn't give you a great indication on screen.

I'm on PC, so in my case, the screenpreview in Illustrator at 100% (meaning print size, not print resolution) will only actually show 72dpi which is why it tends to look pretty crappy as a preview...

My simple method of "testing" a design is to create an Illustrator EPS file and open it in Photoshop at both 72 and then 300 dpi. Photoshop will convert the Illustrator file to a raster image and the 72 dpi will show me an actual size preview (albeit with a loss of detail etc) and the 300 dpi version will give me a more accurate indicator of the actual detail that will come up in the final print.

I usually use the Photoshop conversion as a rough proof as well

And on the point about converting the fonts to outlines, I have to agree. It actually makes the file look worse in Illustrator but it is the best way to ensure quality output on the print end...

[matauri]

Ditto to all above... and just to add (if it is being sent to prof. printers)

If its a bright colour you might still find in photoshop it will still not have the sharpness (in particular fluro colours). I just had a batch of cards done & the fluro text bothered me, (it was a very small font-fluro green on black). So I sent it to the printers with a request to check the sharpness of the text, and it ended up coming back looking great. So if your still not sure, just add a note to the printer about it.

[gsdickson]

As long as it is a TrueType or Postscript font you should have great results. If you have decent inkjet or laser printer -- printing it out should give you a pretty good indication. I am a designer who does mostly print and I just need to say that you should...

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS print out a copy of your design -- I promise that you will see your card in a MUCH more accurate way! This is a rule...a MUST! Did I say always?

Just my 2 cents.

Gary D.

[masterpeace]

Just in case I wasn't clear (which is not uncommon for me!) I don't suggest sending a Photoshop file to the printer. I use the Illustrator-Photoshop onversion as an interim tool to preview the design simply because I don't get a great visual while working in Illustrator.

While I may create background graphics, larger text "heading" graphics, do photo adjustments etc. in Photoshop, these are always then placed in Ilustrator, Indesign etc (depending on what software you have and what the printer can take and the size/type of project) for layout & text copy.

I don't suggest sending Photoshop files for final print. You simply won't get the crispness in your text that you get from Illustrator, Pagemaker, Indesign or Quark.

[matauri]

Originally Posted by gsdickson

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS print out a copy of your design

Its a good idea to have a fairly decent grade paper when you do this. Low grade or recycled paper will bleed more, so you might see a prob that isnt there for smaller print.

Originally Posted by masterpeace

You simply won't get the crispness in your text that you get from Illustrator, Pagemaker, Indesign or Quark.

Just thought I would ask others (as its related to this topic)... Have you found that most printers/signwriters now request files as PDF in preference? Especially if they are sent email. I thought this must have been for the size factor, but one print tech told me that its a better quality to print from.

[masterpeace]

I meant to post about this earlier but I was overloaded at the time and forgot...

Originally Posted by matauri

Just thought I would ask others (as its related to this topic)... Have you found that most printers/signwriters now request files as PDF in preference? Especially if they are sent email. I thought this must have been for the size factor, but one print tech told me that its a better quality to print from.

I don't find most printers prefer PDF unless a file is urgent and therfore needs to be sent via email (obviously for the size issue).

While the new versions of Acrobat seem to be more reliable and user friendly, the older versions required a good understanding of settings etc and could be a hassle.

Since my printers generally prefer a print proof with the artwork I find it simplest to send that with a CD and not email artwork.

I don't know about others, but I tend to set artwork up differently for different project types and printers.

I have one who deals with booklets etc who prefers Pagemaker 7 or Quark. Being a pauper I don't have Quark or even Indesign yet (although I cope OK without) so Pagemaker is the go there.

A couple of others who do my A4 tourism brochures and my postcards & business cards both like EPS so I set the layout up in Illustrator and convert the text to outlines and save as an EPS (can't go wrong with that).

Maybe I am wrong, but I can't understand why a printer would say you get better quality from a PDF, because the PDF is generally created from the layout program. Since part of the process is compression (which intrisically means some loss of data - however small) I can't see how the print quality could be improved from the original by compressing and converting to PDF.

If they are refering to accuracy as opposed to print quality, then yes there is an argument for PDF, because it embeds the fonts and you tend to avoid the minor text shifts that can sometimes occur in programs like Pagemaker (even if you send all the font files).

I personally find these "shifts" rare so I stick with the original, but like I say, I don't email artwork often.

[eightfifteen]

Originally Posted by masterpeace

In terms of print quality Illustrator will give you good results, but it doesn't give you a great indication on screen.

The only exception to that is if you take a crappy photo and put it in Illustrator. It will still be crappy. I can't tell you how many times, when given a web graphic as a company's logo, I have asked for an Illustrator eps of the logo, and the client drops the exact same logo into Illustrator and send it to me.

[masterpeace]

Originally Posted by eightfifteen

The only exception to that is if you take a crappy photo and put it in Illustrator. It will still be crappy. I can't tell you how many times, when given a web graphic as a company's logo, I have asked for an Illustrator eps of the logo, and the client drops the exact same logo into Illustrator and send it to me.

ABSOLUTELY! Illustrator is great for text & vectors but if you place a raster image/file it merely outputs what is input, so if the original jpg, tiff etc is crap then the output will be crap. Thanks for catching that eightfifteen.

BTW I get the same thing with clients giving me logos as 72 dpi jpg files. I have even had some arrive as Microsoft Word files!

[eightfifteen]

Originally Posted by masterpeace

BTW I get the same thing with clients giving me logos as 72 dpi jpg files. I have even had some arrive as Microsoft Word files!

OOOooohhhh! Ya gotta love that! How about when you tell them that you need a better image, so they make the iimage larger in Word and send it right back.

[masterpeace]

Originally Posted by eightfifteen

OOOooohhhh! Ya gotta love that! How about when you tell them that you need a better image, so they make the image larger in Word and send it right back.

Too many painful memories <shudder>...
The bells... the bells... <nervous twitch>

... WHERE ARE MY PINK PILLS! ;)