Making / Checking Press Ready

Checking the artwork
Check the artwork creation file (Not PDF) is using CYMK as its document colour mode: this is done the following in the below platforms:
- InDesign: File > Document Setup > Intent: Print
- Illustrator: File > Document Colour Mode > CMYK Colour
- Photoshop: Image > Mode > CMYK Colour

Exporting artwork
Exporting the artwork file ready for Print: NOTE – PHOTOSHOP SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR THIS
- InDesign:
  - File
  - Export
- Save as type: Adobe PDF (Print)
- Adobe PDF Preset: Press Ready – Preset saved in T-Drive\STUDIO
- If it isn’t setup then 3mm bleed will need to be manually added by unticking the selection
  - Output: Covert To Destination > Destination Document CMYK
  - Export
- Illustrator:
  - File
  - Save As
  - Save as type: Adobe PDF
  - Adobe PDF Preset: Press Quality
  - Marks and Bleed: All Printers Marks Ticked
  - Marks and Bleed: Bleed and Slug: Tick Use Document Bleed Settings (the document should be setup to use 3mm bleed all around) If it isn’t setup then 3mm bleed will need to be manually added by unticking the selection
  - Output: Covert To Destination > Destination Document CMYK
  - Export

Checking a PDF
To Check if a PDF is Print Ready:
- Step 1: Sizing:
  - Click Page Thumbnails
  - Click Options
  - Crop Pages (Ctrl + Shift + T)
  - Change Crop Box to Trim Box and use Millimetres – The TrimBox size should match the exact desired final printed size
- Step 2: Images / Text
  - Tools
  - Print Production
  - Preflight
  - Prepress > Sheet Offset (CMYK)
    - This Preflight preset will let you know if font size and images are too small, along with the colours being used
- Step 3: Colours:
  - Tools
  - Print Production
  - Output Preview
  - This will open up a window and change the mouse cursor to cross hairs
  - You will need to click / hover over each colour to check the CMYK references are correct – Note: 100% CMYK Colours are the following:
    C: 100, 0, 0, 0
    M: 0, 100, 0, 0
    Y: 0, 0, 100, 0
    K: 0, 0, 0, 100
    100% CMYK BLACK IS NOT: 100, 100, 100, 100
- Step 4: Appearance:
  - A Print Ready PDF should contain the following:
    1. Required:
      - Crop / Trim Marks (These are both different but only 1 is required)
      - Bleed marks / document bleed
    2. Optional:
      - Registration Marks, but not always needed
      - Colour Bars, but not always needed
      - Page information – not always needed but handy to have

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