Proof and preflight before creating the PDF file

Carefully proof the content and formatting before creating a PDF file. Additionally, if the authoring application provides a preflight feature, use it to identify missing fonts, unlinked images, or other issues that could result in problems down the road. Ensure image resolution (300-600 ppi) and color spaces (CMYK and PANTONE) are correct.

Convert only when absolutely necessary. Keep text in its original form, as fonts, rather than outlining or rasterizing it. Keep gradients live.

Maintain live transparency. If your artwork contains transparency (including overprints and drop shadows), we prefer to receive unflattened PDF files.

For best results, use CMYK images (not RGB images) in a four-color process job.

Exclude hidden or nonprinting layers from the exported PDF document.

Produce a Press Ready PDF file

The settings used to create a PDF determine how image data is saved, whether fonts are embedded, and whether colors are converted. No matter where you’re creating a PDF file for professional printing, ensure that you’re using the PDF/X-4:2008 or PDF/X-3 or Press-Quality PDF settings file or the settings recommended by Still Creek Press.

Review your PDF in Acrobat 7.0 Professional or later.

Proof and correct the PDF file.

Hand off the press-ready PDF to Still Creek Press.

Note: Unless you are using a color management system (CMS) with accurately calibrated ICC profiles and are sure you have properly calibrated your monitor, don’t rely on the on‑screen appearance of colors.

Create press-ready PDFs from 3 popular software packages

Adobe Creative Suite

How to create Press Ready PDFs for Still Creek Press using any of the Adobe® Creative Suite of applications (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop):

Save As… (Illustrator/Photoshop) or Export… (InDesign).

Select PDF as the format.

Set Adobe® PDF Preset to PDF/X-4:2008 or PDF/X-3 (or Press Quality if using CS3 or older).

In the Marks and Bleeds section (InDesign and Illustrator only), set Bleeds to 0.125 inch on all sides.

Click Save PDF

Review the PDF in Acrobat 7.0 Professional or later.

QuarkXPress

How to create Press Ready PDFs for Still Creek Press using QuarkXPress® (Mac or PC):

Select File > Export and choose Layout as PDF…‍

Select Options tab

Set all the Compression settings to: None

Set all Resolution to: Keep resolution‍

Uncheck Compress Text and Line Art‍

Under Color Options > Color Mode, select Composite

Under Color Options > Setup, select Composite CMYK and Spot

Check Fonts > Download All‍

Select Registration Marks to: Centered and Offset to 9pt or 0.125″

Set Bleed to Symmetric and amount to 9pt or 0.125″

Select the OPI tab and deselect all check boxes

Under JDF Options, deselect check box

Select OK and then name and save your PDF file

Review the PDF in Acrobat 7.0 Professional or later

Microsoft Office

Select File > Print.

In the print window that opens, select Adobe PDF as the name of your printer.

Click the Properties button. Where it says Default Settings, choose PDF/X-4:2008 or else select an option that contains the prefix PDF/X-1a. If you do not have these options, then choose Press Quality.

Be sure that the option to Rely on system fonts only; do not use document fonts, is unchecked.

Click the Paper Quality tab. For a black & white project, be sure Black & White is selected, otherwise select Color.

Click OK to close the properties window. Click OK again to begin producing the PDF. Subsequently another dialogue box will open to prompt you to give a file name and location for the PDF, after doing so, click Save to complete the process.

Review the PDF in Acrobat 7.0 Professional or later.

Reviewing Your PDF

Versions of Adobe® Acrobat Professional 7 and later allow you to quickly review your PDF file for potential errors before your file is sent to us.

This allows you to make any necessary corrections that might otherwise require us to make and potentially incur additional costs or delay the delivery of your print project.

All you need to do is to set a few preferences in Acrobat to ensure you’re viewing the PDF file as we do here in our prepress department. Select Edit > Preferences:

Select the category Page Display. Now make sure under the Rendering section that Use Local Fonts is deselected.

Under the Page Content and Information section, ensure that both Overprint Preview and Always show document page size is selected.

Begin by noting the PDF page size at the bottom left of the document window.

Is the page size identical to the project’s final trim size?

If you prepared your PDF with crop marks as per the steps outlined in the Preparing PDFs section, the document should be one inch larger in both dimensions.

Is the document sized to account for any Bleeds required on any of the pages?

Now let’s open the Print Production toolbar. Select View > Toolbars > Print Production. Click on the Output Preview Tool to open its palette. If you’re using a newer version of Acrobat® (9, X or XI), you will want to select Simulate Overprinting here. Make sure the Preview is set to Separations.

Here’s a couple of things you want to ask yourself while scanning through each page of the PDF.

When deselecting the Process Black separation, are all my black and greyscale objects and text disappearing from the page? If not, it may mean that those items exist in the RGB color space and need to be converted to either CMYK or black only.

If my project is to be printed with PANTONE colors, are they all listed under Spot Plates in the Separations window? When deselecting the spot colors, are all of the appropriate objects disappearing as well? If not, it may be that you’ve used incorrect settings when converting your document to PDF.

Review the steps in the Preparing PDFs section.