Design Guidelines

MDS

We have on-site graphic designers at your disposal, using the latest software and hardware for scanning, photo manipulation and Illustration. Whether you have a concept already or you need help developing one, we will work with you to get your ideas visually expressed on paper.

Final Customer Checklist for Preparing Digital Files

Before sending your digital files to MDS for output and final printing, please use the following checklist for a final pre-flight before handing off your disk:

Are all files to output supplied on the disk(s)?

Did you backup the file(s) onto your system?

Are all disks labeled with file names?

Are all screen and printer fonts supplied on the disk(s)?

Are all graphic files included on the disk(s)?

Guidelines for constructing a publication

The way you create your publication is not only critical to the success of your design-it affects the way your publication prints, both to an image-setter and on a commercial press. Careful planning can save you money and time. Paying attention to certain tasks up front will keep your project on schedule, within budget, and is cheaper and easier than making corrections later.

Specifying Colors

Colors in your digital document need to be recreated by printing ink on paper. Spot colors are reproduced with pre-mixed inks, while process colors are reproduced with cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks (CMYK). While spot colors are nearly opaque, process inks are translucent.

In most cases, avoid specifying colors based on the way they appear on your monitor. For the most predictable results, choose colors from a color matching system, such as the Pantone Matching System (PMS). Color matching systems are developed with rigorous specifications; commercial printers agree to maintain the specified color standards to produce consistent color.

Whether you use spot colors, process colors, or a combination of both in your publication depends on your budget, the purpose of the publication, the type of page elements you use and how your design will be reproduced. A balanced approach to color printing helps ensure acceptable results. Use the following guidelines to determine what colors are suitable for your publication.

Use spot colors when:

• You need three or fewer colors and you will not be reproducing process-color photographs

• You want the limited color variety you get from one or two spot colors and tints of those colors

• You want to print varnishes or special inks such as metallic, fluorescent or pearlescent spot inks

• You want to print logos or other graphic elements that require precise color matching

Use process colors when:

• You need to use four or more colors

• You will be reproducing color photographs

• You don't require precise color matching

Use spot and process colors together when:

• Your publication requires five or more inks printed.

• You want pleasing color along with the accuracy of printing two spot inks for logos, etc.

When using specific PMS colors in a document, be sure you document is using a spot color and not a process color, and remember your monitor is lying to you. To insure quality and accuracy, purchase and use a PMS swatch book for both spot and process colors.