I have a business card that I have created for a client…lots of type and solid areas of color (CMYK). The printer wants it sent via pdf and from what I’ve been reading I think that ZIP encoding gives the best quality…is this correct?
But, I noticed that if I choose ZIP encoding I can’t embed the fonts. I have merged the layers into 1 layer, but not flattened it. Would the type still be considered vector at this point or is it raster and not as crisp? If it is vector then do I still need to embed the fonts or is it not necessary because the layers are merged?
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True…plus obviously I don’t know what I’m doing…which is why I’m asking here. I might be using the terms incorrectly but the bottom line is, what is the best way to save this file in pdf…..zip or jpeg? Layers or not layered? I want the type to be as crisp as possible. Thanks
Than to avoid issues or misunderstandings from your service provider, you need to set the type in a page layout application. Most service providers don’t know what to do with text in Photoshop.
If you save a Photoshop PDF and place it into In Design and save that as a PDF, the text will print as vectors, as long as your service provider has a RIP that supports "single file postscript" workflows. This means no continuous tone and line work separations in the Riped files.
I’m sending this to a Kinkos, at the client’s request, so I doubt they will have such a rip. What if I saved the PS file as an eps, inported it into Quark, then saved the Quark file as an pdf. Would the text be crisp then?
Make sure you save a working file as a PSD or layered TIF document because you can’t re-open an eps file back into Photoshop that has vectors. It will be rasterized.
Why do you need to create a PDF?
Just send Kinkos the quark document with the Photoshop EPS.
Let them be responsible for the output.
A PDF is a binding arbitration for finger pointing.
When I save the layered file as eps without merging, check inlcude vector data, then and pull it into Quark…. it appears without the vector data…no type on the eps file in Quark.
When I merge all the layers, before saving to an eps, I don’t have the include vector data option available (does type become rasterized when merging?).
Well, we’re back to almost square one here. Called Kinkos this am…they want only a pdf file.
So, at this point the question is…if I do not save layers when saving as pdf, but keep vector data enabled, will the text be as crisp as if I saved layers when making the pdf (and still keep vector data enabled)?
Since vector data enabled option is available with both, I would assume either way would render crisp type, but to me, logically using one layer would rasterize it …no?
Just make sure that you have a 300 ppi 8-bit file. Keep the layers intact. Save AS a Photoshop PDF (to a new name) and remember to check both: "Include vector Data" and "Embed Fonts". Encoding: ZIP.
Open your PDF in Acrobat and zoom in. Your type will be crisp — even if you zoom in to 1600%.
ewk could be using 7.0? OS 9? or is the software up to date? If you are doing graphics work, try to get InDesign in the near future, and the CS package.
If you’re using Kinkos and you’re not enlarging it greatly I don’t think you’ll actually see a difference that will be worth worry about. You would probably have to lupe it to notice.
For a business card done at Kinkos… believe me… that’s the least of your worries. <g>
Thanks Ann, this has been a real learning experience. Can you explain to me why it’s better to keep the file layered vs. merging (not flattening) the layers?
Hi Ken, Good recommendation…I am on 9 still, soon to be on Panther. I’m an old Quark user but time to switch. Thank you all for your good advice, and especially Mike for the late night rescue.
Is this why pdf’s I’ve downloaded off the web don’t print as sharp as the type printed through IE with my HP Laserjet 5L B/W printer? The pdf’s are slightly fuzzy edged.
There seem to be several different ways to achieve all this…to make sure I’ve got it correct: I can save live type by Anne’s method above – or – change the type layer to shape and then save as layered or non-layered pdf. Either way, the text should remain sharp. Is the only difference in that live type is editable and shape is not?
Shape is not only non-editable but it no longer true to the font either!
Shape is similar to using font outlines in Illustrator: you lose the carefully created "hinting" which is responsible for the fine detailing of well-designed fonts.
Forget this Shape business and just let Photoshop PDFs embed your fonts in the normal manner. For small point-sizes, having good reproduction of type is especially important.
As for files which you have downloaded from the Web, they probably were not saved with vectors and embedded fonts. Open them in Acrobat and you will easily be able to check that.
Ann, (I think you know but others may not) Hinting is the ability of a font to look the same (or close) at different sizes (by design). If the shapes (or outlines) don’t look like the live type, the font (or Photoshop) has a problem and the RIP may have the same with the live type anyway.
If the shapes or outlines look good, they’ll print that way (cast in stone : ) …. and the resolution for the RIP will be a minimum (worst scenario) of 800 ppi.
Now, if only Kinko’s can trap this document… (I’d trap it in Illustrator as outlines anyway)
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