Expert: Richard - 11/17/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi! I am a Network Administrator by profession, but recently our company decided that to reduce the overhead cost as well as the time spent in designing packaging material designs for our customers (We are a contract chocolate manufacturing plant), the designing will be done in house. Well, I had no problem doing it, with my minimal (self-obtained) training, but I feel that I don't know the basics of starting a proper print document. There are certain things I would like to request your help with. These are:

1. How to start making the file (basics)
Color/Swatch selection
Documentation for printers (fonts used, colors used, other things?)
2. File packaging (text to outline, etc.)

As you can see with the amount of knowledge I have in this field, I can't even formulate proper questions, I would really appreciate it if you can tell me where to start and what is important when sending files to the printer from Illustrator.

Thanks,

Ash

ANSWER: Where to start!

Well I guess before creating a new file, you may want to ask your printers if they have a template with the cutlines they use for your packaging, that way you can place all your artwork within the cutlines. Obviously there would be different templates for different size/shape boxes/packets.

Also as far as colours, best to stick with pantone colours as they should come out the same no matter where they are printed. You can view pantone swatch libraries by selecting open swatch library in the swatches window menu. As you can see there are several different pantone libraries and again you will have to ask your printer which one they use for each specific packing type.

As far as file packaging, generally saving as a pdf from illustrator is fine. You will again have to ask your printer what version pdf they prefer, as this greatly depends on their Raster Image Processor. Definitely outline all text before sending a file, as you seem to be aware of.

So I guess the main point is, have a chat to your printer. If you don't set up a file correctly for a printer it can cause them a lot of work, for which they will probably charge you. Different printers have different settings they prefer. A good printer will be keen to help get you going to make their job easier.

Your other option is to find a good, cheap designer who loves chocolate.
I know I'd work for chocolate!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi! Richard,

To comment on your suggestion about finding a designer who loves chocolate: what do you think I work for? (Just kidding). We do all our outlines ourselves as our Product Development team has to come up with Mold designs (trays that chocolates are given shape in), packaging, etc., so that pretty much falls under me as well. One question I do have is that I have seen some designers have a variety of other information on the file they send up for proof sometimes.
They will have a table with all the colors with their PMS equivalent, Fonts etc. Is their a specific format that is used? I usually used to just attach the fonts used, dimensions, special instructions (passed on by the engineering department)

Thanks, and anytime you are around this part of the world, I won't mind getting you in touch with some fresh chocolate products.

Answer
Hi Ashish,

All of these extra printers marks can be added to the file. The best way to package a file with all these probably involves using adobe distiller. Distiller is a program which converts your postscript file (we will get to that later) to a print ready pdf. If you have adobe distiller (it comes bundled in CS with adobe acrobat professional) You will first want to set it up:

Open distiller and in settings choose watched folders. Then make an in and an out folder somewhere. Distiller will watch the in folder, and if any postcript files are placed in that in folder it will distill them into a pdf which will be saved to the out folder. The settings for the pdf that distiller makes can be changed, and your printer can send you a file of their preferred settings.

Now distiller should be set up.

In illustrator, or indesign for that matter, once you have finished your artwork, save your file, then choose print... in the drop down menu where your printers are listed choose postscript file, then in your settings menu choose the marks & bleeds option. Here you can select all the extra printers marks you wish to add to the file. You can then save the file to your distiller in folder and distiller will make it into a pdf according to your printers settings.

You should not have to send the any fonts used if you outline your text, as this changes the letters to vector shapes.