[l'ignorante]

It's been a long time since I did any lay-out..but now I have to make a book, 100 pages, mostly pics and...it is square (20 by 20 cm).
I'll be making it in in-design and send it to the printer as pdf...but I don't know much about it. For instance which resolution to scan the pics, how to make the printer happy with the correct files ( cropmarks??). And I don't have any time to study it. So I'm pretty desperate, specially for ideas ( the book celebrates 100 years existence of my kids' school)..
Any suggestions from you smart people is welcome

[G-mac]

Hi!

I'm not sure if this helps, but have you thought about using iPhoto? You can put all the photos in and have a printed picture book sent to you via Kodak and Apple. I'm not sure if they make 100 page books or if you can even use something like that, but it might be possible.

I'm using InDesign now, but I'm in the learning phase as well. Extra help from others about your question would help me too!

[l'ignorante]

Originally posted by G-mac:
<STRONG>Hi!

I'm not sure if this helps, but have you thought about using iPhoto? You can put all the photos in and have a printed picture book sent to you via Kodak and Apple. I'm not sure if they make 100 page books or if you can even use something like that, but it might be possible.

I'm using InDesign now, but I'm in the learning phase as well. Extra help from others about your question would help me too!</STRONG>

thanks, sounds interesting, I never heard of it before. The thing is, I need 500 copies, so I suppose the regular printer will give me the best price.

[andi*pandi]

photos scanned CMYK at 300dpi at actual size and .tif or .eps.

InDesign will take care of crop marks, it should be in the print settings, and possibly your printer will want to take apart your PDF and reimpose the pages. Check with them.

When you make the PDF, the settings for downsampling the images should be turned off (you want full-size images, not lousy jpg files), font inclusion should be turned on... If there's high-res options, use em.

s'about it. Have fun!

[l'ignorante]

Originally posted by andi*pandi:
<STRONG>photos scanned CMYK at 300dpi at actual size and .tif or .eps.

InDesign will take care of crop marks, it should be in the print settings, and possibly your printer will want to take apart your PDF and reimpose the pages. Check with them.

When you make the PDF, the settings for downsampling the images should be turned off (you want full-size images, not lousy jpg files), font inclusion should be turned on... If there's high-res options, use em.

s'about it. Have fun!</STRONG>

Great help, thanks...it has saved me hours digging in manuals & help-sections.

Just curious, are in-design templates downloadable somewhere?

[godzookie2k]

I dunno about indesign templates but you may also want to include separations and each page printed out of your inkjet for reference as well. It is in my experience that its better to give printers more information than they need than less. A copy of the indesign file with fonts and images is also a good idea (in addition to the pdf) in case last minute changes are needed...


Nick

[MikeM32]

Having worked in pre-press graphics I'll second what godzookie2k said about printing one up for them on your own printer. The printout is referred to in the "bizz" as "copy" which is then used by your printer as reference.

Generally if your not requiring anything more than for them to output the file, then copy simply helps your printer to be certain nothing "weird" happenned between the time you printed out your file and the time you handed it off to them (it basically covers your ass and thiers also). The more info you can provide the printer with, the better.

Definitely save your original InDesign file especially if there's any kind of text involved at all. If you require any changes to verbiage (text) you'll either have to make those changes yourself or provide your printer with the original InDesign file to make those changes for you (for whatever they charge for A.A.'s...(changes to copy)). It'll be trickier (damn near impossible with most things) to make changes to the PDF, so if you're not 100% certain of the final product you should keep the I.D. format file handy.

Also in dealing with PDF's you will result in a 4 color process print. If you require spot colors (pantone colors) or duotones (usually a Black and White image with a slight colorization to it) this will be trickier to output from PDF format. Most PDF's are dealt with in a straight to film way, so if your just dealing with photos then your most likely only dealing with 4 color process work. This shouldn't be an issue at all.

Since PDF is meant to represent the final product, it's generally best not to require much more from your printer or service bureau than preparing them for printing and/or printing them. As andi*pandi mentionned above, make sure your images aren't downsampled. Also make sure when you convert to PDF that you embed all fonts. "Subsets" and "embedded subsets" of fonts may cause disasters at your printer/service bureau.

Anyway, good luck.

Mike

[l'ignorante]

Thanks, you've been very helpfull!