Welcome Presbyterian Communicators!

Recent additions: The Presbyterian SUN - PDF preparation

The Presbyterian SUN - Photos/Line-Art

We launched this blog as a fun venue for exploring our work as part of the Presbyterian Communicators Network.

Please use the "Blog Archive" at right to find topics. This blog is driven more by topic than date.

It is meant to support each other and share tips with electronic and print communications, particularly for the 11 presbyteries and their nearly 900 congregations in the Synod of the Sun. For now, the topics will be those which best help editors of The Presbyterian SUN and presbytery websites, but all volunteer or staff communicators are welcome!

Right now the settings are such that anyone can post a comment. But please consider registering with blogger.com and "joining this blog."

NOTE: Moderator may combine groups of replies as relevant only in order to make them easier to read. (i.e. Lists of tips on creating .pdfs)

The Presbyterian SUN - PDF preparation

Revised 12/2008

For editors and advertisers who work with UMR Communications (our print house) and The Presbyterian SUN newspaper...

New equipment at the printing house works much better but requires SPECIFIC preparation when converting files to PDF (recommended).

Acrobat 6 and 7 users need to choose/use the PDF x/1a-2001 settings in Distiller.

Investing in the full version of Adobe Acrobat can help with many publishing and office and website needs.

INSTRUCTIONS for PDF with/without spot color

1) IF you have a last minute problem with your PDF, UMR (our print house) can usually fix files created in Quark, PageMaker, InDesign.

2) Ads and Presbytery Pages in BLACK & WHITE: File needed on black plate only.

NOTE: Your program may be "using" color even though you can't see any!
Solution: In a program like PageMaker, Click UTILITIES > DEFINE COLORS > and REMOVE UNUSED colors from the list.

HELP: Send us similar tips for other programs.

3) Ads using SPOT COLOR: Our print house needs composites that separate to the black plate and to ONE color plate only.

Detailed example: What UMR said about one ad using spot color

Problem AD has 5 plates (C, M, Y, K) AND a Pantone spot color plate.

• All 5 plates have graphics on them.
• We need the black elements to be on the K plate only.
• The spot color elements to be on the C plate only.
• We don't need the Pantone plate at all.

Another example:

• Problem AD has black elements on the K plate (good)
• But the color is on both C and M (bad)
• If the color was on just C or M, it would be perfect.

4) HOW TO check intended and unintended separations using Adobe Acrobat

Option A:

• Open .pdf, use the Advanced option at the Adobe Acrobat toolbar, pull down to Output Preview.
• Pulldown to select for U.S. web press. This shows us all 4 plates (and a fifth, if the customer has created a spot color plate.)

Option B:

• Open the .pdf, click FILE > PRINT
• On the PRINT dialog box, choose Advanced (bottom left).
• On the Advanced Print Setup dialog box, select Separations as Color
• Now you can select and deselect the plate colors in the Ink Manager section to see what's on each plate.

The Presbyterian SUN - Photos/Line-Art

For best printing results we recommend:

Picture resolution = 200 dpi

Line-art resolution = 800 dpi

for printing at 100 % of the original size

If you ask our print house (UMR) to enlarge images, these densities should be correspondingly higher.

If your space for a photo is smaller than the original, it usually isn't a problem.

Please don't send color photos - it costs to prepare them for print.
If you are not sure how to prepare a photo for print - please ask Shane (synod editor).

PhotoShop Elements is a great investment.
(Limited version, less expensive than full version of PhotoShop.)