Guidelines for

magazine

printing

• File Size. Build single pages. Build all pages to trim size, and extend the bleed 1/8 inch beyond the document page preferably on all sides or at the very least at head, foot, and front.
• Cropping. Trim box (geometry) must be set. Media box, Art box, or Bounding box must be exactly one inch larger than and set relative to trim size. Output with crop and registration marks turned on, and set the offset to at least 12 points (.1667"). Any exceptions must be communicated in advance.
• Orientation. Build all pages at the same orientation and right reading. Pages must display with the head of the page at the top of the display. Any exceptions must be communicated to the LSC Communications facility processing submitted pages.
• Resolution. Continuous tone images meant for high-resolution output should be set to an effective resolution greater than or equal to 266 ppi. For nested Raster data, the CT resolution should be 300 dpi (11.81102 dpmm). LW resolution should be 2400 dpi (94.48819 dpmm). Running resolution settings out to the 5th decimal for dots per millimeter will eliminate the risk of introducing artifacts when pages are rendered through some Ripping Systems. Consistent resolution within a job is required.
• Total Density. Total CMYK overprint densities should not exceed 300%. Fade off tones should equal a 3-4% dot size. Type Safety - Leave a safety margin of 3/16 inch for type and other elements not intended to bleed. Shingling requirements and/or instructions should be provided in advance.

Files received at an LSC Communications Digital Solution Center (DSC) must be accompanied by a composite laser proof. If separations are not provided, mark composite lasers for color breaks and spot color usage. Mark "for position only" (FPO) graphics with "FPO." PDF / PDFx-1a received at a DCS must be single-page only and undamaged. Include page folios in the file name. This makes it easier to identify which document to process for a specific page (see File Naming Guidelines).

All component files and resources (linked EPS and TIFF images) must be embedded. Embedded raster files must be in composite TIFF or EPS format. Do not place a pre-separated element in a page that will be output as composite.

To create a good PDF file from an approved application file:

1. Print PostScript to file from the application file.
2. Convert to PDF or PDF/X using Acrobat Distiller.
3. The following are not allowed in the PDF/X specification:
   • JBIG and LZW compression
   • Department Security
   • Embedded Scripts, Actions, and PostScript fragments
   • Pre-separated pages
   • Customer transfer curves, halftones, halftone phases, and rendering intents The DSC can provide application assistance and Distiller job options to facilitate PDF / PDFx-1a creation.

Do not "menu-style" your fonts. These styles may not have matching printer fonts available and may not print correctly. For effects such as bold or italic, select a bold or italic font.

• All typesetting should be done in an application that will retain the vector properties of the text.
• Typeface size and geometry will greatly affect reproduction and the ability to maintain print registration.
• Avoid fine serifs, small lettering, and small artwork.
• Avoid (100% key only) overprint type and hairline rules less than .007 inch or 1/2 point.
• The key type should overprint the background free of C, M, Y drop out.
• Avoid 100% four-color type. (This would equate to 400% total density which is noncompliant)
• Reverse lettering should be carried in the areas of the illustration that will offer maximum contrast between the reverse type and the images.
• Reversed Type and Rules
  • Reversed type should be a minimum of 8 points to avoid diminished legibility that happens when ink spreads into the type and when mis-registration on press fills in white type. To further reduce these problems, use sans serif, bold type. Reversed rules should be a minimum of 1 point to avoid unwanted thinning of already thin lines that happens when ink spreads into the rule and when mis-registration on press reduces width. To limit problems with reversed out elements, build background fill colors with as few separations as possible. When reversing type and rules out of background tint, set the background tint to 30% or more.
• When type prints in a heavy 4 color background, the underlying colors should be spread or choke as needed for better register control.
• Gray type (black type that is less than 100%) should be set to knockout so as to maintain the gray tone. Avoid "gray-on-gray" situations where gray type is surrounded by gray background color. If densities are similar, the gray text will blend into the background and appear as if it has disappeared.
• Multi Color and/or Thin Type and Rules
  • Whenever very thin or small objects such as rules or text are in two or more separations, variation becomes more pronounced. We recommend at least 1/4 point width for 1 color rules. To reduce chances of undesirable registration problems use sans serif, bold fonts, and set type size to 8 points or larger and rules to one point or larger. Any text that is 4/C could result in some color variation throughout a run. Use as few separations as possible to achieve the color you want. Any text or rules that are 4/C can result in poorer than anticipated product quality, and increased paper waste at press which could affect your schedule attainment and / or cost of your product. Thin text and rules or text that contains fine serifs may not reproduce satisfactorily, especially when screened or when printing on a screened background.

• To avoid bleed into small reverse type or rules and to create proper abutment of elements, the customer or file supplier is responsible for trapping between colors, borders, rules, etc.
• Pages should be trapped as the page creation software allows.
• Pre-existing chokes/spreads are retained in CTs, Tiffs, and Raster EPS images that may be placed into a desktop layout document.
• Typically, in a composite color workflow, overprints and knockouts are retained in files created by desktop publishing software packages like QuarkXpress and Adobe InDesign. Chokes and spreads are not retained in these software packages.

• Avoid using a color palette of more than 255 colors. Delete any unused colors.
• Define all colors as CMYK builds unless the color will print as a spot color on press.
• Spot colors must not have any alternate color spaces other than CMYK.
• Do not save TIFF or EPS files with embedded color management profiles.
• Do not enable your page layout application´s color management tools, as these settings may be lost once your files leave your production environment.
• RGB, LAB, and ICC based colors must be converted to CMYK for print.* *RGB ICC color profiles when converted to CMYK cause undesirable results when the system does the file conversion. LSC will not be held responsible for any color shifts that result from not following our requirements.
• Rich Black, please contact your CSR at the print plant for percentages as each plant may have different specifications.