Today I want to touch on the topic of file types in the print world. There are generally two types of files to a project.
1. The source file: This file will have all of your live text fonts as well as layers containing all the objects that make up your artwork. In a perfect world the layers are labeled for ease of use to multiple people who may open the file for revisions or pre-press.
2. The second file is your Production File. This file typically should be a flattened file, with all text created to outlines and a bleed added for the final production stage.
As a designer with a BA Degree in Graphic design we were not taught very much about file pre-press. It always seemed to be the scariest part of your project. Since my time as an employee here at Action Signs I have learned most of the in & outs of large format file pre-press and prep from the design phase all the way through the production phase.
When creating your files from the start with the end result in mind you can effectively design for file pre-press to be a breeze. Either way, I guess my point of this blog is help you understand the file pre-press and creative design are two totally different animals. So different in fact even our pricing for file pre-press falls under a different bracket.
