Making the Most of Your Marketing with Design
Published on 12/15/08 01:54PM by Donna KaplanIn this day and age of computers and computer programs, it seems that everyone has one form or another of “desktop publishing” software on their computers. While it is sometimes appropriate to put a design together yourself, often times turning over your ideas to a graphic designer can enhance your ideas and allow for brand continuity; something essential to marketing.
Being camera ready is a very important step in the print process. “Camera Ready” is a term that means the files you have created are ready to go to press. One great example of a piece of camera ready artwork which is universally used by printers is a “PDF.” If you can create a PDF of your design, it will be ready to go to press. Just make sure to set the quality at the highest setting.
A lot of times people ask about good and bad design programs. For the most part, the industry suggests that it is probably a good idea to stear clear of Microsoft products when it comes to design. They are great for word processing or database management, but lack in many areas when it comes to page layout and design. Most printers and designers use Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and occasionally Quark Express. These programs are designed to work seamlessly with both digital and offset presses. While printers won’t have every design program, the good news is that most of the programs used can be converted into print ready documents such as PDF’s.
The resolution of your artwork files is the first, and most important factor, when it comes to print quality. To achieve the quality that you are looking for, be sure that your artwork or photos are at least 300 DPI. The way you save your files also has an effect on the quality of your print job. If you are using your digital camera, the photos right out of the camera without editing are a safe bet and usually maintain print ready quality.
A professional designer will be able to help you to create not only one design for a specific project, but will be able to help you create a look and feel that can be used with all of your collateral material.
Creating a consistant look throughout all of your pieces will help your existing clients recognize your work, as well as help you be identified by potential clients. It will also save you time and money in the long run because one design template can be used for all of your pieces.
If you have any questions regarding design for print or web, please contact us and we would be happy to answer your questions.