Adobe Indesign
Quark Xpress
Photoshop
PDF (Hi-Res)

Adobe Illustrator
Power Point
Microsoft Word
(These file types are sometimes difficult or unpredictable to work with. Providing files using these applications may result in significant additional prepress charges.)

CDR
DVD
Zip Disk
FTP Upload (To our server)
FTP Download (From your server)
3rd party service such as .Mac and YouSendIt

Reader's Spreads and Printer's Spreads - Do not worry about imposing jobs for the press. We have software to make that smooth and simple. Give us your jobs 1-up, in final page order, exactly as they should appear in their final form. Page 1 should be followed by Page 2, then 3 and 4, in that order.

We are currently building a library of templates on our resources page. If the template you need is not currently available, please contact customer service and one will be sent to you immediately, if you need one.

We do not require that you use templates, and we encourage you to express your own style in your work. But, if you need some help with the basic page specs, we are happy to help.

We work in a calibrated color environment, but all color environments are different. Please do not expect proofs to exactly match your monitor or your proofer, as there are ALWAYS color shifts. If you have particular color concerns, please inform us ahead of time. We are happy to accept printed references, but we will not attempt to match images that are seriously different from our output.

Image Resolution - All images should be between 300 and 450 dpi at final size. Sending smaller images may result in jagged, choppy printed pieces. Sending very large images tends to slow everything down dramatically, and is unecessary.

Image Types - We accept most standard image file types, including TIFFs, EPSs, BMPs, and PSDs. JPGs and GIFs are not recommended for high quality work.

Color Profiles - We do not insist that you use any particular color profiles, but, we do ask that you make sure that color profiles are embedded on all of your images before sending them

Bleed Margins - All images that bleed should extend 1/8 inch beyond the trim size of the page, to ensure a clean cut with no gaps.

Safety Margins - Important details should remain at least 1/4 inch inside the trim size of the job. On single page jobs, this is not urgent, but on multi-page books with folded signatures, it is important to keep in mind.

Black Text - Black text, particularly small black text, should always print as black only. Creating your text as rich black, or "registration" will result in fuzzy lettering, especially on serif text.

Rich Blacks - Large black solids should run as a Rich Black to ensure smooth coverage and dark densities. We recommend 50 cyan, 50 magenta, 100 black for a nice heavy solid.

Raster and Vector Issues - In order to make your text as smooth as possible, we suggest that you use page layout software to handle text. If you keep your text as vectors (the format used by Illustrator, Indesign, Quark, and other page layout programs) you can be sure of much sharper edges and better overall text rendering.

Dealing with fonts in raster-based programs, such as Photoshop, can result in severely degraded font quality.

Paper Chase printing strives to give you the best color possible. Although we go to great lengths to create accurate proofs, we cannot guarantee an exact reproduction of your proofs. Our policy is to give you pleasing color that is within 10% of what you have approved.