Building Files for Large Format Output

General Guidelines
Be sure to read General File Preparation Tips.

Image Area
Maximum final width of single image, or piece or tile of a larger print is 48" for colored backgrounds, 50" for white backgrounds. Always provide ample bleed - never less than 1/4" all around. Keep crop marks outside of the bleed. For long display headers and murals, provide a full one inch bleed. Bleed is included in the image area widths. One piece mounts cannot exceed 48" x 96".

Tyvek and other substrates which require no laminate or mounting can have a 58" width and a length up to 600".

Sizes & Settings
Use Quark if possible. If you do not have Quark, please use a format which can be imported into Quark. Other programs cannot handle the necessary page specs. Examples of Quark- friendly formats are: Photoshop, Illustrator, Freehand, Photopaint, and most scan and EPS formats.

Build the document to output at an "even" percentage; 100, 200, 300 or 400%. Indicate the final output size in inches.

Center the document on the page.

Leave a margin equal to 1" at final size.

Type the percent enlargement and final size directly on the document when possible. Put it in a text box outside the image area.

Do not use Illustrator to compose large blocks of type. The metrics can cause the text to reflow in the scaling process. If you need to use Illustrator for small amounts of type, please use the "Convert to Outlines" function.

Please include any FreeHand files with your FreeHand EPS files. (Sometimes we need to get into the original, and the converter does not always work.)

Scans
Save all scans as CMYK EPS format with an effective resolution of 100ppi. In rare cases, such as fine art prints on Canvas, or small backlit pieces, an effective resolution of 200ppi is required. Check with Subia if you think your project might be a special case.

Do not place scans in a drawing program such as Illustrator or Freehand. Whenever possible, do all compositing in Quark. This is because compound layering of postscript (placing an EPS into a document that will be saved as an EPS and placed into another document) causes imaging problems.

Duotones will not run, but the effect can be achieved in other ways. Please call for assistance.