Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications

What we need from you for an excellent print result.

The colors

Our fundamental rule: Always save data in CMYK mode. The printer colors are composed of this color mode. RGB colors are only for display on your monitor and cannot be reproduced in offset printing.
For black-and-white images, please use the grey-scale mode. If you want to use true colors (full-tone colors), e.g. for your logo, please use the HKS color system if possible.
If you delete all the colors from the color menu of your print files, which are not in use, we can be sure that the file only contains colors you want to use. The proof version helps us to produce a calendar that looks exactly as you envision it. The proof becomes binding with the Ugra/Fogra media wedge, including media wedge evaluation.

The resolution

For a brilliant printing result, we need your color images in the original size with a resolution of 300 dpi. Even if your monitor already displays pictures with a resolution of 72 dpi sharply, 300 dpi are necessary for high-quality printing.

If your logo or other details of your draft are conceived in the form of line images (bitmap format), they must have a minimum resolution of 1,200 dpi to ensure an optimal result.

It is important, that we achieve this resolution in the final format as well.
For instance, if the image is to be printed in a 10 x 15 cm format, the resolution in this size must also be 300 respectively 1,200 dpi (in bitmap format).

The file formats

Ideally, you choose the TIFF or TIF file format for your images. Tiff stands for Tagged Image File Format. This means the picture contains a lot of information we need for further processing.
Images in the JPG file format are compressed, which can result in undesired patterns being produced after multiple saving operations (jpeg artefacts). Therefore, a thorough quality control is a key element. JPG compression creates losses of file information, making it less suitable for an optimal print result.
EPS is another file format for pictures and logos, which is very easy to work with. The Encapsulated Post Script format also stores a great deal of information, which helps make a good calendar. However, our preferred format for logos and illustrations is the vector file. The data in these files is optimized for printing, independent of resolution, and guarantees sharp contours, pixel-free images and the best results. If you have prepared your design in eps format and have linked images to it, please send us these images with your design.

Please create a 1.4 PDF using Acrobat Distiller so that images and transparencies can be correctly processed. It is important when generating the PDF to use the basic setting PRINTER OPTIMISED and to embed all the fonts. Remember that PDFs are closed files, and we can no longer make any changes or corrections to them.
Please do not send us MS Word or Powerpoint files, as we cannot use them for printing.