Adobe Photoshop Tips
All versions of Adobe Photoshop are supported for both Apple Macintosh and Windows platforms. Here are some basic tips that apply to all software versions.
For even more tips please visit our Quick Tips section. This is our catch-all category for all manner of miscellaneous tips, tricks, program fixes, and workarounds to help you with building your artwork . We'll add new items from time to time so check in to see what's been added recently.
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Document Setup Basics
- Don't forget to provide 1/8" (.125) bleed in your file Set your layout page size to to match your final individual page size plus .125" bleed on all four sides.
- Set your document resolution to 300 pixels/inch when creating a document that uses images only. Use 400 pixels/inch when setting text to insure crisp looking typefaces.
- Never save Tiff files with LZW, ZIP, or JPEG compression because they will not process correctly.
- Never save Tiff files with layers. Save your layered files as Photoshop PSD format. Then, flatten this PSD file and then Save As in the Tiff format.
- Use the CMYK Color Mode when setting up your document.
- We do not recommend saving your files in the JPEG file format because this is what is called a "lossy" format. That is just a fancy way of saying that image data is discarded to reduce file size. This results in the inevitable degradation of the quality of your images.
- Never use Photoshop’s default (four color) Black. Type and smaller Black items should be defined in the Color Picker as 0% Cyan, 0% Magenta, 0% Yellow, and 100% Black ink. Any large areas of Black ink should be defined in the Color Picker as 40% Cyan, 30% Magenta, 30% Yellow, and 100% Black ink. This will result in a nice rich black color.
- Both PSD and EPS file formats support vector type. To maintain the ability to edit the text if you choose the EPS file format please make certain that you also save and include a copy of this file in PSD format.
- If you have set type in your PSD or EPS Photoshop file be certain that you include all fonts used with your files.
Special Note: To prevent any loss of resource fork data that would render your fonts useless, Macintosh users should always compress their files on a Macintosh.
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Creating Bleed
If you are creating your layout entirely in Photoshop you must make your document .25" larger overall than your final trim size in both height and width. In other words, you must build the .125" bleed directly into your document.
For example: if the final size is 8.5" x 11" then make your document 8.75" x11.25". Draw guides on the layout that are .125" from the edge all the way around. Now create your design with the idea that the layout will be cut off where those guides are because that is precisely what is going to happen.
Make sure that any photographs or backgrounds that you want to bleed go all the way to the outer edge of the document (.125" past the guidelines). After your piece is printed we will trim off that extra .125" all the way around. You have color all the way to the edges of your piece. It will look more professional.
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Converting to CMYK Color Space
If the file already exists select the following menu options:
Image > Mode > CMYK Color
When starting a new file select CMYK Color for the mode before clicking OK.
