HOW TO SEND FILES

Sending files to Big Fish DPI:
1. CD / DVD / Mail (see Contact Us for mailing address)
2. Email (if the file is less than 20MB you can email it to JeffLove@BigFishdpi.com)
3. FTP Site (see instructions below)

FTP INSTRUCTIONS l FTP PROBLEMS l FILE TYPES ACCEPTED l COMMON FILE ISSUES

FTP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Create a folder on your desktop and name it with your company’s name or your name and the date i.e. Honda_070408.
Note: our site will not allow you to change names of folders on our site or delete folders.

Step 2: Move or copy your files for the print job into the folder you created. Include all inserted images and fonts. Make sure all images are CMYK and 300dpi and that bleeds are set up. If you have compression software such as WinZip or StuffIt, you can compress the folder.

Step 3: Now go to our ftp site.

MAC Users - You may have difficulty accessing the ftp thru your browser. Most MAC users utilize ftp software such as Fetch (www.fetchsoftworks.com). A trial version is available at that site.

PC Users - Open your web browser and enter the ftp address as shown into your address bar of your web browser. A window should open asking for your username and password.

ftp://ftp.BigFishDPI.com
username: bigfish
password: bf287

Step 4: Just drag and drop your folder or your stuffed file from your desktop to our folder named "Customer Folder". Note: you can only upload and view files in the customers folder. Modifying, deleting, or downloading is prohibited.

Step 5: Please notify your sales representative Jeff Love after the file has completed downloading to avoid accidental deletion of files or delays. Any unknown files on our ftp are deleted after 48 hours to prevent unauthorized use.

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FTP PROBLEMS?

AOL
If you are using America Online (AOL), please be aware that AOL can limit your inactivity on the web and disconnect you if you are not a current user. AOL considers file uploading as inactivity. You can avoid this disconnection in uploading of files by keeping your AOL e-mail account open at the same time you are uploading your files to us. This should allow you to upload your files without interruption or disconnection.

Internet Explorer 7 and/or Windows Vista
When you upgrade to Internet Explorer 7 (automatically comes with the new XP and Vista operating systems) does not support drag and drop FTP servers. The current alternative is to use 'Windows Explorer'. While you have your Internet Explorer browser open, go to Tools, then Internet Options, then the Advanced tab and enable the option "Enable FTP folder view (outside of Internet explorer)" under Browsing. Once you have done this, you can then click on "View" and then "Open FTP site in Windows Explorer". Then load your files normally.

Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer acknowledges that they have issues with FTP sites that require authentication in beta 2. You can work around this by typing the ftp site into your address bar as such: ftp://bigfish:bf287@bigfishdpi.com to navigate there directly.

If you still have problems, please contact Big Fish DPI for technical support.

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FILE TYPES ACCEPTED

We accept files on both Macintosh and PC platforms. We ask that you send us files from the following programs:

Illustrator CS3 (or under)
Photoshop CS3 (or under)
InDesign CS3 (or under)
QuarkExpress 5.0
Freehand (if converted to .eps files)

Less Acceptable Programs: We do accept Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files depending on the print job. Usually we can convert them into a pdf and then work with them in another program.

Publisher files sometimes can be accepted. If the job was designed correctly within Publisher with CMYK images at 300 dpi and with the fonts intact, correct sizes and bleeds, then you can often make a 300 dpi tif of the page and we can print from that. If you are doing to send us pub files, you will also need to send us all the images and the fonts used. Often the cost of time spent correcting problems within Publisher, could have been better utilized recreating the document in a different program. Some additional art time charges may be required to convert your files to a format which the press can accept.

Before sending your files, review the Common File Issues to ensure that your files arrive at Big Fish without errors or problems.

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COMMON FILE ISSUES A.K.A. ART HELP

BLEEDS AND SAFE AREAS

Bleed is an extra 1/8" of image or other elements that go beyond the finished trim size of your project which allows us to cut it down to size, giving the appearance that the image 'bleeds' off the edge of the card rather than having a border. Because cutting is done in large stacks on machinery, it may vary slightly from the top of the stack to the bottom. Allowing for a bleed assures that when you get your finished piece there won’t be a sliver of white along the edges.

Keep all important information in a safe area which is a minimum of 1/16" from the edge of all printed pieces so it doesn't get inadvertently trimmed off. You wouldn't want to have the last digit of your phone number trimmed off your business cards! On larger print jobs, like posters, we require a 1/4" bleed and 1/4" margin from head, foot, gutter, face or trim area.

Tip: Do not create borders around the edges of your cards smaller than 1/8" wide. This is to allow for some tolerance in the cutting process as noted above. The smaller and thinner the rule, the more noticeable it will be if it is not perfectly even.

COLOR MODE

RGB (Red, Green and Blue) are what scanners, TV's, monitors, and digital cameras use as light in combination to display and images. This combination creates more vibrant colors than we can achieve using cmyk.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). are what printing presses, color copiers and most inkjet printers use to create your images. This is also known as 4-color printing, or full color, or 4 color process. Almost every form of media from magazines, billboards, and other color materials are printed this way.

YOU MUST convert RGB to CMYK and color correct any images before sending files. Because of differences in how colors are viewed on your screen, your monitor’s age, and how it's calibrated we don't guarantee you will see the finished product as it had appeared on your computer monitor or color printer. Likewise because your printer may look correct as images are printed out doesn't mean your printing from BigFish will match. Our presses are set within 98% of industry standard and are constantly monitored to assure accuracy when printing your job. Most applications will give you the option to work in either CMYK or RGB color mode. It is fine to begin working in RGB, there are some filters in Photoshop that are only available when working in RGB mode. Just remember to convert to CMYK before submitting your images to us. Extremely color critical jobs require color match prints to ensure color accuracy on your part, and your ability to convert files correctly. Example: go to the TV super store, and you will see almost every brand reflects slightly different color variations.

Tip: If you are designing with very extreme vibrant colors and hues, the color shift from RGB to CMYK will be very noticeable so pay attention when you are converting your files for print.

INCORRECT FONTS INCLUDED

Make sure all the fonts you have used are included with the job. This includes all fonts used within illustration files. For postscript fonts the screen and printer files should be included. For True Type fonts only one item is needed as this serves as both screen and printer font. Do not include any fonts which have not been used. Some programs will save your files and your fonts along with it.

INCORRECT IMAGE FILE FORMATS

Please save all bitmap images (like those out of Photoshop) in either tiff or eps format if you will place them in a layout program. If it is for final printing, tiff, eps or jpg with maximum quality format is acceptable. We cannot print gif, pict, dcs, ping, cds, etc. formats. Please do not save your images with LZW compression. Placing an unacceptable format in an acceptable format does not make it usable.

CALIBRATING YOUR MONITOR / PRINTER

Once you have received samples of what we printed from your files, we recommend that you adjust your monitor to match the final printed output. That way the next image you create will look more similar on screen and on paper. We also suggest that once you like the way your image looks on screen, lighten it slightly, especially in the midtone area, as it will most likely darken slightly when printed due to the nature of printing.

CONVERTING TYPE TO PATHS

Converting type to outline paths is a useful way of providing a job without the need to supply fonts. This has a double advantage of ensuring that the text will not flow incorrectly on output. To convert type to paths consult your help file in your program. This is not recommended for type in QuarkXpress files. If you plan to have Big Fish make additional text edits in your files, do not convert them to paths and include the fonts instead.

EMBOLDENED/ITALICIZED FONTS

Many layout applications allow you to Embolden (make bold) or italicize type, without using the PostScript font associated with the typeface, by clicking on a B or I icon or selecting from a Style menu. This does not work with every typeface and can result in the text defaulting back to standard or roman style on output. Please ensure you always use PostScript fonts wherever possible. Other style settings, such as outline or underline are acceptable and will work correctly. Never stylize a Multiple Master font. Otherwise, the results will be unpredictable.

IMAGE FILES MISSING

Please ensure that all images are included with the job. Please remember to also include files which are embedded, nested or placed within other files. Failure to supply picture files is one of the most common errors which we sometimes don’t discover until the job prints.

RESOLUTION PROBLEMS

The resolution or dpi of a file refers to the number of dots per inch (dpi) it contains. As a general rule between 350 and 450 is best for a high quality output, but 300 should be an absolute minimum. Any image you print should be at least 300 dpi at the final image size. If you enlarge an image, you lower the resolution, if you reduce an image you increase the resolution. We do not recommend enlarging an image in your layout program more than 125%, or reducing more than 30%. Images with a resolution of less than 250 dpi will reproduce poorly on press, looking fuzzy, choppy or pixilated. Resolutions higher than 300 dpi will not appreciably improve image quality, just make for a larger file size, which increases your upload times and our imaging times. Images captures off the web are only 72 dpi. (With the exception of online stock photography) They are not suitable for printing. Images created in Paint are only 72 dpi, and not suitable for printing.

INCORRECT FILE FORMAT

Pictures should be saved as EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) or TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) files wherever possible. When saving as EPS or TIFF do not use JPEG compression, use Binary.

INCORRECT COLORS FOR JOB

It is essential that any colors you use in your job are named exactly the same in all applications and specified when submitting your order. PANTONE 280 CV and PANTONE 280 CVU may look the same and have the same color split, but because of the name difference it is read by the output RIP (Raster Image Processor) as two separate colors. You can ensure colors are set correctly in Duotones in PhotoShop by going into the general preferences dialog box and checking 'Use short PANTONE names'. If your job is a CMYK job make sure all colors are converted to CMYK or they will not appear on the plate.

USE "RICH BLACK" CORRECTLY

Fill solid black areas with a "Rich Black" rather than black only. Rich Black is made up of 30% Cyan, 30% Magenta, 30% Yellow, and 100% Black. This will keep solid black areas from looking gray, and should be used for larger solid areas or heavy type over 36 point. For normal body text, use 100% black or 100 K, do not use Rich Black. Do not use 90-100% of each color to create a rich black. This will cause problems on the press due to too much ink getting put down in one spot.

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