RESOURCES & SUPPORT

While other sections of our website provide plenty of information about Smith Print, this section contains answers to some frequently asked questions that our prospective clients have asked. If you have any other questions about Smith Print, we would welcome your email or phone call.

1. At what resolution should I save my photos and graphics?
2. How do I go about getting an estimate from you?
3. How long does it take for you to complete my order?
4. Is Smith Print a "Green" Company
5. Is white considered a printing color?
6. Tips on how to save your design files
7. What file format should I use when submitting my electronic document for printing?
8. What is the Pantone Matching System?
9. What type of products and services do you provide?
10. What type of work does Smith Print specialize in?
11. Why do the printed colors look different from the colors on my screen?

1. At what resolution should I save my photos and graphics?

   Resolution should be set to 300 dpi.

   Pictures and graphics pulled from the internet are often low resolution, typically 72 dpi or 96 dpi. Avoid these graphics, as they will appear pixilated and blocky when printed.

   Also note that you should save all photos in CMYK mode, not RGB mode when possible. Images saved in RGB mode may not print properly. If you are unable to save your image in CYMK mode, please let us know.

2. How do I go about getting an estimate from you?

   The best way to insure that we get all the information needed to provide you with an accurate quote would be to call one of our offices at 781-878-5555. If you like, you can use our online estimate request form to provide the initial information and we will contact you if there are any questions we have prior to providing the estimate.

3. How long does it take for you to complete my order?

   All turnaround times are determined by the specifications of the project and the various operations required to complete the job. Our Account Managers and production personnel work closely with clients to plan a schedule that meets their requirements.

4. Is Smith Print a "Green" Company

   Smith Print has been a long time advocate of recycling paper stock and has received numerous achievement awards for its contributions and recycling efforts. We have embarked on a course of not simply doing what is "fashionable" when it comes to issues as important as the environment and sustainability, but have rather been involved in evaluating all areas of print production and manufacturing.

   As an example, we have been a chemistry-free computer-to-plate prepress department for all of our large press work since 2002. We are evaluating all materials used in the production process and will continue to do so as more become available.

5. Is white considered a printing color?

   Not typically. Because white is the default color of paper, it is simply recognized as the absence of any ink. However, when using colored paper, white ink may be used if any text or graphic requires it.

6. Tips on how to save your design files

   Make them print ready and acceptable for us to print.

   COREL DRAW:
   Saving your Corel Draw file as an Adobe Illustrator EPS
   • Embed all Images
   • Convert all your text/copy to outline fonts
   • Export as Illustrator EPS

   FREEHAND:
   • Embed all Images
   • Convert all your text/copy to paths
   • Export as Illustrator EPS or PDF

   PAGEMAKER:
   Saving your PageMaker file as an EPS
   • Embed all Images
   • Convert all your text/copy to outline fonts
   • Export your file as an EPS using the below settings:
   Postscript Level 2
   CMYK Mode
   TIFF format and
   Binary

   PUBLISHER:
   You will need to have the full version of Adobe Acrobat PDF. If you don’t please download and use our Adobe Job Ready Program. If you do have the full version of Adobe Acrobat PDF please follow the steps below.
   Under File, Print, select Adobe PDF writer
   Under Properties select Press Quality and Save your PDF

7. What file format should I use when submitting my electronic document for printing?

   PDF (Portable Document Format) is the most common and preferred file format for submitting digital documents. With the installation of a PDF print driver on your computer, virtually any program can generate a PDF file suitable for printing. Both commercial and free PDF print drivers are available online for download from different sources.

8. What is the Pantone Matching System?

   The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a color reproduction standard in which colors all across the spectrum are each identified by a unique, independent number. The use of PMS allows us to precisely match colors and maintain color consistency throughout the printing process.

9. What type of products and services do you provide?

   Good question! We are a full service shop and offer a wide range of products and services. To see a full listing and description of what we can offer you, check out the Products & Services area in the Customer Service Section of our website.

10. What type of work does Smith Print specialize in?

    Yes, we can handle the smaller, simpler jobs with ease and efficiency, but with the strength of sophisticated digital prepress supporting a wide variety of offset presses and unique finishing equipment, we tackle the toughest, most challenging jobs with confidence. Few companies can offer the depth of experience to insure that every part of every job will be completed with precision and expertise.

    This ability to match each job's requirements to the best possible work-flow, equipment and finishing operation provides our customers with unequaled efficiencies and economics. Whether you take advantage of the company's "Business Printing" division specializing in providing corporate customers with their stationery and shorter run, quick turn around work, or you require the services of an expansive, full-service graphics facility, Smith Print provides you with the options you need.

11. Why do the printed colors look different from the colors on my screen?

    In short, printers and monitors produce colors in different ways.

    Monitors use the RGB (red, green, blue) color model, which usually supports a wider spectrum of colors. Printers use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color model, which can reproduce most—but not all—of the colors in the RGB color model. Depending on the equipment used, CMYK generally matches 85–90% of the colors in the RGB model.

    When a color is selected from the RGB model that is out of the range of the CMYK model, the application chooses what it thinks is the closest color that will match. Programs like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to choose which color will be replaced. Others may not.