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PDF proof wtf

Bly

Bly

New Member
So a designer sends me the final art for print. As PDFs.

He then asks me for a PDF proof to show the client.

My reply was "err I was going to use YOUR pdf as the proof".

What do you guys do when somebody asks the same thing when they just gave you a PDF. I mean a PDF is a PDF, right?
 
Bly

Bly

New Member
I thought yeah, drop it into my letterhead and bounce it back.
I'll wait and see what logic he replies with.
 
tsgstl

tsgstl

New Member
I got this new customer, seems a little odd. He placed a decent order and was referred by one of my biggest customers. But he sends such odd emails.

Like:

"door hangers"

or I got a

"Lunch is here"

Never met the guy yet and I get 10 emails a day that could be all in one. Its like he is tweeting me or something. He wanted me to draw out a diagram for HIS customer to install. It bothered me because I put install in the original quote. I told him to tell her to go to the hardware store buy some anchors and read the directions.
 
O

OADesign

New Member
Not as silly as it sounds.
Many designers don't understand the concept of prepping files for output (Converting fonts and strokes to outlines, Embedding placed art, Color space etc.) Sometimes PDFs contains embedded fonts that will shift to a system default with out a warning pop up or anything. Some folks I worked with used to open up every received PDF in flexi before going to print, as part pf their work flow (don't ask me why) causing all sorts of problems.

So unless the PDF is accompanied by a hard copy sample, its work it to send back a proof. And FW'ing the email back is not enough. Pop a screen shot of what you are viewing on your end. Or if you have Acrobat Pro, (or photoshop) export the file as a low res jpg or tiff (this would be a good time to add water mark).

Sending back a proof of customer supplied art, although an extra step, is just good business.
 
S

Salmoneye

New Member
Great advice OAD, we recently had a file that changed just like that, sending them back a .jpg would have been a great way to go and saved me a lot of hassle. PDF's do all kinds of stuff, jpg's don't.
 
P

psbc2009

New Member
PDF in flexi

Running flexi ver 10.xx. And have all sorts of strange problems with pdf's like color shift, displaced images, text,, etc. very frustrating as I have to check and recheck each PDF in flexi prior to printing And that time adds up. If there is any doubt I convert to jpg and print. Never an issue with Jpgs however some clients say there is a slight image quality shift. Anyone else have these issues and how do you deal with it?
 
GAC05

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
psbc2009 said:
Running flexi ver 10.xx. And have all sorts of strange problems with pdf's like color shift, displaced images, text,, etc. very frustrating as I have to check and recheck each PDF in flexi prior to printing And that time adds up. If there is any doubt I convert to jpg and print. Never an issue with Jpgs however some clients say there is a slight image quality shift. Anyone else have these issues and how do you deal with it?
Click to expand...

If you don't need to edit the pdf(s) don't open them in the main flexi application. Drop them directly into the production manager.
Way less problems this way. If you do need to edit - do it in Illustrator.

wayne k
guam usa
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
I have had PDF files open differently (fonts, stuff not flattened), not as crazy as it sounds to send it back after you have opened it in you system.
 
Kottwitz-Graphics

Kottwitz-Graphics

New Member
OADesign said:
Not as silly as it sounds.
Many designers don't understand the concept of prepping files for output (Converting fonts and strokes to outlines, Embedding placed art, Color space etc.) Sometimes PDFs contains embedded fonts that will shift to a system default with out a warning pop up or anything.

Sending back a proof of customer supplied art, although an extra step, is just good business.
Click to expand...


+1. I had a designer (that I do a good bit of work for) send me a pdf file, and I asked them if they needed a proof, and they said they didn't, the file was ready to produce.

So I import it, and cut it from some material that I purchased by the yard, because to buy the full roll would have just killed the profit in the job (no to mention that it was a goofy color that I would never use again).

I go to install it, and I'm on the top of an extenion ladder taping it up, and my customer comes in, takes one look at it, and tells me that it wasn't the correct font. After going around and around about that is what they sent me, they discover that they didn't convert the fonts to curves.

And because they didn't "approve the file", they expected me to eat the cost. So I end up ordering some more vinyl, which ended up costing me more than the roll would have cost me.
 
Bly

Bly

New Member
I saved them as jpegs and sent them back.

One designer who asked me to do this a while back said he can't believe some sign shops mangle PDFs but they do.
Took 15 minutes out of my already busy day though.
 
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
Bly said:
I thought yeah, drop it into my letterhead and bounce it back.
I'll wait and see what logic he replies with.
Click to expand...

I've done that and had the designer call complaining that I'd sent his artwork on a proof sheet that had my logo on it. He basically accused me of trying to steal his artwork since I hadn't credited him.

HE WORKED FOR THE COMPANY GETTING THE WORK DONE AND HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO WAS GOING TO SEE IT.


After reading about the .pdf errors maybe I should start paying more attention.
 
SpeedproCharlotteCenter

SpeedproCharlotteCenter

New Member
I usually open it up in photoshop and flatten the proof, I've had situation where the client has done overprints and those will NOT print. so they won't show up if you flatten the image, its always best to be safe than sorry.
 
petepaz

petepaz

New Member
i import it to illustrator and re-save it as a pdf and send it back. it sounds crazy but this way they can firm nothing got altered when i imported it(no fonts changed, no hidden layers) no excuses when they get the job if there is something wrong
 
Bly

Bly

New Member
jhilldesigns said:
15 minutes for file -> open, then file -> save as jpg?

edit: oh yeah, youd have to import into whatever first. nevermind.
Click to expand...

Open 7 wall panel sized pages in Photoshop, flatten, save, zip and email.
Yeh about 15 minutes.
I've had some unreliable results saving bitmaps out of Acrobat Reader so don't use that method any more..

Anyway designers who are really on their game will send their jpeg with a PDF if they are concerned about your setup so you can check layouts.
 
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