Advert very unclear after going to print

[Zakiyya]

Hi there!

I designed an advert. The newspaper requested the advert be sent in as a pdf at 300dpi.
I met the requirements and e-mailed the advert to the newspaper.
However, after being printed, the text was very hazy, fuzzy and unreadable, although the picture was clear.
What caused the unclear text?

[mwenz]

Dunno what caused fuzzy text. the PDF checks out fine, the fonts are embedded properly, images are of sufficient resolution. There could have been something in their RIP. Could be the paper used. Who know. Prints nicely here, but I am not using newsprint.

If you need to do this again with the same newspaper, I would take the finished design, save a copy and with the copy, convert all the text to shapes. Might even go so far as selecting everything and create a bitmap copy so the file is completely flattened, then create the PDF from it.

Take care, Mike

[Zakiyya]

Thank you Mike!

[Albacore]

In my experience in a Scottish national newspaper it is in most cases to let the RIP software deal with RGB photos but it is in the rasterized areas where the problem occurs. If I was in your shoes I would deal with these areas first:- 1. before you export to PDF, create a bitmap copy of your blue feathered area on the left at the res. you want. 2. Use layers to design your doc. (you may have). 3. if you can crop as much of you photo as you can as complex use of Xara transparencies produce clipping masks on export. 4. Put text on top most stack of your drawing, it would be loads better if you used a layer to so this. 5. Use the Advance Options on your PDF export and if the newspaper will allow use PDF 1.7/8. 6. This is an OR option if you don't want to use the list previous and do what Mike states and create bit map copies of the effected areas and maybe think of "reversed knockout" where you blow the text out to leave white paper below. Have a Google search on that one.

If you are going to be doing loads more ads buy yourself a copy of Acrobat Pro even an old one will do as it gives a huge control over PDF's and takes the guess work out. Hope that helps and please do come back if you need any more help.

[Know1]

1) Text should always be on top of everything else (as Albacore says in step 4). Even if you have an image fading to 100% transparency and the text is underneath the 100% transparent part. If the image 'rectangle' is over the text, the RIP process will still convert the vector text to a bitmap version. The text on the left in your pdf is on top so that's good.

2) I don't know much about newsprint, but printshops use CMYK litho plates for the larger printjobs. That means if you are not using pure CMYK black or white, the text will be basically printed 4 times and aligned over itself. And depending on the amount of ink and paper quality used that can also make the text more blurry.

3) In my limited experience with newsprint you can't go with subtle. Especially if it's going to be printed small, like an ad. Use a lot of contrast between the text and the background. Subtle details or gradients will never look as good as it does onscreen or printed in a glossy magazine. That's just something to accept.

4) When using really dark colors for text turn on overprinting. That eliminates the chance of small gaps between the text and the background.

5) When in doubt, just call the people up who do the actual printing and ask them why the text might be blurry in their opinion. They deal with these things on a daily basis and will most likely be able to give you some good advice.
It's in their best interest to have customers that deliver good PDF's instead of having to ask for new versions.

[Zakiyya]

Thank you for the feedback! Back here in South Africa, especially my town, Xara is unheard of. I really depend on this forum for help. Thanx once again.