Creating Business Cards Problems - Blurry

[rh]

I am using Xara x1 to create a business card.

WHen I exported it to TIFF, 24 bit, no compression and sent it to the printer, my cards didn't have crisp fonts and the white background just didn't look clear.

Could this have something to do with anti-aliasing?

THe printer's very own sample cards and their very own cards just looked sharp, clear and crisp.

Heck, the ink jet printer that I used to print out practice card even looked sharper than the ones I got.

[roman]

Did you export to high resolution? at least 300-600 dpi? It's necessary. Also if you print out on rgb printer it tends to use "dots" to simulate grays..

Best thing to avoid blurry fonts is to export to some vector format, which your print company can open, and print out from such thing.

[Albacore]

Hi rh,
Have a look at Gary's workbook tut. Workbook 27 (July 2004). I have always found that sending TIFF's to printers can cause some problems so to counter act these problems I always send them as PDF's.

Yes it is anti-alising always convert your text to objects or shapes and then save ir with another name so that you can always edit the text later if your client wants to make changes.

There have been many topics on this forum about this subject and with the search not working it is hard to give all the info but do a search using Google with talkgraphics as the main queery then + tiff's and see what results you get. Hope that helps

[rh]

so what type of export do you recommend then since xara can export many types and the printer can also receive many types

Please see here

http://www.overnightprints.com/main.php?A=specs

sending a tiff look like crap and all blurry fonts

so, which version do you recommend sending then?

[Albacore]

If you do not want to send your files as a PDF try AI, make sure you have no bitmap effects like bevels and watch what type of transparencies that you use, in fact it would be best that you did not use any.

I went into the printer site and downloaded the AI file and then open it in AI, exported it as a Legacy file and took it into Xara X1 without any problems so therefore you should be able to take your design and export it as a AI file and download it to your printer. The file is colour manage to RGB so therefore your printer is just a Print shop and only uses RGB just like your inkjet that you have in the house. Does your town not have a local print shop where you could take your disc to and pay for a proof as it is make easier to establish a relationship with someone local.

Still think that a more reliable method to use with Xara X1 is PDF. Please have a look at Gary's workbook and download a PDF converter and follow Gary's instructions. If you have a local print shop and they are reliable why not open a custom page size and set it up for SRA 3 size which is 450 x 320 mm and set out your Biz. card so that you have 20 cards in one page with full "bleed off" which is very easy to do so long as your biz card is not doublesided.

If you want any more info I will be only to happy to supply.

[gwpriester]

I would still use a TIFF file format for the simplest solution.

But ask your printer at what resolution he will be printing (in the US this is in LPI, Lines Per Inch). And then double the amount for the TIFF resolution.

So, if your printer is printing at 300 LPI then you need to save your card at 600dpi.

PDF is also a good way to go because unlike a TIFF file, the text is exported as curves and not as pixels. Here is a link to The Xara Xone Workbook 27

Gary

[rh]

WHat is the "simplest" solution as compared to a not so simple solution?

[gwpriester]

CMYK TIFF at a high resolution (300dpi to 600dpi)

Gary

[rh]

What things do you look for in a good printer in your local area?

[Albacore]

Hi rh,
What do you look for in a local print shop?
Quality of proof
Price
Time taken
Accuracy in cutting
Accuracy in colour - easier to sort out when you get proof
Do they listen to you
Do they give information on what they do well enough that you understand what they mean.
Do you like what they do

Your question is too open ended, but give them a chance as it is far easier to change things at a local level than to do it from email or using the phone. I nearly always use print shops for work up to about 500 A4 size pages as it is much cheaper anything over that in full colour with bleed off it goes to the printers