Advice needed for generating magazine adverts...

[shiphen]

Hi

We need to produce the artwork some high quality (roughly) A4 sized adverts for a newspaper magazine using Xara.

BUT:
- Will Xara (Designer Pro X9) be sufficient for generating the art work?
- What format do newspapers & magazines normally require - .PDFs or .XARA or High resolution JPEG or what?
- Do you have any other advice, hints or tips?

Background
Previously we have only used Xara for website graphics and our adverts have been created by an external agency using Indesign running on Apple.
We now wish to take the designs in house.

With thanks

J

[Gamerprinter]

I've created ads in Xara for use in printed full color magazines and newspaper. So, yes, Xara certainly can generate sufficiently quality artwork. Ask the newspaper what format they prefer. Most often they ask for a high resolution JPG file (300 ppi). I barely use Xara for web, 95% of my work is intended for print.

[angelize]

Ask the magazine what format they need. It may be hi res jpeg or pdf. For print work you will need to keep any bitmaps (imported or generated) to a minimum of 300dpi. But yes Xara is excellent for creating advertising. I use it all the time for creating the advertisements for our publication.

[gwpriester]

If you're going to use bitmaps then I would go with a TIFF file vs. a JPEG. The quality of a TIFF is better.

But PDF/X is the way to go.

I have used Designer Pro to create full color magazine ads with no problems at all except the publications frequently demand Mac generated QuarkXPress files. I send them PDF/X files and no one has complained yet.

[Acorn]

PDF/X but spend time checking its various settings yourself before firing it off to your printer.

Acorn

[Michael]

Beware of effects like shadows or FX/Live effects. Keep in mind that high quality print needs at least 180lpi (as a rule of thumb you'll be on the safe side rendering on 300dpi) So, when starting an artwork set your options for the effects&plugins (ctrl+shft+o, tab effects&plugins)

[gwpriester]

Actually 300dpi = 150 LPI.

[mwenz]

The subject title concerns Magazine adverts. The first sentence mentions "newspaper magazine."

Which is it? Newspaper or Magazine? Meaning, what type of paper is this being printed upon? The answer makes a difference.

Most all newspapers and magazines have sections of their web sites that inform one about the criteria they expect. This includes output profiles for PDFs, color space for images (most likely), file formats accepted, etc. But what they may not include as regards images is information concerning dot gain in the case of newspapers--but it is high. Using too rich of color (not using an output intent) or not adjusting for dot gain in grayscale images, not adjusting tonal curves in color images, can and likely will result in a muddy result.

Regardless, the art itself doesn't necessarily change depending upon the answer(s) with an exception being dot gain. But the output intent does. At least as regards outputting to PDF should you desire a modicum of control over the color. And keep in mind that Xara products do not do grayscale should you need a B/W version of an ad, which is only important should you need to use a grayscale image in an ad.

There are several reasons I caution using Xara products, especially when desired output is an image, if one wants to be remotely color accurate in certain circumstances (like 100% black over a background of color).

Personally, I'll use QXP, ID or PP and output from those applications if the output has to be an image. And it will eventually hit Acrobat if I need grayscale with a certain dot gain.

[Michael]

For an explanation on LPI and DPI/PPI have a look at http://designertoday.com/Articles/13....Per.Inch.aspx

Oh, and Gary: you're right but it's not as straightforward as it seems ...

[Albacore]

Look and study Mike's post #8 and please please give the ad. dept. a ring they will give you more info on the process. There're are only 2 programmes that I would trust to give me the correct output for this job Quark, which I haven't used and InDesign which I have and I worked on a Scottish national newspaper for more than 2 years doing crappy ads that you see towards the back of these once a week mags. They also have employees whose jobs are to work on colour to produce a more consistent look and know far more than I did about the job to maintain the house quality. Give the newspaper a ring and find out more.