Q:
What does Westside Instaprint do?
A:
Please visit our services section,
westsideinstaprint.ca/Print/Services/
, for complete details on Westside Instaprints'
many print shop services.
Q:
How quickly can I expect my finished printed product?
A:
Basic print jobs with no graphic design, no type setting and no proofing are usually completed
within 2 business days, if not the same day. More involved print work can extend beyond 2 business days. Please
call for more exact timing.
Q:
How can I get a quote?
A:
Please call for a basic quote. Please submit your files with print job details and instructions for
a more exact quote.
Q:
What is page bleed and what are bleed marks?
Q:
Will my printed colours look exactly like the colours on my lcd monitor?
Q:
What are vector graphics and rastor/bitmap graphics?
A:
Vector graphics are mathematically defined points, lines and curves.
Vector graphics do not distort when enlarged or reduced.
The most common types of vector graphics are fonts and logos. Adobe
Illustrator is the most common vector graphics editor. The mosts common
vector file format is .ai (made with adobe illustrator). Highly refined
pixel details are difficult to achieve with vector graphics.
Raster graphics are made up of individually defined pixels (coloured dots). Raster graphics are also known as bitmaps or just images. Raster graphics can not be enlarged or reduced without distortion. Photographs are raster graphics.
Adobe Photoshop is the most popular raster graphics editor. Common raster graphic file formats are jpg/jpeg, png, tiff, bmp and gif. Digital images, raster files, that display nicely on a computer lcd monitor often look blured on print media, due to print media's high resolution.
Raster graphics are made up of individually defined pixels (coloured dots). Raster graphics are also known as bitmaps or just images. Raster graphics can not be enlarged or reduced without distortion. Photographs are raster graphics.
Adobe Photoshop is the most popular raster graphics editor. Common raster graphic file formats are jpg/jpeg, png, tiff, bmp and gif. Digital images, raster files, that display nicely on a computer lcd monitor often look blured on print media, due to print media's high resolution.
Q:
What is the minimum digital design resolution needed
to produce good quality printed graphics?
A:
Whenever your graphics design includes raster graphics then resolution,
print size and viewing distance are important for good quality printing.
300 dpi resolution or better digital source raster graphics is considered optimal,
because of print media's high resolutions, although as low as 72dpi can be printed
with acceptable results.
If you are printing only vector graphics then you have all the resolution that you need. Vector graphics can be enlarged and printed at any size without distortion, due to the nature of vector graphics. Vector graphics files can have raster graphics embedded in them, and then resolution, print size and viewing distance must be considered for these vector files with embedded raster graphics.
Raster graphics cannot be enlarged or reduced without distortion. Some distortion is acceptable if the printed product is going to be viewed from a distance and the distortion does not adversly effect the content of the graphics. If you are scanning pictures or documents to be printed, scan at the highest resolution available and save the scans as .tiff files. If you save the scans as .jpeg, some image data will be lost defeating the purpose of scanning at high resolution.
Please call for clarification on your specific design.
If you are printing only vector graphics then you have all the resolution that you need. Vector graphics can be enlarged and printed at any size without distortion, due to the nature of vector graphics. Vector graphics files can have raster graphics embedded in them, and then resolution, print size and viewing distance must be considered for these vector files with embedded raster graphics.
Raster graphics cannot be enlarged or reduced without distortion. Some distortion is acceptable if the printed product is going to be viewed from a distance and the distortion does not adversly effect the content of the graphics. If you are scanning pictures or documents to be printed, scan at the highest resolution available and save the scans as .tiff files. If you save the scans as .jpeg, some image data will be lost defeating the purpose of scanning at high resolution.
Please call for clarification on your specific design.
Q:
What file and document types does Westside Instaprint accept?
A:
Computers identify file types by the file name extension (suffix) after
the dot in a file name, although most computers will not display the name extension.
Right click on the file and click "Properties" or "Get Info" to display
the file type.
Westside Instaprint accepts the following file types:
.pdf (a text document with images format),
.eps (a text document with images format),
.ai (Adobe Illustrator files),
.psd (Adobe Photoshop files),
.indd (Adobe InDesign files),
.tiff(a no data loss raster image format),
.bmp(a no data loss raster image format),
.plt (plot files),
.jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .gif (image files),
.doc, .docx (Microsoft Word files),
.xls, xlsx (Microsoft Excel files),
.pub (Microsoft Publisher files),
.pps (Microsoft Power Point Presentation files),
.qxd,.qxp (QuarkXPress),
No .dwg (AutoCAD data files, Please Call),
No CorelPaint or CorelDraw files (Please Call).
Westside Instaprint accepts the following file types:
.pdf (a text document with images format),
.eps (a text document with images format),
.ai (Adobe Illustrator files),
.psd (Adobe Photoshop files),
.indd (Adobe InDesign files),
.tiff(a no data loss raster image format),
.bmp(a no data loss raster image format),
.plt (plot files),
.jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .gif (image files),
.doc, .docx (Microsoft Word files),
.xls, xlsx (Microsoft Excel files),
.pub (Microsoft Publisher files),
.pps (Microsoft Power Point Presentation files),
.qxd,.qxp (QuarkXPress),
No .dwg (AutoCAD data files, Please Call),
No CorelPaint or CorelDraw files (Please Call).
Q:
What file and document types are preferred?
A:
Vector files are preferred. Vector files are produced by Adobe illustrator.
Vector files are preferred because they maintain their integrity (do not distort)
when reduced or increased in size.
Non-vector files, image/bitmap/raster files, will distort when reduced or increased in size. Non-vector files are only cleanly reproducable at one size, the size they were originally created at. If your documents include non-vector graphics, please have the non-vector graphics at as high a resolution as possible. Non-vector images borrowed from the web will print very coarsely/badly, because web graphics are only 72dpi.
Please call for details.
Non-vector files, image/bitmap/raster files, will distort when reduced or increased in size. Non-vector files are only cleanly reproducable at one size, the size they were originally created at. If your documents include non-vector graphics, please have the non-vector graphics at as high a resolution as possible. Non-vector images borrowed from the web will print very coarsely/badly, because web graphics are only 72dpi.
Please call for details.
Q:
Do I need to include my fonts with documents I submit for printing?
A:
We have all the standard Mac, Windows, Adobe and Office fonts.
If you have fonts from any other sources please choose to embed them when
you save your files or submit your font files when you submit your documents
for printing. We can replace missing fonts with close fitting substitute fonts
but this can dramatically change the over all look or feel of the document.
Q:
How can I send files to Westside Instaprint over the internet?
A:
There are three main ways to get files to Westside Instaprint over the
internet. Email, Cloud storage and Westside Instaprint's
file
sending web page.
Email has size limits between 10-20 Megabytes imposed by your internet service provider.
Westside accepts shared links to files in cloud storage accounts, such as Google Drive, Microsoft Onedrive, Apple iCloud, Dropbox and others.
Our file sending web page is also available. Files up to 2000 Megabytes in size are transferred directly to Westside Instaprint using your web browser.
Email has size limits between 10-20 Megabytes imposed by your internet service provider.
Westside accepts shared links to files in cloud storage accounts, such as Google Drive, Microsoft Onedrive, Apple iCloud, Dropbox and others.
Our file sending web page is also available. Files up to 2000 Megabytes in size are transferred directly to Westside Instaprint using your web browser.
Q:
What details does Westside Instaprint need to know to complete my print job?
A:
This is a basic list of details Westside Instaprint will
need to know to complete your print job.
Quantity
Size
Colour or Black and White
Single sided, Double sided, Booklet, Brochure, Flyer, Pamphlet, etc..
Paper Weight
Paper Un-Textured or Textured
Paper Gloss or Matte
Finishing – Stapling, Hole punch, Binding, Folder, Perforating etc..
Quantity Size Colour or Black and White Single sided, Double sided, Booklet, Brochure, Flyer, Pamphlet, etc.. Paper Weight Paper Un-Textured or Textured Paper Gloss or Matte Finishing – Stapling, Hole punch, Binding, Folder, Perforating etc..Q:
What is page layout software?
A:
Page layout software combines raster and vector graphics to create
artwork for print media. Page layout software is very good at
aiding in the design of graphics that will be displayed on print media.
Print media can be anything from business cards to large signage.
Adobe Indesign, Microsoft Publisher and Quark XPress are the most popular page layout software applications.
Adobe Indesign, Microsoft Publisher and Quark XPress are the most popular page layout software applications.
Q:
Can I put text over an image?
A:
Be careful about using photographs or non-uniform graphics for text backgrounds,
the text can be very hard to read. The secret is to lighten or contrast the
text background a lot more than you may think is necessary. Use a photo
editing program like Adobe Photoshop or let Westside make the adjustments.
