RGB Color Space Preferred
RGB has a broader range of available colors and will reproduce better in the end. Converting your files to CMYK is only for images that will eventually be converted to a halftone and used in a process like, offset printing.
Resolution
- 300ppi native resolution is our preferred resolution.
- 150ppi is minimum resolution.
Though 300ppi is our preferred resolution, Fusion can be a very forgiving process and we have worked with many files that fall way below any sort of conventional resolution standards with good results.
If you have a file that doesn’t meet our typical pixel resolution guidelines, please send us the image, get our opinion and look at a sample. Depending on substrate and function, you may be very happy with the quality that can achieve on a less than perfect image – it’s what we do!
Photo Quality and Manipulation
Resolution does not always equal quality. When a photo is taken where there is not enough light, digital cameras have a tendency to make noisy photos. Noise is the random speckles of “off color” where there should be none.
It is much easier to manipulate and “fix” a lower resolution file that is well shot than to “fix” a photo with high resolution that is poorly shot. All pixels are NOT created equal.
Image File Formats
Raster images: Common raster image formats that we use are psd (photoshop), tiff, jpg. These file formats are resolution dependent. As you scale them up in size you effectively lower the resolution.
Example: 300ppi photo scaled up 200% would then be 150ppi. Twice the size = 1/2 the resolution.
Vector Images: Common vector image formats that we use are .ai (Adobe Illustrator), .eps, .pdf. Vector images are usually illustrations created by an artist. These files may be safely enlarged to nearly any size with NO LOSS of resolution.
Note: Most vector file formats can include raster images inside of the vectors (like a photo used in a logo). Scaling the vector file will still adversely affect the photo that is included inside the document.
Pick a substrate based on the look and feel you want:
Substrate plays a very critical role in image quality, and the look and feel that you want for your project. Let us help you find what works best for you.