Font and Line Size
When using fine detailed lines and ornate type faces, it is essential to watch the width of the line space. Using too small a text size or line width may cause the detail to be lost when the label art is printed on the disc.
Font Size: Minimum type size of 6 point. Recommended average text size of 8 point
Fonts: Avoid Serif, Old Style and light fonts. If Integrity Form Service, Inc. is supplying film please include on disk all fonts used. (See Electronic File Requirements and Helpful Hints pages for more details)
Reversed Font Size: Size of text knocked out to silver of CD or background should be a minimum of 7 point. Fonts smaller than this have a tendency to close as the ink spreads during printing.
Reversed Font on Halftone Size: Size of text knocked out on halftone in background should be a minimum of 8 point.
Line Width: Minimum of 0.5 point or 0.15mm. This includes lines in fonts, logos, and placed images.
Reversed Line Width: Width of line knocked out to silver of CD or background should be a minimum of .75 point.
Color and Layout
The Basics
- Process Colors. Most printing is done with the following colors, which are referred to as PROCESS COLORS: Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, and Black (CMYK). Artwork is separated into these colors. Process colors cannot reproduce all visible colors - flourescents, pastels, oranges, greens, deep blues and reds can be troublesome or impossible to reproduce.
- Spot Colors. Another method of choosing colors is to select a specific color from the PantoneTM catalog. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) color chart is used as the guide for color matching. Many Pantone colors are standard, but there are also other that require special ordering or custom mixing. When submitting artwork please note the desired PMS color on each separation. If possible, include the proper PMS chips with you artwork. If you have any questions we recommend a visit to www.pantone.com or consult an Integrity Form Service, Inc. Account Manager for assistance.
- Computer Monitors. Computer Monitors use red, green and blue (RGB) to reproduce color. Desktop scanners scan in RGB. These scans must be converted to CMYK for printing on paper. This conversion from RGB to CMYK may cause a noticeable color change.
Color Consistency
The disc substrate with reflective aluminum provides quite a different medium from that of white paper. It important to keep this in mind when choosing colors, especially if one color is to be printed over another. Allow for a + or - 1/2 shade tolerance. Colors may not reproduce accurately when they are over printed. If printing inside the 47mm diameter, color may vary due to the difference in the mirror band and clear inner hub.
Printing Halftone and Process Color
Screen printing using halftone techniques is more technically involved than that of line printing. Color separations must be done specifically for screen printing using elliptical dots. A gray component removal (GCR) process for color separation must be used, and each screen should be angled at 15 degrees from each of the other screens.
Gradual Fades or Vignettes
Avoid gradual fades or vignettes. Gradual fading of halftones is not recommended because dot gain and tonal jump can occur. Dot gain is when ink dots print larger than they should and begin to blend together causing darker tones and stronger color. Tonal jump is the appearance of very pronounced rows of dots when trying to fade from light to heavy. When creating a gradual fade, we can reproduce a 100% to 20% dot. Under 20% may not reproduce.
Trap
Minimum of 0.75 pt. A spread of the image that prints at the start of the film sequence usually in the lighter color. The lighter color spread goes under the images that print last or in the darker color. Overlapping of lighter colors by the darker colors is done to prevent metal from showing around the edges (of the letter for example) as the machines adjust during printing.
Tonal Range
The measurement of the screen value in any one given place. Less than 20% concentration of dots will cause image loss during printing. Because of dot gain during printing, values greater than 85% concentration of dots will cause part of the image to clump together and appear splotchy. This can occur in halftones, solid screen backgrounds and graduated fades.
Moire
A pattern resulting from the use of inappropriate film and screen angles. Rows of dots on a film piece conflict with those in another piece. The effect is a distinctive box-like shape with hazy edges. Moire can walk or grow as the film is rotated on a center axis. Patterns can also be caused by the screen angle against the dot row angle on a single film piece. A variety of angles can be used to address moire.
Ink Distribution
Artwork may affect the readability of a disc in a CD-ROM drive by throwing off the balance of the CD. The problem has developed as the speed of CD-ROM drives has increased. The problem is primarily associated with the faster 24X and 32X CD-ROM drives. If artwork does not balance ink around the surface of the CD there is a tendency for that disc to wobble in these higher speed CD-ROM drives. The wobble of the disc in the drive may cause read problems. When designing artwork for a CD please take into account the balance of inks across the print area to ensure that the design spreads ink evenly.
Lines Per Inch: 100 lines per inch is standard. 85 for spot color; 110 for CMYK and high detail
Electronic Art - Mac & PC formats supported
If using software or file formats that are not listed below, please consult your Integrity Form Service, Inc. Account Manager before sending electronics files to ensure that Integrity Form Service, Inc. can support the particular program you are using. If you are providing a PC file, please include both the original file format and a .EPS file format.
Art should be Color Separated into CMYK or Spot Color: DO NOT USE: RGB, Index OR Lab Color
Media supported for PC and Mac: CD-Rs, 3.5 HD Floppies, Zip disc (100 MB) , Jaz ( 1 & 2 GB), Super Disk
PC and Mac software and formats supported are:
Quark Xpress, Adobe Illustrator .EPS, .AI
Freehand, Adobe Photoshop .TIF, .EPS
Pagemaker, Corel Draw .TIF, .EPS, .BMP
All fonts, imported image files, and logos must be included on the disk
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