Chapter 4 & 5

File Formats to print:
The appropriate file formats for print are TIFF, Photoshop EPS, PSD, PDF, and in special cases screen captures.

TIFF is the most widely supported file format because it maybe imported into Illustrator, InDesign, quark Xpress, word, and some text editors. 

EPS can support both pixel and vector artwork.

PSD is a native Photoshop software that is used to edit the working image and the same file image allowing the designer to edit layers and transparences

PDF they can contain vectors and type elements without rasterizing.

Screen captures have a one to one relationship between the fixed numbers of pixels that the system generates and the number of pixels seen on your screen.

File formats not to print:
Some inappropriate file formats for print would include PNG, BMP, GIF, and JPEG.
PNG images are not best for print because they contain RGB, indexed colors, and transparencies.

BMP support colors depths from one bit to thirty-two bits but lacks the support of CMYK.

JIF is appropriate only for web use because of its low resolution and its color pallet of 256 colors.

JPEG compress images resulting in discarding of information.

Pixels vs vector
While raster images are made up of pixels, vector graphics are pixel free. Vector graphics are not subject to the scaling restrictions that raster images.

Raster images have no inherent resolution so vectors can be enlarged or reduced with no loss of resolution.

JPG vs Raw:
JPG consumer point and shoot cameras deliver their images as JPGs which is a compressed file format. Resulting in the loss of resolution, however higher level professional cameras can deliver images in the camera RAW format which is subjected minimal or no compression by the camera.

PPI resolution

Points per inch resolution describes image resolution. The rule of thumb for image resolution should be 1.5 to 2 times the printing screen ruling but the common convention is to save images at 300 PPI

Bitmap images

Supports color depths for one bit, black and white with no shades of gray, to 32 bit, millions of colors, but lacks support for CMYK and is not appropriate for printing.

Cropping/Rotating

Cropping is best done in the software such as Photoshop and not while scanning or saving digital photography because future use of the image may not be known for you may always crop more but you may not un-crop.

Rotating like most transformations will require interpolation of pixel information. Therefore the only safe rotations are that of 90 degree increments anything else will result in the softening of details.

Transparency tip

Although Illustrator, InDesign, and QuarkXPress accept and correctly handle opacity settings in a placed Photoshop native file, they do not correctly handle blending modes in a Photoshop file. The most common example is a drop shadow.

Vector file formats

EPS, Native (ai), PDF are all vector file formats. EPS is the most common file format for containing vector artwork. An EPS file contains drawing information and may also contain font information as well as embedding raster images. A preview image is also included to provide an appearance for the file when it is placed into an page layout program such as InDesign.

Native illustrator files allows InDesign to use transparence and blending modes and allows you to control the visibility of layers without having to modify the Illustrator file.

PDF allows finished art to become un-editable and under some circumstances eliminates the need to supply fonts with your job.

Embedding fonts

Embedding fonts means that the font information should be available for display and printing but does not make the font available for editing.

Outlining text

Converting text to outlines eliminating hinting, font information, so text may display on screen if slightly bloated and will print slightly heavier.

Simplify paths

Fewer points results in smoother drawings and to many points can create a choppy drawing and few points allow for a smoother RIP.

Sources came from my textbook Adobe Creative Suite Applications, written by Claudia McCue.