CETTEC Insights

Fonts causing issues on press? Learn when to embed, when to outline, and how to prep clean, print-ready PDFs that match what you see on screen.

Saddle-stitched booklets (folded and stapled along the spine) are a great way to package information: manuals, programs, catalogues, training materials, and small magazines. They’re also one of the easiest formats to misjudge if you’re not thinking like a press. Here’s a practical guide to getting them right the first time. 1. Page count: always in multiples of 4 Saddle-stitched booklets are made from folded sheets. Each folded sheet gives you 4 pages , so your total page cou

If you send artwork to print, you’ve probably seen a request like: “Please supply a PDF/X-1a” or“Export as PDF/X-4 with bleed and crop marks.” It sounds technical, but PDF/X is simply a set of rules that make PDFs safer for print. Once you understand the basics, it’s one of the easiest ways to cut down on file problems, surprises on press, and back-and-forth with your printer. What Is PDF/X? PDF/X is a family of PDF standards designed specifically for graphic arts and printin

You design a piece with a big, dramatic black background.On screen it looks deep and inky.In print it comes back… charcoal. In most cases, nothing “went wrong” on press. That’s just what happens when you treat black on screen (RGB) and black on paper (CMYK) as if they’re the same thing. If you remember one rule from this post, make it this: Use K-only black for small text, a controlled rich black for big areas – and never use registration black in your design. Why “100% K” o