Which file format should I use ?

The most practical and qualitative file type is PDF: it preserve the layout and quality of texts and graphics, prevents font substitution, and allow for easy to use multipages documents. For your photos, prefer TIF over JPG : the latter often implies intern compression resulting in a loss of quality and resolution.

How should I setup my documents ?

Always work at real size (in mm or cm) : even text editing softwares allow to change the size of the workspace/page. In photo editing software, set the resolution of your workspace at 300 dpi for a good printing quality. If you import a file (a picture from internet for example), try to use at least 150 dpi pictures. Setup documents bleeds, and image color profile. (see below)

< back

How can I convert my file into a PDF ?

PDF can be produced from any program, often just with Save As or Export command. You can also use Print command and choose «PDF» option (on Mac OS) or « Print to file » (GNU/Linux). On Windows you need to install a virtual PDF printer like these (all programs below are free) :
. . .
You can also convert your file via websites such as :
. . .

How can I send my files ?

You can attach them to an e-mail (up to 8 Mo) or use a file transfer server for large files (up to 2 Go).
. . .

It is highly recommended that you contact us by phone after sending the file, to make sure the transfer has been completed and that your order is in process.

< back

What is a bleed ?

A «bleeding» image is an image adjacent to the border of the sheet on which it’s printed. Since the printers always leave a white border, we must print on a larger sheet and cut the borders until desired format.
To do so, the background layer in the file must be enlarged, but not the important details (texts, page numbers,...). The final format will be determined by crop marks, while anything behind it will be lost.

So the workspace in the file must be slightly larger than desired format. For a full page A4, the file must then be 303x216mm instead of 297x210, with 3mm bleed on each side.

In the example to the left, the red dotted line shows the desired format (it’s just a visual help and must not be drawn in the file), the black lines are the crop marks (must be in the file). The blue area outside the crop marks will be cut: it is the «bleed».

Red markings indicate bleeding parts

< back

What is a Color Profile ?

RGB (Red Green Blue) used by all screens

CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black) used in printing

Files can come with many different color profiles. Each processing differently the color components (the amount of red, green or blue in a RGB photo, the % of cyan, magenta, yellow and black in a CMYK file). It means that for the same amount of a color component, 2 different profiles with result in 2 slightly different colors.

A file always has a color profile, from the moment it was created, and depending on its source (digital photography, scan, text or graphic created in a software,...). It is important to always keep this profile each time you import or export this file in/from any software (unless you intentionnaly convert it yourself to a better suited profile for your workflow). It is also easier, if your software can manage it, to incorporate the profile to the file, so that you or any person working on it knows how to use it and print it correctly.
In many cases, if you don’t know the profile of your files, it will come out wrong on the first printing. You can find information on the color profiles on many websites. At Plan2000, we use sRGB (for RGB files) and Fogra27 (for CMYK files) by default, but if you use another one, let us know and we will adapt !

To the left, source picture when displayed on
screen (RGB), to the right the same picture
when printed (CMYK simulation)

To the right, a picture with Adobe RGB
98 profile, to the right the same picture
displayed with a wrong profile

< back