Final Art: How Do I Prepare My Book Print Files?
I am a graphic designer and I work in the layout of the book that the publishing house in which I work will soon publish. When it comes to preparing the files (the final art) for printing, I am faced with several questions, as the concepts and variables involved in the layout of a book are diverse.
Proper preparation of my book print files is essential to avoid additional costs and superfluous (and often annoying) management.
Contents
Questions about the final art of my book that I ask my printer
Regarding the number of pages, what proportion should my book have?
How do I prepare files for printing the inside pages of my book?
How do I prepare the final art for the covers, should I process them separately from the inside page files?
If I want to include flaps on the covers of my book, how should I plan the layout of the covers?
How do I calculate the spine measurement of my book?
If I want to add spot UV varnish to my book covers, do I need to process the UV varnish file separately from the final art?
What should I do if I want to apply hot foil or hot silver to my book covers?
What is the measurement of bleeds (or bleeds) that I need to establish in the final art of my book?
In my book layout, can I place page numbers or section titles (rotated text at the top of the page) near the page boundary?
What should I keep in mind if I want to bind my book with a hardcover?
Since this is hardcover binding, how should I layout the endpapers if they are to be printed double-sided?
My book will be printed in 4/4 CMYK, what color mode should the images be in?
What if I'm going to print the inside pages of my book at 1:1 black and white?
Conclusion
Questions about the final art of my book that I ask my printer
Regarding the number of pages, what proportion should my book have?
First of all, it is necessary to differentiate between the words “page” and “sheet”. A sheet is made up of 2 pages, it's obvious, but it is necessary to keep it in mind so that the number of pages of a book, catalog, personalized diary or magazine is even (never odd).
In the case of a book, the number of pages must always be a multiple of 4, due to printing notebooks.
For example, a book should not have 150 pages, but 148 or 152 pages.
When laying out files for a book, the number of pages should be a multiple of 4. This is only for the inside pages, as the covers need to be handled separately. When calculating pages, it is necessary not to include covers and consider them separately.
The most appropriate terminology would be, for example: Book of 152 pages + covers.
How do I prepare files for printing the inside pages of my book?
The inside pages must always be processed in the individual page format, for example, if the closed format of the book is DIN A5, in the layout software the document format must be set to DIN A5 (plus 3 mm. of edges lost).
In the layout software, you can work with adjacent pages, which is very comfortable and convenient when it comes to layout. However, when generating the PDF file for printing, the pages should be individualized (in closed book format) and include bleed areas and trim marks.
If blank pages were included in the layout, at the beginning or end of the book, these pages must also be included in the final PDF.
How do I prepare the final art for the covers, should I process them separately from the inside page files?
Yes, we recommend working the covers in a separate file. Covers should not be in the closed format of the book. For example, if the format of the closed book is DIN A5, the covers should not be designed as 4 DIN A5 pages (1st. cover, 2nd. cover, 3rd. cover and 4th. cover).
It is necessary to arrange the covers already assembled, that is to say in the open format of the book plus the spine.
Let's take an example: if the size of the paperback is 14.8 x 21 cm. finished, the width of the slice is 10 mm. and the printing of the covers will be done on both sides (4/4 quadri), then the cover file must be composed of 2 pages in the format 306 x 210 mm. :
In the first page we will place the 4th. cover on the left, the slice in the middle (of course) and the 1st. cover on the right.
In the second page we will place the 2nd. cover on the left, the inside area of the slice in the middle and the 3rd.
cover on the right.
As for the inside area of the spine (where the block of inside pages will be glued to the covers), it should be white (i.e. no printable elements should be placed, let alone any background of ink), to facilitate good adhesion of the glue and thus ensure optimum quality of the binding.
book prints
If I want to include flaps on the covers of my book, how should I plan the layout of the covers?
When adding flaps to book covers (it is common to place 2 flaps, one on the 1st. cover and the other on the 4th. cover), it is necessary to increase by 2 mm . the width of the 1st. of coverage and the width of the 4th. of cover, compared to the format of the interior pages.
For example, if the book size is 14.8 x 21 cm. closed, the edge measures 10 mm. and the covers have 2 flaps of 8 cm. each of them (being the printing of single-sided covers, 4/0 CMYK), the covers file must consist of a single page in the format 470 x 210 mm. The development of the measurements (the width) would be: 80 mm. (4th cover flap) + 150 mm. (4th. cover) + 10 mm. (edge) + 150 mm (1st. cover) + 80 mm. (1st. cover flap).
Why add these 2 mm. additional on the 1st. and 4th. blankets? To give more elegance to the book. It is an aesthetic question, but one that cannot be ignored. I invite you to take any book with flaps that you have at hand; you will be able to see that the 1st and 4th cover are wider than the inside pages… obtaining a very nice and elegant product. If the 1st and 4th covers had the same width as the inside pages, or even a little shorter, the visual result would be unattractive...
Another technical consideration can be added regarding the larger width of the 1st. and the 4th. cover: In books without flaps, the cutter cuts the book at the same time at the top, bottom and on the side opposite the spine; and it does this with the book already "covered", so the inner block and the covers will always be the same width.
In books with flaps, the cutter cuts the book at the same time at the top and bottom, but not on the side opposite the spine (because the flaps would be cut off!) The block of the inside pages has been cut beforehand on the side opposite the spine.
In any industrial process, there may be slight variations in the measurements, which is why it is necessary that the 1st and 4th covers are wider than the inside pages.
If not, these slight variations could cause the covers to stay much shorter, much longer, randomly throughout the copy binding process.
When laying out, we recommend that the front cover image “takes up” a few mm. the flap area, and the same with the image of the 4th cover in relation to its flap.
In this way, with the book closed in our hands, in this "lip" caused by the greater width of the 1st and 4th cover, we will see the same image as in the 1st and 4th cover.
Again, it's a question of aesthetics, but we must recognize that beautiful things attract our attention.
How do I calculate the spine measurement of my book?
We recommend that you always consult the printer. At CEVAGRAF, SCCL we calculate the spine based on the types of paper to be used (both for covers and interiors).
Once the calculation is done, we inform our customers of the spine size so that they can adjust the layout of the covers.
The graphic designer can make a preliminary and rough calculation of the spine of your book, but always subject to confirmation or correction by your trusted online printer.
If I want to add spot UV varnish to my book covers, do I need to process the UV varnish file separately from the final art?
Yes, we recommend separating the spot UV varnish file from the file containing the final art. We do not recommend including UV varnish as a fifth ink or color in the print file.
In the UV file, the areas in which the varnish will be applied must only be 100% black, we must not use black screens or any other color, whether spot or four-color: it use only 100% black.
What should I do if I want to apply hot foil or hot silver to my book covers?
As in the case of a selective UV varnish, the hot foil or silver file must be separated from the print file and the areas where this effect will be applied must be 100% black. Do not use tr
Do not use wefts of black or any other color.
What is the measurement of bleeds (or bleeds) that I need to establish in the final art of my book?
The bleed edge measurement in book print files should be 3mm. This is the usual measurement in most printed products. When preparing the PDF for printing, the separation between the cut marks (“offset” in many software) must also be 3 mm.
It is important that the elements coming to the edges of the page occupy the entire area of the bleeds; please do not place elements occupying only 1 mm. bleed edges, for example.
When printing and binding books the signatures are folded into 4, 8, 12 or 16 pages, for example, depending on the size of the book, and the slight variations inherent in any industrial process could make so that items placed just within the page boundary don't reach the edge of the page and you see a very thin, unsightly white line.
In my book layout, can I place page numbers or section titles (rotated text at the top of the page) near the page boundary?
When preparing the files for the inside pages of the book, a safety margin of approximately 5 mm must be respected, around which no useful element (texts, logos, etc.) or any other element should not reach the page boundary.
By the same explanation as in the previous paragraph, such elements (page numbers, for example) placed at 1 or 2 mm. of the page boundary could be cut off when binding the book.
book
What should I keep in mind if I want to bind my book with a hardcover?
As for the inner pages, we can apply the above. In relation to the covers, we remind you that your trusted online printer will calculate the measure of the edge and send you the development of the measures of the covers. The peculiarity is that the bleed area should be 20 mm.
The offset between the cut marks should also be 20 mm. The bleed area should be wider than usual, as the covers wrap the cardboard around the spine, to which the endpapers will be glued.
Since this is hardcover binding, how should I layout the endpapers if they are to be printed double-sided?
The endpapers must be designed as if they were “diptychs” or 2-panel leaflets, by multiplying the width of the inside pages by 2. For example, if the inside pages are 21 x 29.7 cm. and the endpapers will be printed at 4/4 CMYK (duplex), we will layout the endpapers with 4 pages in the format 42 x 29.7 cm. :
Page 1 will be the 1st guard. the “exterior” cover, the one you see as soon as you open the book; you can place elements to be printed on its entire surface.
Page 2 will be the 1st guard. of “inner” cover: In the left half we can place elements to be printed, while in the right half we must not place anything, since it will be glued to the cardboard of the covers.
Page 3 will be the 4th guard. of “inner” cover: The left half is the one that will be glued to the cardboard, while in the right half we can place elements to be printed.
Page 4 will be the 4th guard. the “outside” cover, the one you see just before closing the book; you can place elements to be printed on its entire surface.
The bleed area of the guards should be 3mm.
My book will be printed in 4/4 CMYK, what color mode should the images be in?
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Images that could be in other color modes (RGB, LAB…) must be changed to CMYK. Once all the images are in this color mode, place them in the layout software.
Since we are talking about colors, in the layout software the colors used should also be process colors, not pantone spot colors. Any “transparency” effects applied must also be in full color.
The book is printed in four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). The Pre-press department's workflow software automatically transforms RGB images and pantone colors to four-color, but in this process there may be changes in more or less accentuated color shades.
To avoid unexpected print results, we strongly recommend that colors and images are original
if I am going to print the inside pages of my book at 1/1 black and white?
In this case, only black ink should be used in print files. This is very obvious, but you have to pay attention to the fact that the images must be in “greyscale” mode and not in RGB or CMYK.
An image can appear in grayscale and yet be composed of all four process colors. In other words, at first glance it may appear that the image is black and white, with its corresponding gray scale, but in reality it may be in four colors.
We strongly recommend that images and logos be in "grayscale" mode before placing them in the layout software.
In addition, when generating the PDF, it is necessary not to include the "color bar", available in the PDF generation options. Even if all elements of your book are in black and white, when you check this option when creating the PDF, these color bars will appear (at the top of the page) and then cause the colors cyan, magenta and yellow to appear in our PDF.
In general, it is sufficient to include only the outer cut marks, with the corresponding bleed area.
In the case of printing the inside pages at 2/2 (pantone and black), only the black color and the chosen pantone color (such as spot color) must be used in the original file. Process colors should not be used, and of course images (photos and logos) should not be in CMYK.
final art
We take this opportunity to make a small digression: The black color should not be confused with the “Registration” color available in layout and vector drawing software. Any element that has the "Registration" color applied will output 100% of the four process colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black).
Print items that have the “Registration” color applied will print in all 4 colors, which may cause ink drying (in the case of backgrounds) or registration (in the case of thin text) problems. . In the backgrounds in black color, to obtain a nice black color, it is enough to apply 50% Cyan and 100% Black.
In black texts, it is necessary to use only the color "black" at 100%.
Conclusion
A Hindu proverb says: “An open book is a talking brain; closed, a friend waiting; forgotten, a forgiving soul; destroyed, a weeping heart. »
Books are vehicles for the transmission of knowledge, knowledge… and not only that, but also the feelings and experiences of the authors are imprinted in them. Culture is collected and disseminated through books.
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