Cross platform page layout questions for Illustrator files.

[Ella]

Hi there,

I've had a client who I designed a site for ask me to also do her logo and some other graphic work. She is aware that I am only self taught in graphics and am just SLOWLY learning printing and prepress, but is willing to work with me while I'm learning....so hopefully someone here can help with a few questions?
I have the logo designed, mac platform,(Illustrator 10) and they are very happy with it, but my problems start at that point. I'm trying to save files for her that she can use on the web, (seperate disc) and for print (also seperate), but I'm really not sure how I should be setting up the document before I do this. Right now I have the "Print and Export settings" as Paths-output res.800 dpi, ;gradient mesh res. at 300 dpi, convert text to outlines, and preserve overprint when possible...however I really don't understand these settings enough to know whether they are even correct for her usage. Also on the CMYK settings (doc. color setup) should I have checked overprint fill, or stroke? She works on a PC platform. The main problem is her catalog that she's creating with Quark...the transparency issues are driving me bonkers, and I also don't know what file she should use and how she then gets it into Quark...? For this she'll need the logo at about 2x3 inches on the Quark page layout...help. I saved the .ai file, and a .eps file, as well as a gif, no dither, perceptual color, 256, a high res. jpg and a low res jpg.
She tried the gif and it printed out horrible. The jpg, which she can't use for printing turned out much better, so I'm confused. I want to give her files that she can just open and use, but I'm not well enough educated on this yet..anybody? I've attached a screen shot of the layers etc...if that will help anyone.
THX~

[fryke]

For print, she'll probably use the EPS format (encapsulated PostScript). She can place that in Quark Xpress and it will print fine. I'd advise you either not to use any transparency, though. Does the logo really need it?

[Ella]

Fryke,
She wants to be able to take the logo with a transparent background and apply it to whatever she has on her page layout, with out trying to remove the little white square that appears in Quark...for instance she has a catalog page that has a ghosted pic of several artists work,and she wants to use that as a background, and place the logo on top at full opacity...is there a way for her to do that, because I haven't been able to help her with it so far, and I feel terrible. I don't want her to have a logo that she isn't completely happy with, and I'd like to make it as user friendly as possible....so that she doesn't call me each time she goes to do something new. (!)
The .eps file that I saved...can she just place it in there as an eps? Sorry, I realize that sounds like I just repeated what you told me, but using steps..does she open the file from Quark, put it in just as is, and then resize it to fit? Does she need to do anything to the .eps first? I'm sure it sounds simple, but she's not a professional, just has Quark, and ended up doing the family business...I have indesign, not Quark, and I barely have had to use that, so between the two of us trying to get this to place and print in that program, it's pretty comical.
Hope you can follow the ramblings
Ella

[fryke]

Ah, that should be no problem. Maybe Quark just *shows* a white background but _prints_ it correctly? I'm using InDesign, and basically, placing EPS files should be no problem that way.

Yes, EPS should work. She should _place_ it in her document, not try to open the EPS file on its own as a file. She should just try to place it over her background and print it as a test.

[Ella]

Originally Posted by fryke

Ah, that should be no problem. Maybe Quark just *shows* a white background but _prints_ it correctly? I'm using InDesign, and basically, placing EPS files should be no problem that way.

Yes, EPS should work. She should _place_ it in her document, not try to open the EPS file on its own as a file. She should just try to place it over her background and print it as a test.

Fryke! Lovely, thanks, it worked as you suggested...so I'm going to ask you one other question.... Everything comes out perfectly in quark, with transparency etc...except (so strange) the stem on the gourd (seperate layer) and that comes out looking like it has a huge white brush stroke all around it. It doesn't, but I've printed and put it into Quark several times, and the same thing is happening. Any idea why? Have you heard of this before? Not sure if you can see the layer with the stem on the jpeg I attached to the original post?

Thanks, Ella

[fryke]

Maybe you can "expand" that object before creating the EPS...?