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Color Quality: Illustrator

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the color you order matches the color of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the color of your document in Illustrator.

Checklist

1. Download & Install Color Profile
2. Check that your Images are in CMYK
3. Check that your Document Color Mode is in CMYK

1. Download & Install PrintingCenterUSA Color Profile

First, Download our color profile here. You will be downloading a .zip folder. Double click the file to unzip the folder.

a. In Illustrator, go to Edit > Color Settings
b. In the Color Settings window, select “Load” and choose “PCUSA-load into color settings.csf” Click Save.

c. In the zip folder, double click PrintingCenterUSA.joboptions. Click “replace” if a caution window comes up. Click exit.

2. Check that your Images are in CMYK

To check your images in your document, simply click on the image you are wanting to check. In the top navigation of Illustrator, your image’s name, dimension, and file size will appear. If your image is not in CMYK, this will need to be changed.

3. Check that your Document Color Mode is in CMYK

If you installed the PCUSA color settings in Step 1, then your documents color mode should already be in CMYK.

Color Quality: InDesign

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the color you order matches the color of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the color of your document in InDesign.

Checklist

1. Download & Install Color Profile
2. Check that your Images are in CMYK
3. Check that your Document Color Mode is in CMYK

1. Download & Install PrintingCenterUSA Color Profile

First, Download our color profile here. You will be downloading a .zip folder. Double click the file to unzip the folder.

a. In InDesign, go to Edit > Color Settings
b. In the Color Settings window, select “Load” and choose “PCUSA-load into color settings.csf” Click Save.

c. In the zip folder, double click PrintingCenterUSA.joboptions. Click “replace” if a caution window comes up. Click exit.

2. Check that your Images are in CMYK

a. To check if your images are in CMYK, in the top menu bar click: Window > Info.
b. Click on the image you are checking. If your image is in CMYK, it will say so. If it is in RGB, then you will need to replace the image (or the colors will print different than expected).

3. Check that your Document Color Mode is in CMYK

If you installed the PCUSA color settings in Step 1, then your documents color mode should already be in CMYK. Regardless, CMYK is the default for InDesign.

Color Quality: Overview

Your product should be designed in the CMYK color mode whenever possible. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key (Black). If you do not save your product in CMYK, PrintingCenterUSA will automatically convert your design from RGB (red, green and blue; this is what you see on your monitor) to CMYK. For more information about setting up your document in CMYK, click here.

When ordering on PrintingCenterUSA’s Pricing Tool, you will be asked to select your Ink options (Inside Ink and Cover Ink for multi-page products). These options will appear as:

• 4/4 Full Color Both Sides
• 4/1 Full Color Front / Black Back
• 4/0 Full Color Front / Empty Back or
• 1/1 Black Front / Black Back

For example, a Postcard may have a Full Color Front (4) with only Black (1) on the back. The appropriate Ink selection for this postcard would be 4/1 Full Color Front / Black Back.

Color Printing is also known as 4-color printing, full color printing, process printing, and CMYK printing. Color involves the separation of all colors into 4 different color values (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black).

For a step-by-step tutorial on color, select from one of the following programs:
InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Canva, Publisher, and Word

Have more questions? Check our Color Quality FAQ.

Size: Word

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the size you order matches the size of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the size of your design in Word.

Checklist

1. Open Page Setup
2. Check the Dimensions of your Document
3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

1. Open Page Setup

Open your document in Word. In the top menu, click: File > Page Setup. This will prompt the Page Setup window to open where you will check the dimensions of your document.

2. Check the Dimensions of your Document

a. In the Page Setup Window, Select “Manage Custom Sizes” in in the “Paper Size” dropdown.

b. Once in the Manage Custom Sizes window, select your custom size on the left. Then check the dimensions of the page. Your Paper size should be .25 inches (width and height) larger than your final trim size (the size you will select to order in the pricing tool).
For example: If your Letterhead is 8.5” x 11” then your paper size here would be 8.75” x 11.25.” This extra .25 inches accommodates for the bleed.

3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

Once you have checked the size of your document, compare it to your chosen size on PrintingCenterUSA’s pricing tool. The page size in Word should be .25 inches larger (for width and height) than the price shown in the pricing tool. If your sizes are the same, then you probably just need to adjust your document size/design to accommodate for bleed.

Note: Changing the size of your product on the pricing tool may affect the price.

Size: Publisher

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the size you order matches the size of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the size of your design in Publisher.

Checklist

1. Open Page Setup
2. Check the Dimensions of your Document
3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

1. Open Page Setup

Open your document in Publisher. In the top menu, click: Page Design > Size > Page Setup. This will prompt the Page Setup window to open where you will check the dimensions of your document.

2. Check the Dimensions of your Document

In the Page Setup window, check the dimensions of the page. Your Page size should be .25 inches (width and height) larger than your final trim size (the size you will select to order in the pricing tool). For example: If your Letterhead is 8.5” x 11” then your paper size here would be 8.75” x 11.25.” This extra .25 inches accommodates for the bleed.

3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

Once you have checked the size of your document, compare it to your chosen size on PrintingCenterUSA’s pricing tool. The page size should be exactly the same. If they are not the same, either adjust your document size/design or the chosen size on the pricing tool.

Note: Changing the size of your product on the pricing tool may affect the price.

Size: Canva

To see your page size in Canva, there are two options:

1. Top of Screen

You can view the top right of your screen, to the right of the title of your design. Your page size will be shown here.

2. Resize

Click “Resize & Magic Switch”. In the dropdown menu, choose Resize > Custom Size. That will display your page size under “Width” and “Height”.

Warning: You cannot resize your design in the free version of Canva. You can only resize when using Canva Pro.

Size: Photoshop

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the size you order matches the size of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the size of your document in Photoshop.

Checklist

1. Open Canvas Size
2. Check the Dimensions of your Document
3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

1. Open Canvas Size

Open your document in Photoshop. In the top menu, click: Image > Canvas Size.

This will prompt the Canvas Size window to open where you will check the dimensions of your document.

2. Check the Dimensions of your Document

In the Canvas Size window, your canvas size should be .25 inches larger on both length and width than your final trim size (the size you will select to order in the pricing tool).

For example: If your Letterhead is 8.5” x 11” then your canvas size should be 8.75” x 11.”

This extra .25 inches is what accommodates for the bleed. To learn more about setting up bleed in Photoshop, click here. The Canvas Size window is also where you would make changes if necessary.

3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

Once you have checked the size of your document, compare it to your chosen size on PrintingCenterUSA’s pricing tool. The page size should be exactly the same. If they are not the same, either adjust your document size/design or the chosen size on the pricing tool.

Note: Changing the size of your product on the pricing tool may affect the price.

Size: Illustrator

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the size you order matches the size of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the size of your document in Illustrator.

Checklist

1. Select Artboard Tool
2. Check Your Artboard Size
3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

1. Select Artboard Tool

Open your document in Illustrator. In your toolbar, select the artboard tool. If you have multiple artboards (pages), then click the artboard you are wanting to check.

Note: Repeat steps 1-3 for each artboard.

2. Check your Artboard Size

Once you have clicked on the artboard you are checking, the dimensions of the artboard will show at the top of the Illustrator workspace. This is also where you would make changes if necessary.

Note: If you do not see the dimensions appear at the top, try changing your workspace to “Essentials Classic” at the top right of Illustrator.

3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

Once you have checked the size of your document, compare it to your chosen size on PrintingCenterUSA’s pricing tool. The page size should be exactly the same. If they are not the same, either adjust your document size/design or the chosen size on the pricing tool.

Note: Changing the size of your product on the pricing tool may affect the price.

Size: InDesign

To ensure your price quote and design accuracy, it is crucial that the size you order matches the size of your PDF. Follow the steps below to check the size of your document in InDesign.

Checklist

1. Open Document Setup
2. Check the Dimensions of your Document
3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

1. Open Document Setup

Open your document in InDesign. In the top menu, Click: File > Document Setup.

This will prompt the Document Setup window to open where you will check your dimensions.

2. Check the Dimensions of your Document

In the Document Setup window, check the size of your document. This is also where you would make changes if necessary.

Note: You can also check your bleed settings in the “Bleed and Slug” section.

3. Compare to Chosen Size in Pricing Tool

Once you have checked the size of your document, compare it to your chosen size on PrintingCenterUSA’s pricing tool. The page size should be exactly the same. If they are not the same, either adjust your document size/design or the chosen size on the pricing tool.

Note: Changing the size of your product on the pricing tool may affect the price.