With the growth of the computer industry also comes a volume of applications each doing amazing things, but usually not to the high end imaging devices we utilize. If your software can save a raster image to a tiff or high quality jpeg, or a form of a photoshop file; it will have a measureable level of compatibility with our devices. If your program can save or export a vector-based eps file, the same levels of compatibilty will apply.

Colours Inc., has chosen a mac based environment for their digital services; most graphic applications that the mac supports
can open and properly read their pc counterparts.
Click on the application icons above to read additional suggestions on optimizing your files to match our devices.

Adobe Photosop

Create your image in a proportianate size, but remember that the image resolution must be no less than 200ppi at the image's final size. Use an appropriate color space. Our photographic-based imaging is RGB; Adobe 98 provides the best profile. Our inkjet-based imaging is CMYK; US Web Coated SWOP v2 provides the best profile.

If your image utilizes layers, especially adjustment layers, provide the layered version of the file instead of a flattened one. Some subtlety and detail may shift when flattened, and further adjustments will treat the file universally instead of that specific layer's objects.

It is better to create at a resolution that is higher than the printing device may require... as far as Photoshop has advanced, it still will not "res-up a file. Photoshop tiff (.tif) for flattened, and Photoshop document (.psd) for layered files, are the most stable formats to use with our printing devices. We do support all other photoshop formats; but caution that these formats and their compressions may cause anomolies.

Adobe Illustrator

We recommend that you link your placed files instead of embedding them. This will allow for color adjustments and editing capability that embedding doesn't support. Make sure that the color setting in Illustrator matches your imports before you begin importing; shifting the color settings will also affect your placed file's settings.

In the Document Settup menu: Under Printing and Export, set the dpi to 2000; Under Transparency, move the slider for printing and export to it's highest and slowest setting to the right. This will deny Illustrator the chance to alter your file by converting portions of your objects to raster at the programs discretion. This will also diminish color shifts that this process may implement.

Fonts: When possible, convert your decorative and title fonts to outlines. This can be done to all fonts, but we suggest you leave paragraphed text in it's font, for editing convenience. Type 1 fonts will provide best translation.

Adobe InDesign

Indesign utilizes the same color managment system that are standardized across the Adobe software suite most. Matching colors to an imported object is should be the similar to Illustrator and Photoshop.

Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat's usefullness to the imaging industry has been great in the past; Acrobat 5 & 6 have now given operators the opportunity to generate pdf's that can image high quality panels up to 48" x 96".

Job option settings will need to be adjusted for the pdf to retain all the proper information needed. These settings are platform sensitive and the process new, we ask that you call and discuss your project before considering pdf's as your best solution.

Quark Express

Quark utilizes a RGB color mixer that is different from the standard most other programs use. Matching colors to an imported object is inaccurate and should require color proofs. Quark has page size limitations that can require scaling to achieve the proper dimensions. The most accurate solution is to work at a reduced dimension, half-size and quarter-size layouts will produce the most optimum results.

Page Layout Programs

We have found all the major layout programs have the capability to export and eps file that we can image from. Be sure to embed the fonts. Remember, this form of an embedded eps file will restrict Colours capability to make last minute edits or fixes, in most cases new files will need to be provided.