Photoshop — How to set up an envelope file for a commercial printing company

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Photoshop is not the best program to use if you want to create an envelope file. However, if you are skilled at Photoshop, or if Photoshop is the only program to which you have access, then Photoshop will be the program that you use to create your envelope file.

The words and images that appear below are based upon the Apple-Mac-based Photoshop program. If you are using a PC, then the images might appear a little different, but the principle is almost exactly the same.

 

 

Setting up an envelope file in Photoshop

Choose: File > New

You shall be presented with a New document dialogue box, similar to the below image. Photoshop can be a very unforgiving program when it comes to create envelope files and, if you wish to avoid the pitfalls of Photoshop, it is very important that you set up the envelope file correctly. So, please read this section of the page thoroughly, and make sure you undertand it.

First, name the file, and please consider the following when creating your file's name.

  1. Printers use the name to identify the customer. In our example, TheOnlinePrinter is the customer, so the name will start with the customer's name.
  2. Printers use the name to identify the type of product that is being printed. In our example, TheOnlinePrinter is designing a DL envelope, so the name will finish with the type of product that is being printed (i.e.: A DL envelope).

Second, make sure the Width and Height are correctly entered. The sizes that TheOnlinePrinter produces are:

  • DL — 200mm wide x 110 mm high (or a bit larger than 1/3rd of an A4 sheet).
  • C5 — 229mm wide x 162 mm high (or a bit larger than 1/2 of an A4 sheet).
  • C4 — 324mm wide x 229 mm high (or a bit larger than an A4 sheet).

Third, ensure that the Resolution is set at 300 pixels per inch. You can have the resolution set higher (e.g.: 450 pixels per inch), but you must never have it lower than 300 pixels per inch.

Once the above has been entered correctly, click on the blue OK button.

 

You will now be presented with a blank file.

Before you create your envelope design, you must place the Safety Margin lines upon the Photoshop file.

  • Place your mouse in the top ruler, hold down left mouse key, and drag the mouse down until it is 10mm inside the top of the envelope file. This is the top Safety Margin line.
  • Place your mouse in the top ruler, hold down left mouse key, and drag the mouse down until it is 10mm inside the bottom of the envelope file. This is the bottom Safety Margin line.
  • Place your mouse in the left-hand ruler, hold down left mouse key, and drag the mouse across until it is 10mm inside the left-side of the envelope file. This is the left Safety Margin line.
  • Place your mouse in the left-hand ruler, hold down left mouse key, and drag the mouse across until it is 10mm inside the right-side of the envelope file. This is the right Safety Margin line.

 

You must keep all text, colours and images inside the Safety Margin lines — if you look closely at the below image, you will see that the text and logo are either right-on or inside the Safety Margin lines.

Once you have completed your envelope design in Photoshop, save your file.

Whilst commercial printing companies, including TheOnlinePrinter, readily accept Adobe Photoshop envelope files, you should note that Adobe Photoshop envelope files are not foolproof, and they can present some problems. Specifically:

  • Your commercial printer might not be licensed to use the fonts that you have used, and this can create problems when your commercial printer tries to create a press-ready file from your Adobe Photoshop envelope file.
  • Adobe Photoshop envelope files are normally quite stable when they are sent over the Internet or via E-mail to a printing company, but the stability of an Adobe Photoshop envelope file is not guaranteed.
  • Adobe Photoshop envelope files can be quite large.

To overcome the above mentioned issues, TheOnlinePrinter suggests that you convert all the text to outlines, and convert your Adobe Photoshop envelope file to a PDF.

 

Outlining text in a Photoshop envelope file

First, choose Select > All Layers.

 You can confirm that all layers have been selected, as the Layers dialogue box will have all but the Background shaded in light blue (see below image).

 

Now choose: Layer > Type > Convert to Shape.

The text should now appear to be a bit 'blotchy' (as seen in the below screen shot). This means the text has been converted to outlines, and your printing company will not have any problems with your fonts.

Save your file.

 

Converting a Photoshop envelope file into a press-ready PDF

First, choose File > Save As.

You will then be taken to the Save As dialogue box. Please ensure the following is entered correctly:

  1. Format — the drop-down menu must be set at Photoshop PDF.
  2. Layers — the Layers box must be ticked.
  3. Click the Save button.

 

You will then be taken to the Save Adobe PDF dialogue box (see below). Make sure that the top Adobe PDF Preset drop-down menu is set at Press Quality. Once this is done, then:

  1. Select Bicubic Downsampling to from the drop-down menu, ensure the top box is set at 300 pixels per inch, and the lower box is set at 450 pixels per inch.
  2. Ensure that the Compression is et at JPEG, and the Image Quality is set at Maximum.
  3. If the above in entered correctly, click the Save PDF button.

 

You now have a press-ready file that you can send to your commercial printing company, and we hope that you select TheOnlinePrinter.