Use of fonts in your Inkd print designs

The reality is that most output errors have to do with fonts. Font compatibility is a big prepress issue. For Inkd, you should not convert fonts/text to outlines unless you are using a font that you do not have permission to distribute. Bear in mind that Inkd buyers need to be able to customize text. Text that has been converted to outlines is no longer editable; in fact, it would have to be re-typed and styled from scratch even for a simple change. While we want to end up with visually eye-catching, distinctive designs, there are practical concerns for the buyer and the printer.

To help avoid problems

• Organize your font library. Set up a separate library for your fonts and store them in clearly marked folders.
• Establish a font management system. Use a font management utility to avoid potential conflict between fonts.
• If you're designing on a PC, do not use True Type fonts. They can cause problems at the printer — even if your printer is cross-platform compliant. Consider Open Type.
• As a general rule for print, stay away from fonts with city and place names such as Geneva, Chicago, or Monaco. They are meant for the screen.
• Designers are asked to upload the font files for all (non-standard) fonts used in a given project if they have license to do so.
• You must send the entire font family for each font you've used. Use system fonts if you don't have license to send commericial fonts.
• You must send screen and printer fonts.
• Designers must have commercial permissions to use non-standard fonts.
  • If you don't, here's what Inkd reccommends to do:
    • Buy the font at the commercial rate
    • If you can't buy it, still submit the files with the non-standard fonts you designed with, but don't supply the font files. In the uploading process, list what fonts are used in your original design. Buyers can decide whether to buy the font themselves or to change it
    • Keep in mind that, unfortunately, not supplying fonts will mean that when buyers open your layout, your non-standard fonts will be replaced with system fonts and any special typesetting on your part will be appied to the substitute font. This will cause the copy to shift within the layout.

Options for designers

• Using standard operating system fonts such as Arial, Helvetica and Times Roman.
  • Advantage: No need to supply fonts to buyers (or printers) because these fonts are standard across platforms.
  • Disadvantage: Not distinctive or otherwise aesthetically ideal in a layout — at least for large type.
• Using non-standard fonts
  • Advantage: Visually more interesting and distinctive, especially for large type or headings and call-outs.
  • Disadvantage: Having to supply the fonts, with commercial licensing.
• Remember that whatever fonts you choose, no matter how carefully chosen and treated, can be changed by the buyer.
• When you create your preview PDF, create it with the fonts of your choice, regardless of commercial permissions. Buyers will be able to view what fonts are used in the design by opening "Document Properties"

Using "placeholder" copy in your designs

* For placeholder text in body paragraphs, please use industry-standard Lorem Ipsum text. (Resource: http://www.lipsum.com.) We like to use real, suggestive for for H1 and H2 copy since it better supports the actual design.

Miscellaneous production guidelines

• Never style type with with the program's menu. Instead, select the "true" font for the style (e.g., "Gill Sans Bold" instead of "Gill Sans" with applied "Bold".)
• Standard column gutter widths: .25"
• Use a single, measured tab space rather than multiple tab or spacebar spaces.
• Place, align and transform graphic elements using mathematical measurements and guides rather than by eye.
• Type should be no smaller than 6 pts, including footnotes, fractions, copyright page information and symbols.
• Lines and rules should be at least .6 pt thick. "Hairline" rules are too thin to properly register and should be avoided.
• To help avoid mixing up layers, lock layers that are not being used at any given time.