Printing FAQ

Though we can print a wide selection of files, improperly formatted files may cause difficulty during jobs. To help out students and professionals, we created a FAQ to explain more common problems.

General Notes

  • Printing and scanning stop one hour before closing.
  • During UC Berkeley midterms or finals, printing time may increase by 2-5 hours.
  • For time-critical orders, please call store for estimate.
  • The Ink Stone does not offer converting, correcting, trimming, or editing services. All files should be print-ready.

Print Sizes

While we can print from a variety of sizes, print times will be decreased if files are formatted in ARCH (architecture) or ANSI (American National Standards Institute) dimensions. These are:

  • ARCH A – 9″ x 12″
  • ARCH B – 12″ x 18″
  • ARCH C – 18″ x 24″
  • ARCH D – 24″ x 36″
  • ARCH E – 36″ x 48″
  • ANSI A – 8.5″ x 11″
  • ANSI B – 11″ x 17″
  • ANSI C – 17″ x 22″
  • ANSI D – 22″ x 34″
  • ANSI E – 34″ x 44″
  • ANSI F – 28″ x 40″

Please format prints according to the above to minimize print processing time. Additionally, please note that the laser printer (often used for student or office prints) has a max width of 36″. In other words, if printing on laser, the smallest side of the paper cannot exceed 36″. The inkjet printers (often used for presentation or fine art prints) have a max width of 42″. If printing on inkjet, the smallest side of the paper cannot exceed 42″.

Both types of printers are able to print up to five feet (60″) long without banding. We recommend cutting prints longer than 60″ into multiple files, so as to minimize distortions (eg. color banding, wrinkling) which may happen during printing.

PDF Files

  • PDF is our preferred file format, as it produces reliable results.
  • PDFs should have proper size for full-size prints. All prints have 1/2″ margin. All images have 1/4″ white border.
  • High-resolution images should be a maximum of 300dpi and a minimum of 150dpi. Embedded high-res images increase file size and print time.
  • Low-resolution images enlarged in presentation graphics may not reproduce well.
  • When saving PDF files from Adobe software, uncheck “Preserve Editing Capabilities”. This decreases file size and improves compatibility with printing software.

Photoshop

  • Flatten all Layers – Each layer must be read and converted before printing. Having many layers often causes technical issues and delays.
  • Use High-Quality JPGs – JPG images use lossy compression to reduce file size. Therefore, low-quality JPGs are not ideal for photos, presentation graphics, or prints where image quality is important. JPGs OK for embedded photos in architectural prints, or areas where image quality is less critical.
  • Avoid Sending .PSDs – .PSD files contain unnecessary data, and may cause printing issues. Please save Photoshop files as PDFs (leave “Preserve Editing Capabilities” un-checked when saving) to minimize printing time.

Illustrator

  • Convert Type to Outline – Many customers use custom fonts we may not have. This can cause printing issues. Outlining text translates text to vectors which will print regardless of installed fonts. (Select All > Text Menu > Create Outlines)
  • Crop Artboard to Correct Size – Illustrator allows for working outside the page area. However, unformatted boards include info outside the page area, and may prevent proper printing. Please crop files to only include desired area.
  • Embed All Images – Illustrator allows images to be placed or embedded. Please embed images, rather than “placing”. Placed images are only linked to the .AI file, and will be missing on our end. Embedded images will be included in the file.
  • Rasterize All Vectors – Files with lots of line work should be rasterized. Un-rasterized files tend to drop lines when printed.
  • Avoid Sending .AIs – .AI files contain unnecessary data, and may cause printing issues. Please save Illustrator files as PDFs (leave “Preserve Editing Capabilities” un-checked when saving) to minimize printing time.

InDesign

  • Flatten All Layers — Each layer must be read/converted before printing. Having many layers often causes technical issues and delays when printing.
  • Embed All Images — InDesign allows images to be placed or embedded. Please embed images, rather than placing. Placed images are only linked to the .IND file, and will be missing on our end. Embedded images will be included in the file.
  • Avoid Sending .INDs — .IND files contain unnecessary data, and may cause printing issues. Please save InDesign files as PDFs (leave “Preserve Editing Capabilities” unchecked when saving) to minimize printing time.

If you have any questions, feel free to call the store and our staff will be happy to help.