Find answers to Questions about printing to clear queries

What type of products and services do you provide?

Good question! We are a full service shop and offer a wide range of products and services. We specialize in print custom products to tailor specifically to your needs. Zebra Printing is the premier copying & quick printing center and founded in the principle to be one stop print shop serving all your printing needs. With true photo quality large Format poster printer, Point of purchase Displays, Banners, Posters, Window Displays, Yard Signs, Political Signs, Trade Show Booth Graphics and more; Zebra Printing handles projects of many magnitudes. No job is too small or too large for us.

How do I go about getting an estimate from you?

Well, since you are here, we would suggest you use our online estimate request form. Otherwise, the best way to ensure that we get all the information necessary to do an accurate quote is to give us a call and talk with one of our customer service representatives.

Tips on how to save your design files

Ideally sending us print ready files is the best. You'll want to save your art as a high resolution PDF. Any adjustments made to the files may result in additional fees.

COREL DRAW:
Saving your Corel Draw file as an Adobe Illustrator EPS
• Embed all Images
• Convert all your text/copy to outline fonts
• Export as Illustrator EPS

FREEHAND:
• Embed all Images
• Convert all your text/copy to paths
• Export as Illustrator EPS or PDF

PAGEMAKER:
Saving your PageMaker file as an EPS
• Embed all Images
• Convert all your text/copy to outline fonts
• Export your file as an EPS using the below settings:
Postscript Level 2
CMYK Mode
TIFF format and
Binary

PUBLISHER:
You will need to have the full version of Adobe Acrobat PDF. If you don’t please download and use our Adobe Job Ready Program. If you do have the full version of Adobe Acrobat PDF please follow the steps below.
Under File, Print, select Adobe PDF writer
Under Properties select Press Quality and Save your PDF

At what resolution should I save my photos and graphics?

Resolution should be set to 300 dpi.

Pictures and graphics pulled from the internet are often low resolution, typically 72 dpi or 96 dpi. Avoid these graphics, as they will appear pixilated and blocky when printed.

Also note that you should save all photos in CMYK mode, not RGB mode when possible. Images saved in RGB mode may not print properly. If you are unable to save your image in CYMK mode, please let us know.

What is a proof and why is it important that I look at it?

In printing terms, a proof is a one-off copy of your document after all modifications and printing setup processes have been completed. It is your last and best opportunity to make sure that the print job comes out the way you want. By carefully inspecting the proof, you can help us assure an accurate, flawless delivery of your print job on the first run.

What is the Pantone Matching System?

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a color reproduction standard in which colors all across the spectrum are each identified by a unique, independent number. The use of PMS allows us to precisely match colors and maintain color consistency throughout the printing process.

Why do the printed colors look different from the colors on my screen?

In short, printers and monitors produce colors in different ways.

Monitors use the RGB (red, green, blue) color model, which usually supports a wider spectrum of colors. Printers use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color model, which can reproduce most—but not all—of the colors in the RGB color model. Depending on the equipment used, CMYK generally matches 85–90% of the colors in the RGB model.

When a color is selected from the RGB model that is out of the range of the CMYK model, the application chooses what it thinks is the closest color that will match. Programs like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to choose which color will be replaced. Others may not.

Is white considered a printing color?

Not typically. Because white is the default color of paper, it is simply recognized as the absence of any ink. However, when using colored paper, white ink may be used if any text or graphic requires it.

What file format should I use when submitting my electronic document for printing?

PDF (Portable Document Format) is the most common and preferred file format for submitting digital documents. With the installation of a PDF print driver on your computer, virtually any program can generate a PDF file suitable for printing. Both commercial and free PDF print drivers are available online for download from different sources.

Once I submit the documents, how long will it take to finish my job?

Simple jobs are often completed in less than an hour. Some jobs, however, may take several days to complete depending on their complexity and size. We always strive to provide an accurate estimate of the turnaround time for each job we do. And we’ll always work with you to find ways to complete your project when you need it.

Are you a “green” company?

Absolutely! We take very seriously our role in preserving the environment and integrate numerous green practices into our daily operations. In addition to energy-efficient equipment and chemical-free technologies, we can perform many print jobs using recycled paper stock. If you would like to use recycled paper for your next print job, let us know. You’ll be pleased with the results and feel good about helping the environment, too.

Frequently Asked Questions