-
How do you make signlab files visible for clients?
Hi all,
This is an issue that recently hit me. I’ve got a client who wants to see emailed proofs, but my signmaker (I’m a broker) only prints out proofs, which is a pain because I have to use conventional post to send them.
One of my suppliers (who I’m no longer on speaking terms with) had a nifty method of getting Signlab files into Microsoft Word, involving .wmf files. But I don’t remember how his designer did it.
Anyway, how do you guys convert artworks so that your clients can see them? I’ve got the .eps file, and I can get the signlab file to try tomorrow.
Thanks in advance,
JayBee.
-
6 Replies
-
The simplest way we have found is to take a screen snap shot and then paste that as a new image into your favourite graphics package and then save as any format you like….its quick and will work with ANY windows software.
-
get your signmaker to send signlab to acrobat (will need to purchase acrobat writer) and supply client with pdf files we do it every day easy.. and pdf reader is a free download so most customers have it already or can get it.
-
We do it a couple of ways:
1. If you want it to be opened up in other software like corel or adobe , export it to your desktop as an “AI” file then send it as an attachment to who ever you want by email.2. If you only want to send it as a proof, turn your layout into a bitmap image then send it to your desktop as a “JPG” file and then send it by email as an attachment
Hopes this helps
-
The Signlab render to bitmap feature is an excellent way of producing artwork for e-mail.
However, there are a few tricks to help make things better.
Aim to produce a final image no bigger than A5 if using full colour (this could include a vehicle phot as a backround for you artwork for instance).
If it is straight vector artwork for conversion, use 256 colours. This way you can aim at an image about 250mm max in the largest direction.
The artwork must be re-sized to the final viewing size BEFORE conversion to Bitmap.
However, don’t include any dimensions, as they will show incorrect sizes afterwards.
Procedure:
Arrange your artwork to fit within a page (as above). Draw a plain white panel just larger than your artwork and “send-to-back”. This will give the image an appearance like a photo (with a white border).
Marquee select everything for conversion, re-check the physical size in the toolbar, then select “transform/render to bitmap”.
Now you will have a choice of colours (full colour/256/greyscale/monochrome). Select your colour output choice, then see the output file size displayed.
You can also select the resolution. Leave it at the default of 72dpi as the web will not display any higher.
Aim at about 800K as a final bitmap output.
If it’s too big, go back to the image on screen and scale it down a bit.
Select “create bitmap” and browse to a folder where you want to save it.
I use Picaview to instantly convert the file to a jpeg without having to open a program (just right click the file to get the conversion menu if you have Picaview installed).
If you don’t have Picaview or similar, just open it up in your graphics package and save it as a jpeg.
From 800K bmp it will end up as about 250K jpeg ( a nice size for a customer to receive on e-mail).When sending on e-mail, “insert” the image in to the body of the e-mail, rather than send it as an attachment, so that it is instantly displayed.
To put the image in a Word doc, just select Insert/Picture and browse to the file you just made.
Hope this helps.
-
Peter,
Your idea worked brilliantly. Kudos to you!
Thanks to everyone who replied, it’s much appreciated.
JayBee.
-
I’m going to suggest pdf’s as well. Images can exported as pdf from Corel Draw – that’s my tip
Liam
Log in to reply.
