Some (not all) AI.eps files get fuzzy when printed from Quark. Why?

[evil monkey]

I realize that Illustrator eps files will get fuzzy, both on the screen
because of their jaggy preview, and in print when sent to a
non-postcript printer.

But I have some Illustrator logos placed in Quark that look amazing when
printed, and two new Illustrator logos from a supplier that look crappy.
Unfortunately they are both side by side on the same page.

Apparently this won't affect the final output at the service bureau
(they say), but why would one eps look great, and one look bad, when
they are essentially both black and white simple shapes? If they always
looked bad I'd blame it on our printer, but only the new logos look bad,
and they are from the same supplier.

Suggestions? Answers?

Thanks;

Les

[MSD]

in article 3F061321.1010505@hotmail.com, evil monkey at
devilprimate@hotmail.com wrote on 7/4/03 4:52 PM:
I realize that Illustrator eps files will get fuzzy, both on the screen because of their jaggy preview, and in print when sent to a non-postcript printer. But I have some Illustrator logos placed in Quark that look amazing when printed, and two new Illustrator logos from a supplier that look crappy. Unfortunately they are both side by side on the same page. Apparently this won't affect the final output at the service bureau (they say), but why would one eps look great, and one look bad, when they are essentially both black and white simple shapes? If they always looked bad I'd blame it on our printer, but only the new logos look bad, and they are from the same supplier.
----
The screen resolution would depend on where/how the preview was created.
-
And -
you do need to set your output resolution when
creating and setting up a document in Illustrator.
-
It so happens that the default values are fair for most work ...
but they are not correct/great for high end imaging.
And - the resolution may have been changed
for some graphics and not others.

MSD

[Les Parsons]

MSD;

You're saying when I save my eps from Illlustrator 10, that the preview
I choose - whether Tiff or Mac 8-bit, will affect the output quality on
non-postcript printers... I'm going to test that out. From what I've
been reading I assume TIF will give me a better result.

I found the output resolution settings you mentionned but they have
defaulted to 800dpi, which would seem to be more than high enough for a
good result. Most of our work is printed at 300dpi. It's only the stupid
office Epson that I'm worried about for now anyway. The boss doesn't
like signing off on the chunky outputs it produces.

I can't seeem to find a menu that will let me see which preview was used
for existing logos. I'd like to find out how the nice ones were saved...

Anyway, I'll try different preview settings to see what I get when
placed in Quark. Thanks for the tips.

Les

MSD wrote: in article 3F061321.1010505@hotmail.com, evil monkey at devilprimate@hotmail.com wrote on 7/4/03 4:52 PM:I realize that Illustrator eps files will get fuzzy, both on the screenbecause of their jaggy preview, and in print when sent to anon-postcript printer.But I have some Illustrator logos placed in Quark that look amazing whenprinted, and two new Illustrator logos from a supplier that look crappy.Unfortunately they are both side by side on the same page.Apparently this won't affect the final output at the service bureau(they say), but why would one eps look great, and one look bad, whenthey are essentially both black and white simple shapes? If they alwayslooked bad I'd blame it on our printer, but only the new logos look bad,and they are from the same supplier. ---- The screen resolution would depend on where/how the preview was created. - And - you do need to set your output resolution when creating and setting up a document in Illustrator. - It so happens that the default values are fair for most work ... but they are not correct/great for high end imaging. And - the resolution may have been changed for some graphics and not others. MSD

[MSD]

You're saying when I save my eps from Illlustrator 10, that the preview I choose - whether Tiff or Mac 8-bit, will affect the output quality on non-postcript printers... I'm going to test that out. From what I've been reading I assume TIF will give me a better result.
----
I believe your non-PostScript printers
will only print the preview.
---- I found the output resolution settings you mentionned but they have defaulted to 800dpi, which would seem to be more than high enough for a good result. Most of our work is printed at 300dpi. It's only the stupid office Epson that I'm worried about for now anyway. The boss doesn't like signing off on the chunky outputs it produces.
----
The dpi you are referring to is for raster graphics.
If you are sending work to a lithographic printer, in the end,
they will be outputting at something around 2400 dpi (probably).
Your Vector Illustrations should be done at the
dpi of the imagesetter or final output device.
(Or one half of that at least)
My Illustrator default is 2438 dpi
and 800 Gradient mesh.
---- I can't seeem to find a menu that will let me see which preview was used for existing logos. I'd like to find out how the nice ones were saved...
---
Maybe, if you do a "Save as" the preview selected will be the saved preview.
I don't remember. Anyway, I'll try different preview settings to see what I get when placed in Quark. Thanks for the tips. Les MSD wrote: in article 3F061321.1010505@hotmail.com, evil monkey at devilprimate@hotmail.com wrote on 7/4/03 4:52 PM: I realize that Illustrator eps files will get fuzzy, both on the screen because of their jaggy preview, and in print when sent to a non-postcript printer. But I have some Illustrator logos placed in Quark that look amazing when printed, and two new Illustrator logos from a supplier that look crappy. Unfortunately they are both side by side on the same page. Apparently this won't affect the final output at the service bureau (they say), but why would one eps look great, and one look bad, when they are essentially both black and white simple shapes? If they always looked bad I'd blame it on our printer, but only the new logos look bad, and they are from the same supplier. ---- The screen resolution would depend on where/how the preview was created. - And - you do need to set your output resolution when creating and setting up a document in Illustrator. - It so happens that the default values are fair for most work ... but they are not correct/great for high end imaging. And - the resolution may have been changed for some graphics and not others.