Graphic Design and Printing: What is a Native File?
![Graphic Designer working with native artwork files](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/900x633/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_486904322.png)
What is a Native File?
A Native File refers to the electronic file format in which
a document or artwork layout was originally created. In other words, it is the
file type that is specific to the software used to design and construct the graphics
layout in a digital format.
For example, the vast majority of graphic designers use Adobe
software to create artwork layouts. In this case, the native files could be
.psd files from Adobe Photoshop, .ai files from Adobe Illustrator, or .indd
files from Adobe InDesign.
A native file is the foundation of graphic design because it
contains all the editable elements, layers, and settings that make up the
design.
Is a PDF considered a Native file format?
When preparing to send artwork files to a commercial
printer, native files are almost always exported to a Portable Document Format
(commonly known as a PDF or .pdf) prior to being sent. Therefore, a PDF file is
not a native file…but it is an accurate representation of the original native
file.
Commercial printers overwhelming prefer to receive PDF files
instead of native files. This is because the PDF format offers several
advantages. One major advantage of PDF files is that they are universally
compatible. The recipient of a PDF file can open it without needing to have the
same software version or operating system as the sender of the file.
Another important benefit offered by a PDF is that it can condense
the file size. Native files contain a lot of application-related data, so they
can be quite large. The reduced file size of a PDF makes it easier to store and
transport electronically.
![Logo for Adobe Inc.](https://transform.octanecdn.com/cdn/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_537397603.png)
I sent my printing company a PDF, so why are they now requesting the Native file too?
Occasionally a printer
will ask for the native file after a PDF has already been sent. This usually
occurs when there needs to be a crucial revision made to the file so it will print properly.
A PDF file allows many types of revisions but certain
changes require access to the native file. For example, most artwork files are created from multiple
layers of graphics. If the PDF was saved as a single layer (flattened) then the
various layers can no longer be worked with individually. Therefore, the native file will
be needed in order to make the necessary alterations.
Also, sometimes a printer would just rather make certain file changes themselves instead of walking a client through the steps, especially when
faced with time constraints. By having the native file, the printer's graphics
team has full access to all of the original design components and can make any
adjustment that might be needed.
Is an image file like a .jpeg, .tif, or .eps considered to be a Native file format?
Image files such as .jpeg, .tif, or .eps are created from native files but are not a native format themselves. They are visual
representations of a native file that was created using a design software
application.
A cautionary word about Microsoft programs…
While we're on the subject of file formats used in graphic
design, it is probably a good time to issue a warning about using Microsoft programs for
design work. Files created with Microsoft programs such as Publisher, PowerPoint,
Word, etc. are actually intended to be printed on a home or office desktop
printer. They are not well-suited for creating files that will be output to a
commercial printing press.
Based on prior negative experiences, many printing companies
might even reject Microsoft native files outright. That said, some print shops will do
their best to convert these files into something usable. However, this has the potential to involve some rework and additional costs.
So, if you're considering using a Microsoft program to lay
out artwork that will be printed on a commercial printing press, our suggestion
is that you rethink that idea. Your best bet would be to hire an experienced
graphic designer who has the expertise and professional software needed to ensure
your book, brochure, or other project will be print ready. You will not only get
much better results, you will also avoid delays and aggravation.
Color Vision is always ready to help!
If you have any print-related questions or have an upcoming
print project, get in touch with Color Vision Printing. Our professional
and experienced staff is always ready to serve you. Plus, you'll be pleased
with our affordable pricing on digital printing, offset printing, finishing,
and binding.
We are always happy to discuss your projects, so
give us a call at 800-543-6299. Or, submit a
quote request by clicking here and
we will email you a quote. We look forward to hearing from you!
Related Articles
![A male hand separating a large stack of paper sheets](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_648604842.png)
Printing Terminology: What is a Substrate?
Read This Article
![The gutter area of a book](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_768925941.png)
What is the Gutter of a Book?
Read This Article
![A man, a woman, and a child looking at a printed brochure](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_413330749.png)
The Difference between a Brochure and a Pamphlet
Read This Article
![Sheet-Fed Printing Press vs Roll-Fed Printing Press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_637188568.png)
Printing Terminology: Sheet Fed Press vs Web Press
Read This Article
![A stack of printed brochures exiting the folding machine](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_139312952.png)
What is Print Collateral?
Read This Article
![Registration Mark used in CMYK Printing](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_476337562.png)
Printing Registration: A Key Factor in High-Quality Printing
Read This Article
![A male graphic designer using computer software to lay out artwork](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_928833269.png)
Printing Terminology: What is “Artwork” in Printing?
Read This Article
![Man adding yellow ink to an offset printing press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_432652245.png)
Offset Printing: What is Make Ready?
Read This Article
![Computer icon of an Abode PDF file](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_368872050.png)
What are PDF files? Why do Printing Companies prefer them?
Read This Article
![Indicia imprint on a white direct mail piece, shown against a blue background](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_627359765.png)
Direct Mail Marketing: What are Postal Indicia?
Read This Article
![Silhouette of a graphic artist creating an artwork file](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_116158007.png)
What is a Print Ready File?
Read This Article
![A booklet with a gloss cover and pages](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_136055565.png)
Aqueous Coating vs UV Coating: Understanding the Differences
Read This Article
![A colorful flower bouquet seen behind examples of high and low opacity paper stocks](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_128866247.png)
What is the meaning of “Opacity” in regard to Paper?
Read This Article
![Three repair order forms with sequential ID numbers printed in red](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_340244157.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Sequential Numbering?
Read This Article
![A book's pages bound with a white Wire-O spine](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_905816922.png)
Custom Book Printing: What is Wire-O Binding?
Read This Article
![Two race horses running side by side on the track](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_520768121.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Grayscale?
Read This Article
![A thickness gauge measuring the combined caliper of two sheets of paper](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_820703628.png)
Paper Specifications: What does Caliper mean?
Read This Article
![Name tag that says Hello my name is Rich Black](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_653035354.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Rich Black?
Read This Article
![An ISBN number and barcode printed on a blue and red background](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_988097505.png)
Self-Published Books: What is an ISBN number? Do I need one?
Read This Article
![Stacks of large paper sheets lying on a blue surface](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_916885862.png)
Paper Weights explained: The meaning of Paper Basis Weight
Read This Article
![A circular emblem embossed into textured paper](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_747370773.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Blind Embossing?
Read This Article
![A variety of Saddle Stitched books arranged on a table](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_599729622.png)
What is Saddle Stitch Binding?
Read This Article
![A person reading a Perfect Bound book about food](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_829714912.png)
Custom Book Printing: What is Perfect Binding?
Read This Article
![Organic food store logo printed as a reverse in green ink on white substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_925554476.png)
What is Reverse Printing?
Read This Article
![A piece of notebook paper stating K is for Key in CMYK Printing](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_647824352.png)
Why is the color Black designated by the letter "K" in CMYK?
Read This Article
![A person wearing yellow rubber boots standing in water](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_832907646.png)
Printing and Finishing: What is a Flood Coat?
Read This Article
![An open magazine with a Crossover Image of a fisherman spanning both pages](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_588745725.png)
Book Printing: What are Crossover Images?
Read This Article
![Graphic Designer working with native artwork fIles](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_179896128.png)
Graphic Design and Printing: What is a Native File?
Read This Article
![A variety of softcover books aligned in a stack](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_854412213.png)
What is the Spine of a Book?
Read This Article
![A man holding a Self Cover booklet](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_239921700.png)
What is a Self Cover Booklet?
Read This Article
![An example of Gloss Spot UV on a matte substrate](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_332163792.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Spot UV?
Read This Article
![A cutting die used for paper substrates](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_193239713.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Die Cutting?
Read This Article
![A stack of Saddle-Stitched books with Gloss UV Coating on the covers](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_159135159.png)
What is UV Coating?
Read This Article
![A full-color image shown with its four color-separated files of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_361620900.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Color Separation?
Read This Article
![Two hands holding a Pantone Color Guide](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_863861719.png)
What is a Pantone Color?
Read This Article
![A variety of print projects on pallets in front of an offset printing press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_746721441.png)
What is Commercial Printing?
Read This Article
![A stack of open magazines with Aqueous Coating applied to the pages](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_677507193.png)
What is Aqueous Coating?
Read This Article
![A diagram illustrating the concept of Saddle Stitch Page Creep](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_575256683.png)
Saddle Stitch Binding: What is Creep?
Read This Article
![An example of 2-Up Printing showing two hot air balloon images](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_423138822.png)
What is 2-Up Printing, 4-Up Printing, N-Up Printing, etc.?
Read This Article
![A digital printing press used for commercial production](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_199600359.png)
What is Digital Printing?
Read This Article
![A Pantone color guide book fanned open](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_225000454.png)
What is a “Spot” Color?
Read This Article
![Four ink towers of an Offset Printing Press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_873618680.png)
What is Offset Printing?
Read This Article
![A hard copy proof of a magazine cover](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_489495992.png)
Printing Proofs: Soft Proofs vs Hard Proofs
Read This Article
![The abbreviation DPI surrounded by CMYK ink dots](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_140449698.jpg)
Printing Terminology: What is DPI?
Read This Article
![An embossed logo that reads eco friendly](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_413061774.png)
Printing Terminology: Embossing vs Debossing
Read This Article
![A diagram showing 2-sided sheets printed with various ink colors](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_317665379.png)
What is 4/4 Printing, 4/1 Printing, and 4/0 Printing?
Read This Article
![The letters CMYK displayed in boxes of corresponding colors](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_253032275.png)
Printing Terminology: What is CMYK?
Read This Article
![An open book depicting the concept of verso and recto](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_759260051.png)
Printing Terminology: Recto and Verso
Read This Article
![A stack of white paper lying on a wooden surface](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_186032634.png)
Printing Terminology: What is Paper Grain?
Read This Article
![A commercial printing plant worker collating the sections of a book](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_677239129.png)
What does Collate mean in Printing?
Read This Article
![Hands holding a printed map](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_781240408.png)
What is Synthetic Paper?
Read This Article
![A hand holding a stack of printed sheets](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_708172761.png)
Printing Terminology: Simplex vs Duplex Printing
Read This Article
![Two beachfront scenes oriented in the same direction](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_833364553.png)
What is Head to Head Printing?
Read This Article
![Graphic Designer reviewing an Artwork File to be Printed](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_219147517.jpeg)
Printing Terminology: What does Preflighting mean?
Read This Article
![plastic comb book open](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_918121585.jpeg)
Plastic Comb Books: What does the "Comb" refer to?
Read This Article
![paper for a large sheet-fed press](https://transform.octanecdn.com/crop/300x300/https://octanecdn.com/colorvisionprintingcom/colorvisionprintingcom_620568606.jpeg)
What is C1S Paper and C2S Paper?
Read This Article