Happy Friday! I want to share something today that just came up again and is probably the most commonly asked question we get with print items. The funny thing about this question is that even with all the advances in computers and programs this is still a thing.
Why do the L’s and I’s look fat on my PDF?
Have you asked this question too? There’s nothing more alarming to see when you are handed a print file that looks like it’s got little blobs all over it so I am not surprised that it comes up so frequently. I am here to give you some reassurance that all is ok and there is no need to panic.
When something is prepared for print a sure fire way to ensure your piece has no font issues is to convert them to outlines or curves. Same thing 2 different names. It makes the fonts become shapes so it’s no longer editable text and therefore not at risk of printing incorrectly. Unfortunately, when we do this Adobe Acrobat has some issues rendering these newly created shapes. This visual nuisance is nothing new and honestly a bit surprising to me. As the leader in print, Adobe ought to have corrected this viewing flaw by now. Maybe in 2023?
The good news is that your blobby letters will not print that way and in fact if you zoom in on them when viewing in Acrobat they look normal. One thing I do like to suggest is if you plan to have a print item like a food menu also on your website, be sure to use a version that doesn’t have fonts converted to outlines. And while I’m putting it out there, please avoid using any versions with crop or CMYK marks for digital sheets. That stuff is for behind the scenes ;P
Let me know if you have ever wondered why the L’s and I’s look funny on your print PDF’s.