Exporting, Publishing, and Output for Target Media
Match output to destination
Export decisions flow from the destination: print (PDF/X-style, CMYK, bleed, marks, high resolution), web and social (RGB, sRGB profile, pixel dimensions, compressed JPEG/PNG/WebP), and screen or video (RGB, correct aspect ratio). Understand raster versus vector formats: PNG for lossless with transparency, JPEG for photographic compression, SVG/PDF/EPS for scalable vector, TIFF for print interchange.
Resolution and sizing
Know ppi versus pixel dimensions: a 1200×1200 px image is 4 inches at 300 ppi and 12.5 inches at 96 ppi. Upsampling cannot create real detail. For print, effective resolution depends on the placed size, not the file's native size - a frequent trap.
Proofing and preflight
Preflight checks fonts, links, color space, bleed, and overprint before output. Soft proofing simulates the output color; hard proofing uses a physical print. Understand why RGB images in a CMYK job should be converted, and why rich black versus registration black matters.
Worked example
A 2400×3000 px photo is placed at 8×10 inches for print. Rule of thumb: divide pixels by inches - 2400/8 = 300 ppi and 3000/10 = 300 ppi, so it is adequate. If it were placed at 16×20 inches, effective resolution halves to 150 ppi and would be flagged.
Traps
Confusing file size with resolution, exporting RGB for offset print, and omitting bleed so background art shows white edges after trimming.