Color Retouch

We believe in the selling power of great color. And great color is what you will get from McIntyre Direct.

Your catalog will benefit from 30 years combined experience of the best color retouching in the business, with an in-depth understanding of all the technical and aesthetic aspects of color correction. That means every thread in your plaid will be as close to true color as it can get on a web press. Your skin tones will look like skin tones. And your chocolates will be mouthwatering every time.

Electronic Page Prep

Once your Quark or InDesign files are approved, that's just the start for our Electronic Page Prep. We'll ensure all outlines and drop-shaddows are placed and correct. We'll replace FPO (For Placement Only) low-resolution images with final, correccted high-res versions. We'll add bleeds (to avoid stray white stripes on page trim edges). We'll check and correct all "layers" so no image or copy looks "cut off".

And when every detail is correct, we'll "flatten" layers into the form the press requires. Our attention to every detail ensures that your files will process smoothly at the printer, will print just right, and will look beautiful in your customers' mailbox.

Proofs and Proofing

Count on us to proof every detail and to deliver files that are the best they can be. We have many stages of proofing, some of which you see, some of which you don’t. Early in the process you’ll see electronic PDF proofs (or hard copies if you prefer) for design and copy review. For new and color retouch images, you’ll see “scatters” (loose individual-image proofs) if you prefer to participate in color review (some clients prefer leaving all color proofing up to us — but you get to choose).

Final proofs are very high-resolution to catch every detail. We send test files to the printer before actual turn-in to ensure the files will process perfectly. We also send the printer a folded “reader book” to be sure he gets all the pages in the right order, and all the versions correct. The final press-side proofs that the printer will match to at your press check are our high-end contract proofs with beautiful, accurate color and detail.

Image Archive & Conversion

Your catalog images are an investment that can yield a future return again and again. So you want to have easy access to those images. Once your catalog is printed, we will supply you with a DVD or other medium with all your final, color-corrected images, plus a copy of the final files delivered to your printer. We’ll also be happy to convert your images into .jpg format, in all sizes needed, for use on your website, including cropping and laying out web pages where needed.

Last Minute Changes Accepted

We understand that sometimes you’ll have last-minute price changes, a discontinued product that must be removed, a replacement product that must be inserted. When you’re hit with last minute changes, we’re ready to step in and hit your schedule.

True story:
We’d just delivered an approved, 40-page catalog to the printer. The next morning, the client’s legal department decided they wanted new, non-negotiable changes on 18 of the pages. We instantly contacted the printer, got them started processing the approved pages, while we were sending newly-changed pages to and getting page-by-page approvals back from the client. Just 6 hectic hours later we had all pages re-assembled, re-output, re-proofed, and re-delivered to the printer in time for the original press schedule. And if needed, we’ll do the same for you.

Raw Capture

Standard Auto Levels
& Auto Curves

McIntyre Direct
Corrections