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Illustrations
Illustrations
3.01 Artwork Must Be Complete
All original forms of illustrations must be supplied with the final manuscript.
3.02 Types of Art Originals
Varieties of art originals are divided into three categories:
- Reflective art includes prints and drawings to be scanned by the printer;
- Transparencies (i.e., slides) are printed on transparent film and will also be scanned by the printer;
- Digital images have already been scanned or were created through a strictly digital process and will be adjusted by the printer using imaging software.
Reflective Art
Photo Prints
3.03 Best Results
Continuous-tone photo prints, made through a darkroom process and printed on glossy photo stock, are optimal for high-quality reproduction.
3.04 Size
Preferred sizes are 8 × 10 inches or 5 × 7 inches. Smaller prints may not hold details when enlarged.
3.05 Color Prints
Black-and-white prints are preferred, but not required, for black-and-white reproduction; color prints may not reproduce adequately in one color.
3.06 Digital Output
Printouts of digital images, such as laser or ink-jet prints, are not acceptable.
3.07 Printed Matter
Images from printed sources such as books, magazines, and newspapers are unacceptable unless the illustration is absolutely essential and no other form is available.
Line Art
3.08 Definition
Line art may include charts, graphs, maps, and pen-and-ink drawings.
3.09 Format
Line art that is to be scanned must be furnished as original artwork. Photocopies, computer printouts, and photographs of line art will not be accepted, unless the art is to be reformatted (see 3.13).
3.10 Size
Art originals must be at least 4½ inches wide. Keep in mind that if the artwork is to be reduced in size to fit on the book page, labels and other lettering must be large enough in the original to be legible after reduction.
3.11 No Color or Shading
Line art should not include gradient shading, screens, or tints. These will create an undesirable effect called moiré in the scanned image and may impair the graphic’s legibility.
3.12 Editing
If a line illustration requires textual editing (of map labels, for example), you may be asked to provide corrected artwork during copyediting or proofreading.
3.13 Reformatting
Certain line illustrations may be reformatted in typesetting in order to enhance their legibility on a book page and/or to make them conform to design specifications. Reformatting is done at the discretion of the Press and is not guaranteed.
Transparencies
3.14 Size
Preferred sizes are 4 x 5 inches, 2¼ x 2¼ inches, or 35 mm slides.
3.15 Color versus black-and-white
Transparencies are the most reliable originals for color-plate printing. Color transparencies will not be accepted for black-and-white reproduction unless it is verified that no other form is available.
3.16 No Negative Film
Negative film originals will not be accepted. Convert negative film transparencies to positive photo prints before submitting art for publication.
Digital Images
Photographs
3.17 File Formats
Digital images may be submitted in any of four commonly used file formats: TIFF (saved for Macintosh; no compression), JPEG (high quality, baseline optimized), PSD (Photoshop Document); and PDF (Portable Document Format). Digital photographs may not be embedded in a Word document.
▸ If the image comes from a technically reliable source, such as a museum or stock image agency, whatever format that is supplied will be accepted.
3.18 Size and Resolution
Digital images must be at least 4½ inches wide at 200 ppi (pixels per inch) resolution. Optimal resolution is 300 ppi at no less than 5 inches of width.
▸ Even though an image may appear to be large enough when viewed on a computer monitor, it will not be adequate for reproduction in print unless the specifications given above are met. Most images downloaded from web pages have a resolution of just 72 ppi. If the image’s resolution is changed using an image editor such as Adobe Photoshop, its dimensions must be adjusted in inverse proportion according to this formula:
(old ppi ÷ new ppi) × old image width = new image width
Thus, an image that is 5 inches wide at 72 ppi must be reduced to about 1.2 inches if the resolution is increased to 300 ppi, because 72 ÷ 300 = .24, and 5 × .24 = 1.2.
3.19 Color versus Black-and-White
When color originals are to be reproduced in black and white, the digital image should be in color; conversion to grayscale should be handled by the printer. Do not scan color originals as grayscale or convert digital color images to grayscale.
Line Art
3.20 File formats
Adobe Illustrator EPS is the preferred format for digital line art such as maps and diagrams. Other acceptable formats are TIFF, EPS, PDF, and Bitmap (BMP).
▸ Digital line art created by means of spreadsheet software, such as Microsoft Excel, or drawing functions in word processing programs is generally not acceptable, unless it has been converted to PDF or Illustrator EPS.
3.21 GIS and CAD
Digital line art generated by means of highly specialized applications such as GIS (Geographic Information System) and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) poses special problems for reproduction in a book. In general, the Press discourages the “repurposing” of such specialized graphics; native files from such applications will not be accepted under any circumstances. To even be considered, such files must be converted—by a skilled technician—to PDF or Illustrator EPS. In addition, please note the following known issues with providing files converted from these sources:
- Fine lines generated by GIS and CAD applications often disappear when the converted file is processed for offset printing, especially if the image is reduced in size.
- If conversion is made to Illustrator EPS, copies of any fonts used in the original graphic must be provided separately.
- Converted files may not be editable; if edits are required, you may be asked to provide corrected art (see 3.12).
3.22 Size and Resolution
Digital line art requires higher resolution for good reproduction and must be at least 4½ inches wide at 600 ppi. Note that if artwork is to be reduced in size, labels and other lettering must be large enough in the original to be legible after reproduction.
3.23 Reformatting
Certain line illustrations may be reformatted in typesetting in order to enhance their legibility on a book page and/or to make them conform to design specifications. Reformatting is done at the discretion of the Press and is not guaranteed.
Screen Grabs
3.24 Special Risks
Capturing, or “aftgrabbing,” cinema stills, video game screens, and web pages from a computer monitor is fraught with pitfalls, including but not limited to:
- Cinematic stills may lose vital qualities of a film’s original cinematography, particularly in terms of light and shadow, unless they are captured on a calibrated monitor by a skilled technician.
- Digital artifacts and unwanted optical effects may be introduced into a cinematic image when the playback is “paused” for capture.
- Captured images may be too small to meet basic size requirements (see 3.25), unless technical know-how is applied to ensure a good capture.
- Captured web pages may contain small details that could be lost when the image is reduced in size to fit on a book page.
For this reason, the Press discourages submission of screen grabs as original art unless they are prepared by a skilled, knowledgeable technician. If you foresee the need for captured images in your book, you should consult with your editor’s assistant prior to submission of artwork.
3.25 Size and Resolution
Screen captures of cinema stills, video games, and web pages must be at least 12½ inches wide at 72 ppi (See 3.18 for more on sizing of digital images.) The size of a screen grab is dependent upon the size of your monitor. To create a screen grab to our specifications, you will need a minimum screen size of 17 inches (measured diagonally).
▸ The image to be grabbed must fill as much of the monitor’s width as possible—12½ inches at minimum.
Numbering Illustrations
3.26 Few Illustrations
If your manuscript contains approximately 50 illustrations or fewer, you should number them consecutively throughout the manuscript.
3.27 Many Illustrations
Illustrations for manuscripts with large amounts of artwork and all contributed volumes should use a double numeration system: the chapter number followed by the figure number. For example, Figure 1.1 is the first figure in chapter 1, Figure 2.1 is the first figure in chapter 2, and so on. Under this system, illustrations in a preface or introduction should be numbered P.1 and I.1 respectively.
3.28 Multiple Images as One Illustration
When two illustrations should appear together and are captioned together, place an “a” or “b” after the number, for example 1a and 1b or 2.1a and 2.1b.
Maps
3.29 Figures versus Maps
Illustrations should be labeled and numbered specifically as maps only when there is a good reason to distinguish them from other kinds of figures. If reproductions of maps complement the text in a manner similar to the other illustrations, label and number them as figures; if the maps are obviously distinct from the other illustrations (for example, if all other figures are historical photographs), then they are treated separately as maps. To be designated as maps, artwork should have been created expressly for your book, and should function specifically as maps; each map should be consistent in its style of cartography and labeling (see Figure 3.1). If you are reproducing a historical document, the illustration should be labeled a figure, not a map (see Figure 3.2). Consult your editor’s assistant if you are unsure whether an illustration should be labeled a map or a figure.
3.30 Numbering
The same rules for numbering figures also apply to maps: In single-author books with only a few maps, the maps should be numbered consecutively throughout the book. For contributed volumes or for books with a large number of maps, maps should use a double numeration system. For example, Map 1.1 is the first map in chapter 1, Map 2.1 is the first map in chapter 2, and so on.
Tables
3.31 Tables versus Figures
Do not label simple lists or columns of text or numbers as tables (see Figure 3.3). An illustration should be labeled a table only when numerical data are being compared in multiple columns (see Figure 3.4). If you are unsure whether an illustration should be labeled a table or a figure, consult your editor’s assistant.
3.32 Keep It Simple
Keep tables simple; avoid multiple layers of column heads. Be sure that all figures and percentages are labeled adequately within the table itself so that readers do not need to refer to the text in order to understand the table. The text should provide expanded explanation of the table and its context but not its fundamental meaning.
3.33 Accuracy
Ensure that columns total correctly and check that columns are aligned for maximum clarity.
3.34 Titles
Provide a brief title for each table. Do not include in the title any explanatory material that is better placed in the text or below the table as a general note.
3.35 Notes
Use superscript lowercase letters (not asterisks, daggers, double daggers, or other symbols) for notes within your table. If the table is taken from another publication, cite this source on a separate line below the table after the other notes.
3.36 Rules
Do not use vertical rules to separate columns; horizontal rules are sometimes appropriate, but their use should be kept to a minimum.
3.37 Numbering
In single-author books with only a few tables, the tables should be numbered consecutively throughout the book. For contributed volumes or for books with a large number of tables, tables should use a double numeration system: the chapter number followed by the table number. For example, Table 1.1 is the first table in chapter 1, Table 2.1 is the first table in chapter 2, and so on.
Callouts
3.38 Placement and Format
Indicate approximately where an illustration should appear in the text by inserting the following placement instruction:
[INSERT FIGURE X NEAR HERE]
Your callout should be bracketed, in bold type, in all caps, and centered on the page. Leave one line space above and below a callout. Do not insert a callout in the middle of a paragraph; your callout should appear after the paragraph in which the illustration is described:
A much-reproduced postcard of the time (Figure 1.2) shows the south side of Pine Avenue fenced by a rather primitive wooden palisade. Montrealers arrived at the hospital by foot or by horse-drawn carriage, past a tiny polygonal gatehouse that marked the entrance to the site from the busy, steeply sloped, urban thoroughfare.
[INSERT FIGURE 1.2 NEAR HERE]
The Royal Vic on its opening day, December 2, 1893, offers a unique opportunity to explore the character of hospital design. . . .
The first time I visited the Johnsons turned out to be an evening of magic. A young fisherman who’d fished for Milford a few years back was visiting with some friends. Spontaneously, a little party started. Five men sat around a table as the kerosene lamp glowed orange, shooting off huge shadows on the walls and hewed-beam ceilings of the cabin.
[INSERT FIGURE 19 NEAR HERE]
Milford was speaking, spinning out intricate tales in his grizzly-bear voice. We younger folk listened, not only out of respect, but with fascination. . . .
Captions
3.39 Purpose and Objective
Captions should be brief but identify what is in the illustration and why it’s important. A reader should not have to rely on the text to understand what an illustration is about.
3.40 Source Credits
Be sure to include the source to be credited and any additional information requested by the source or creator of the illustration, including copyright.
- Not. Figure 3.13. The Third Avenue Bridge.
- But. Figure 3.13. In this view, the arches of the Third Avenue Bridge take shape across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Photograph by C. J. Hibbard & Company; courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society.
3.41 Manuscript
Include a separate word processing document with captions for all illustrations in your manuscript. Do not embed captions in the body of the text or add them to digital image files.
Art Log
3.42 Purpose and Function
Your editor’s assistant will give you an art log template to inventory the illustrations, original artwork, and permissions in your manuscript. If you are unable to use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, contact your editor’s assistant to discuss alternatives.