Preparing Artwork for AAAI Press Books
What is the best way to supply my figures?
For line drawings and line art, we use Adobe Illustrator 7.0. Consequently, the best way to provide us with electronic versions of your line drawings and related graphics would be to supply us with Adobe Illustrator files. However, Claris Draw, MacDraw, Canvas, or any other vector-based drawing program will suffice, provided that we have a translator for it. Tell us what you use, and we'll see if we can open it. PostScript files will often do in a pinch.
What is the best format for photographs?
We use Adobe PhotoShop for all photographs. Photos should be approximately 4-5 inches in width (the height is unimportant, unless it exceeds 8 inches). For any "headshots" in your book (author photos, for example), the photograph should be approximately 2 inches in width. The resolution must be 300 dpi or greater. We generally don't work in color, so grayscale images are best (they aren't as large). The file format should either be PhotoShop or TIFF.
Can't I use GIF images off the Web?
No. Images and illustrations that have been tailored for use on the World Wide Web are unacceptable because they don't contain enough information for high-resolution output. The resolution of GIF (and JPEG) images designed for web use is generally only 72 dpi, and such images generally contain very few pixels. They may look fine on the screen, but when they are printed on high-resolution image setters, edges become jagged and the images lose focus. There simply isn't enough information in the image.
Can't I just resample the GIF image up to 300 dpi?
No. If you do so, the interpolated image will be fuzzy and out of focus. When we print it out at 2400 dpi, it will look even worse.I don't work on a PC or Mac. What is the best way to get you my line drawings?
Plain PostScript files generally work best. Be sure that you use Type 1 PostScript fonts. If you're using LaTeX or TeX to generate your drawings, you must use Type 1 fonts. We strongly encourage LaTeX users to read and follow Kendall Whitehouse's detailed instructions on "Creating Quality Adobe PDF FIles from TeX with DVIPS." (Available from Adobe's Web Site)
What fonts should I use?
If you provide us with a vector-based drawing, we will change the fonts to match the book style. However, to ensure consistency and eliminate potential font problems, please use Times Roman or Helvetica for your fonts. Do not use Computer Modern, and avoid Truetype!