Preparing Illustrations
Please adhere to the following guidelines when preparing your illustrations for submission:
- Number figures in the order in which they appear in text.
- Label all figure parts with (a), (b), etc. Avoid any large disparity in size of lettering and labels used within one illustration.
- Prepare illustrations in the final published size, not oversized. The maximum published width for a one-column illustration is 3-3/8 inch (8.5 cm). The maximum width for a two-column figure is 6.69 inch (17 cm). Each illustration should be prepared for 100% reproduction in order to avoid problems arising from large reductions in size.
- In cases where reduction is required, avoid small open symbols that tend to fill in and avoid small lettering; ensure that, in the final published illustration, there is a minimum of 8-point type size (2.8 mm high; 1/8 inch high) for lettering and 0.5-point width for lines.
- Ensure that lettering and lines are dark enough, and thick enough, to reproduce clearly, especially if reduction is necessary. Remember that fine lines tend to disappear upon reduction.
- Acceptable formats:
- PostScript (.ps)
- Encapsulated PostScript (.eps, using either Arial or Times Roman fonts)
- Tagged Image File Format (.tif, lzw compressed)
- Portable Document Format (.pdf)
Application files (e.g., Corel Draw, Microsoft Word) are not acceptable.
- When submitting your manuscript, submit ALL illustrations for your paper, including line art.
- Make sure there is only ONE figure per file. Each figure file should contain all parts of the figure. For example, if Figure 1 contains three parts (a, b, c), then all parts should be combined in a single file for Figure 1.
- Set the correct orientation for each graphics file.
- Set the graphic for 600 dpi resolution for line art, 264 dpi for halftones, and 600 dpi for combinations (line art + halftone).
- Save line art as black/white bitmap, not grayscale.
- Save halftones and combinations as grayscale, not black/white bitmap.
- Submit color files at 300 dpi TIFF, PS, or EPS format. If selecting a file mode, use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) or RGB (red, green, blue).
For accepted manuscripts, PDF as the source file for illustrations is not preferred. However, properly prepared PDF illustration files may be used in the production process of your accepted manuscript if you adhere to the following guidelines:
- PDF should only be used as the source file for illustrations when the preferred formats (PS, EPS, or TIF) cannot be generated.
- In the PDF illustration, the resolution of any shaded or photographic images must be 600 pixels per inch (PPI).
- Within the PDF illustration, resolution of line art with no shading should be 1200 pixels per inch (PPI).
- All fonts must be embedded in the PDF.
- When creating a PDF through your application's print command, select "High Quality Print".
- Illustrations will appear in color in the online journal free of charge to authors. To take advantage of this free service, you must:
- supply color graphics files in the appropriate format (.eps, .ps, .tif, or .pdf only),
- submit graphics files in time for utilization during the production process,
- submit only one version of each graphics file,
- ensure that colors chosen will reproduce well when printed in black & white, and
- ensure that descriptions of figures in text will be sufficiently clear for both print and online versions.
- If you want color figures in the printed journal, you must request this at the time of submission.
- You or your institution must pay the required fee of $325 per color figure. Note that there is no charge for color figures in JCP. For multipart figures, a single charge will apply only if all parts are submitted as a single piece of artwork.
- For color in the printed journal, you will be required to sign an acknowledgment of color charges prior to publication of the article. Otherwise, the figures will appear in color only online and in black & white in print.