American Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology
Preparing artwork for publication in AJOG
File formats
Elsevier recommends using only EPS, TIFF, or PDF for electronic artwork. MS Office files (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
are acceptable provided that they meet the conditions summarized below.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) files are the preferred format for vector graphics (ie, not photographic or continuous tone
images) as long as they are provided in accordance with the following conditions:
▪ bitmap images should be 300dpi minimum resolution at 5×7 inches in dimension
▪ color mode should be RGB
▪ images should always include an 8-bit preview/header at 72dpi resolution
▪ always include/embed fonts and use only the following TrueType fonts in artwork: Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Times,
Symbol; non-Elsevier standard fonts will be substituted with an Elsevier standard font, which may lead to problems such
as missing symbols or overlapping type
▪ limit vertical space between parts of an illustration to only what is necessary for visual clarity
▪ no data should be present outside the actual illustration area
▪ line weights should range from minimum 0.35 pt to maximum 1.5 pt
▪ files created using layers should be reduced to one layer before saving (Flatten Artwork)
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is recommended for bitmap, grayscale, and color images. Its compression schemes
ensure minimum file sizes aiding easy electronic transfer. Supply TIFF files at the correct resolution:
▪ line artwork = minimum of 1000dpi
▪ halftone artwork (photographic/continuous tone) = minimum of 300dpi
▪ combination artwork (line/tone) = minimum of 500dpi
▪ recommended dimensional size at the above resolutions is a minimum of 5×7 inches
Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format) is a common file format used for distribution of files intended primarily for
printing. To create PDF files at a suitable quality for print, download and use the relevant version of the Adobe Acrobat
Distiller “Job Options” file by following these instructions:
Macintosh users
“CTRL-click” on the relevant link and save the file to: Macintosh HD\Applications\Adobe Acrobat
*.*\Distiller\Settings\. (*.* indicates the version number used.)
PC users: Right-click on the relevant link and save the file to: C:\Document and Settings\All Users\Shared
Documents\Adobe PDF\Settings\.
Artwork within the source document must be at the appropriate minimum resolution: 300dpi for halftones, 500dpi for
combinations (line/tone together), and 1000dpi for line art. These resolutions will be retained in the PDF creation process
if the above job options are used.
Use only the following TrueType fonts: Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Symbol, Times; non-Elsevier standard fonts will be
substituted with an Elsevier standard font, which may lead to problems such as missing symbols or overlapping type.
Microsoft (MS) Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint figures) is a family of applications that can be used to produce a variety
of document types, including written documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases. Although we prefer artwork
files in EPS, TIFF or PDF format, we are also aware that a number of authors already (for convenience) submit their
Preparing artwork for AJOG ‐ Page 1 of 2 artwork in MS Office formats. Therefore, we will continue to support these submission types, now and in the future.
When preparing your MS Office files, adhere to the following conditions:
• Artwork placed into MS Office applications must be at the appropriate minimum resolution: 300dpi for halftones,
500dpi for combinations (line/tone together), and 1000dpi for line art.
• Do not reduce or enlarge any images after placement in an MS Office application, as this can lead to loss of image
quality.
• Use only the following TrueType fonts: Arial, Courier, Helvetica, Symbol, Times.
• For more information on MS Office, visit the Office homepage at http://www.microsoft.com/office/.
Sizing of artwork
Elsevier’s aim is to have a uniform look for all artwork contained in a single article. It is important to be aware of the
journal style, as some of our publications have special instructions beyond the common guidelines given here.
• Recommended dimensional size at the above resolutions is a minimum of 5×7 inches.
Lettering on the artwork should have a finished printed size of 9 pt (minimum 7 pt) for normal text and no smaller than 6
pt for subscript and superscript characters to ensure legibility; words overlying tints and shadings dictate a finished size of
10 pt.
• All relevant detail in the illustration, the graph symbols (squares, triangles, circles, etc.), and a key to the diagram (to
explain the explanation of the graph symbols used) must be visually discernible.
• You can help us by identifying the important parts of the image, perhaps by highlighting the relevant areas on a
photocopy.
• Line/tone art combinations are difficult to size, as factors for one may be detrimental for the other part; you can help by
suggesting an appropriate final size for the combination.
File naming
To enable Elsevier to easily identify author figure files and their format, please include this information in each filename.
Examples:
fig1.tif = figure 1 in TIFF format
scheme10.eps = scheme10 in EPS format
Acceptable media
Elsevier accepts electronic data from authors in the following media types: 3.5-inch floppy disk, CD, Zip disk, Jaz disk. In
addition, for an increasing number of journals, electronic submission of author files may be possible. Please search for
your relevant journal homepage to check availability.
Preparing artwork for AJOG ‐ Page 2 of 2