Desktop Publishing Services (DTP): The Translation of Graphics and Visual Documents

Desktop publishing is an essential service employed by companies, organizations, and institutions to publish visually and culturally appropriate printed documents. Desktop publishers create layouts for documents to be printed using a personal computer (desktop) as opposed to commercial printing. These documents play an important role for businesses and organizations that rely heavily on printed materials. 

Over many years, DTP has assumed importance in the translation industry. The correct use of DTP enables accurate translation of graphics, fonts, and designs to one or more languages. Translating printed material like posters, brochures, flyers, blueprints, books, e-books etc., is not the same as translating a text file. The same goes for the design of a multilingual website. Simply translating the text on these documents is not enough. The translated document/print material must be suitable for the targeted audience (classified based on language diversity).

How DTP helps in the translation of visual documents?

1. Quality Retention 

As documents are translated from one language to another or many, graphics, formats, etc., get messed up. Translation often results in repositioning, truncation, or loss of graphs, photo captions, forms, bulleted lists, spacing, paragraph breaks, and other illustrations or formats included. 

This can affect the quality and purpose of the printed material. To avoid such a problem, DTP is widely used in the translation of visual documents.

2. Customized Documents

Another way DTP can help the translation of graphics and visual documents is by using appropriate colours for the translated document or graphic. The use of culturally relevant colours and images is vital for all businesses and organizations. Colour or image insensitivity can cause uproar and affect the PR of any organization. With the use of DTP, colours, images, graphs, etc., can be modified to avoid offensive or harmful presentation. 

3. Improved Work Efficiency 

DTP translation helps create a seamless workflow between designers and translators. Organizations generally use their native or primary language to create various visual documents like leaflets, brochures, posters, and so on. Translating these documents conventionally will require the organization to insert all translated material into the original layout multiple times. This means designers will have to work on the same layout and design numerous times. 

DTP removes all these complications. DTP providers translate not only the textual material present in documents but also the graphics and other imagery used. This way, a visual document can be completely translated with the use of DTP services. 

This is extremely useful where several visual documents need translation into multiple languages. It will save time and effort and improve efficiency and reduce mistakes. 

Bottom Line

DTP can save you the horror of poorly translated graphic documents and PR disasters. Whether you want to reach out to your customers in their native language or promote your ideology to an audience located worldwide, DTP translation can be a saviour. 

You can directly use a DTP translated document for print or publication. DTP translation may not be the work of a layman, but when professionally done, it can produce the correct impact on your target audience and help you in your endeavours. 

If you are in search of a professional translation company to get various visual documents like leaflets, brochures, posters, books, e-books translated, look no further! For all your Desktop Publishing (DTP) requirements you can rely on us – Lingual Consultancy.

For requirements/queries drop an email at [email protected] or give us a call at +91 124 2848100.