Figures submitted to the Journal must be of the highest quality to ensure accuracy and clarity in the final published copy. We urge the author to limit the empty space in and around figures. Artwork should be in sharp focus, with clean, clear numbers and letters and with sharp black lines. Thin lines should be avoided, particularly in figures requiring considerable reduction. Authors should check whether laser-printed originals of these figures are acceptable (especially for greyscale).

The author is warned that changes in the size and arrangement of figures can made by the publisher at the production stage. Because of the bulk of the Journal, the production office will reduce most figures to fit a one-column format (88 mm). If necessary, figures may extend across the entire page width (max. 180 mm). Intermediate widths with a side caption are also possible (max. 120 mm). The illustrations should be placed at the top of the column and flush-left according to layout conventions.

If lettered parts of a figure (e.g., 1a, 1b, 1c, etc.) are referred to in the figure legend, each part of the figure should be labeled with the appropriate letter within the image area. Symbols should be explained in the caption and not in the figure.

See here for details about figure caption style.

See examples of how figures should be coded in the TEX file.

For the graphics to be manipulated readily and reliably, they should be sent as PostScript files. When a PostScript file contains a simple one-page description for the purpose of inclusion in other documents, it must fit the encapsulated PostScript file format (EPSF). One of the advantages of this format is that the application that includes the file can determine the size and location of the graphics on the page without having to interpret any PostScript code. Some software packages leave a considerable margin around the eps figures. You may have to adjust the BoundingBox by hand with the help of ghostview, for example. It can be automatically changed using the psfixbb command that you will find on almost any FTP server.

The easiest way to include your .eps files is by using the graphicx package, which comes along with the standard LaTeX2_e distribution.

See the document by Keith Reckdahl "Using Imported Graphics in LaTeX2e", which explains how to use imported graphics in LaTeX2e documents. The Part I, Background Information provides historical information and describes basic LaTeX2e terminology. It also describes the Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) format, differences between EPS and PS files, and methods for converting non-eps graphics to eps.

For figures only available in the electronic edition of the Journal, a footnote to the main title of the article should be added as follows:

\title{Optimality relationships
   \thanks{Figures 5-10 are only available in electronic form via
             http://www.edpsciences.org}
             }

Color figures are printed in greyscale, unless printing in color is specifically requested by the authors. Color figures appear in the online edition free of charge. The extra charge (without VAT) for color printing is: 250 euros per figure for one or two figures, 180 euros per figure for more than three figures. The author should submit high-quality color prints that show the colors desired for reproduction and that are suitable for scanning if the electronic file is unusable. The EPS (or PS) files need to be prepared as channeled CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) files rather than RGB (red, green, blue) files. Most computer-generated figure files are created using the RGB color model, which is used for computer monitors, but printers use the CMYK system (the four-color process). Color figures prepared as RGB EPS files can be converted to CMYK; but because the available color gamut in the RGB model is much larger than the gamut available in the CMYK model, it is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to obtain the same result in both formats. Note that all hard copies produced from RGB files by desktop color or laser printers can also create colors outside of the range of the CMYK palette.

The publisher can convert your RGB figures to CMYK, and a color proof (or PDF file) of the resulting figures will be sent to the authors to verify that the CMYK color scheme is acceptable. If not, authors will have to send again new CMYK figures to the publisher. Please note that the publisher needs a hard copy of the color figure(s). Color figure files, when only used in the electronic edition, may be submitted as RGB files.