Artwork Guidelines
We have prepared the following guide to assist you with your electronic file preparation and submission. If you have a specific problem that is not covered in this guide, or have other questions, please feel free to contact us.
If you have concerns about whether your file is correctly formatted, you may upload it into our Design Studio Template by selecting Create Design on the product page. This will show you if the size and bleeds are correct for the item.
Before submitting your order, review your files to make sure they are properly prepared, and review your proofs thoroughly and carefully for errors to avoid mistakes and delays. Once you submit your order, your files will be printed as-is.
Quick Checklist
►Type is legible and crisp.
►Fonts are embedded or outlined.
►Images are clear and high-quality.
►Page layout is correct and no typos are present.
►Design matches the specified dimensions (including bleeds).
►Colors are in CMYK.
Bleeds
A 1/8" (.125") border must be added to pictures and designs which have images touching the edges ('bleeding to the edge') so that there is no risk of white space or borders showing around the artwork. For example, a 3.5" x 2" business card with proper bleeds would be 3.75" x 2.25."
Some products, such as banners, may require a bit more bleed depending on their layout.
It is also important to keep text and important graphics at least a 3/8" away from the paper edge (trim line) to prevent accidental cropping or shifting.
Color Specifications
We reccommend creating color print files in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) for the best color accuracy.
Image Resolution
All images and pictures should be 300 dpi. Please examine your final file at 100% zoom on your screen to make sure the image looks correct and clear.
If you are satisfied with the quality of a lower quality image (in some cases, that is all that is available), you may submit your file as-is and indicate it is acceptable with your proof approval.
If you are preparing files for a very large banner or other large format item, you may provide a file at 1/2 or 1/4 of final size. Please indicate the scale you have used in the file name. Close viewing will reveal some pixeallation on the final print - this is generally not an issue as these items are mostly made to be viewed at a distance.
File Formats and Preparation
Print-Ready Files should be high resolution, correctly-sized, and should include bleeds.
We prefer PDF files. PDFs are intended as a stable way to send your document to another person. While we are able to convert native files to PDF, and may request working files for some projects, some native file types are notoriously unstable-- ill-suited for professional printing-- and may produce undesirable results.
Other file types we can accept: JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, EPS, AI, PDF and PSD images.
Guidelines by Application
In cases where you are submitting native files, the following outlines are intended to help you send what is needed to sucessfully print your file. We may request these files from you via email. If you have any questions, please contact our graphics department.
Adobe Illustrator
►Embed all images (make sure they are in CMYK)
►Outline all fonts
Adobe InDesign
Adobe Photoshop
Microsoft Word, Publisher, Excel and Powerpoint
Digital & Hard Copy Proofs
During the upload process, you are able to review your files and check them for any mistakes. Additionally, our website provides an assessment of the file's print quality. These digital proofs are intended to show you the layout and design elements of your job. Due to differences between monitor settings, lighting and screen resolutions, these are not intended to be 100% color accurate.
It is essential that you review any files you upload and ensure they are 100% correct and print-ready, both before and after uploading them. Once the order is placed, your files are considered Approved for print, and any design errors become your responsibility.
If color accuracy is of extreme importance to you, please contact us to ask about Hard Copy Proofs.