Artwork Resources

 

 Acceptable File Formats

If you or someone else will be creating your artwork, it should be created using one of the following software programs;

  • Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign
  • QuarkXPress or other commercial program that allows export of high resolution .jpg or .pdf files that meet our printing requirements.

We do accept native files from desktop publishing software such as Microsoft Word (.doc), Publisher (.pub) or related 'desktop' programs.

File Export: When exporting your files for upload, we only accept Jpeg artwork (.jpg). Each side/page of your artwork must be saved/exported as the highest quality jpeg available with the following parameters;

 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: VERY IMPORTANT :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Always make sure you are sending your files in the correct format.

 

Tip: Download our design templates for the best results. Click here to download our design templates.

Don't have time? Let us create it for you..

Bleed Lines

The very edges of the document are called the bleed lines or area. To prevent an unwanted white border from showing at the edge of your document, be sure to extend any background colors or image elements just outside the bleed area. top

 

Trim Line

Trim lines are the finished size of the document. The document is cut close to the trim line, but because of the mechanical tolerances involved in printing, the actual cut can happen anywhere between the bleeds and the safe margin. This is why it is important to keep your text and important images within the safe margin.

When to create your document at the full bleed size:

You should always create your document at the full bleed size. This will prevent any white edges from showing at the borders after the final product is trimmed. top

 

Safe Line / Safe Area

The safe area are borders that are definitely inside the place where the cut will take place. Please remember to keep all important information, like names, addresses, phone numbers or logos within the safe area to ensure that they aren’t cut off when your document is trimmed.

 

Resolution

What is resolution?

Resolution refers to the number of dots per inch (dpi), or the amount of detail the image has. Most documents prepared for upload should be 300 dpi at 100% of the final print size. Higher resolution means a more detailed image, and also larger file and longer upload time. top

 

Dimensions

When saving or exporting artwork, always verify that your artwork dimensions include the bleed dimensions. Artwork without bleeds will result in a solid white border printed around your entire file. top

Aspect Ratio

The aspect ratio of your image can be determined by dividing the image’s width by its height. If your image’s aspect ratio is not equal to the aspect ratio of our documents, your image may appear stretched or distorted when it is scaled to fit.

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Color Settings (CMYK vs. RGB)

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) are the colors used in the printing process, whereas RGB (Red, Green and Blue) are the colors used by screen displays such as your computer monitor.

Your document should be created in CMYK mode so that the colors that you see on the screen most closely match the final printed product. If you create your document in RGB,  you should be able to covert to CMYK. When converting, always verify that your colors are the way you want them as many of the bright values produced by your monitor cannot be reproduced by any printer. top

 

Font Outlines

Converting Fonts to Outlines

Text can be converted to curves (paths) in some graphics programs. This will fix upload errors that result when fonts are not embedded in your file. Following these easy steps will help ensure that your text prints clearly.

How to convert fonts to outlines in Adobe Illustrator

1. Select all text.
2. Click Type Menu> Type> Create Outlines
3. Text now has a blue outline.
4. Save or Export as .jpg top

 

Vector vs. Raster

What are Vector Graphics?

Vector images use mathematical equations to define each component of an image. This allows vector images to retain their high-quality at any size. When possible, use vector graphics created in a desktop publishing program. Logos are an example of vector images and can be resized without loss in image quality.

What are Raster Images?

A raster image is composed of a collection of tiny dots called pixels. When these pixels are small, and placed close together, they fool the eye into forming a single image. Raster images work well when subtle gradations of color are necessary. Because they contain a fixed number of pixels, a major disadvantage of raster images is that their quality suffers when they are enlarged or otherwise transformed. They are also large in file size. Raster images include photographs and can not be avoided in printing, so choosing the highest resolution image possible is always best practice. top

 

Images

Digital Imaging

You may create printed products on our web site using digitized images from a variety of sources. Your designs, photos and images can come from a digital camera, scanner, or the Web. You can also utilize many royalty free, fee based image resources such as iStockphoto.com

Any image you plan to use must be saved at approximately 300-dpi at 100% output size for the very best printing results. It’s helpful to know that shrinking an image on a product will increase its resolution. For example, an image captured at 600 x 900 pixels has 150-dpi at 4” x 6” can be printed at 300-dpi by reducing its dimensions on the product to 2” x 3”. However, the same image can not be enlarged.

Images from a Digital Camera

If you wish to use images from a digital camera, before you snap pictures make sure the camera is set at a high enough resolution to result in 300 DPI at the intended photo print size. Most cameras have various settings for resolutions. The highest resolution for your camera depends on how many megapixels it has.
You cannot increase the resolution of a photo after it is taken, except by reducing its printed dimensions (after you upload the image). Be careful when cropping a photo after it is taken. Cropping will reduce the number of pixels in the final image.

Images from a Scanner

Like a digital camera, a scanner must be preset to the proper resolution before image capture. Many scanners default to 150-dpi (or spi). Set your scanner’s resolution so that it results in 300-dpi at the image’s final print size. If your resulting scanned image is smaller than the recommended size or has less dpi than you need, you should either rescan your original at a higher resolution, or use the image for a smaller printed area.

Images from the Web

Images found on the web are typically at a resolution of 72-dpi. This resolution is much too low for quality printing. We require 300dpi or larger images. In addition, most images on the web are generally protected by some form of copyright law. For these reasons, we do not recommend using images from the web. Please see our terms of use regarding the use of copyrighted images found on the web. top