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. Improperly prepared files can cause delays in manufacturing.
Useful links
☁ How to setup your artboard for your design
☁ How to prepare file for white printing
Quick Checklist
All fonts are included. (if your design is an Ai file, please create outlines for all texts)
►Type is legible and crisp.
►Page layout is correct.
►Margins are set.
►Artwork matches the specified dimensions.
►All linked files, images, and fonts are placed in separate folders.
►Colors in CMYK mode.
►Resolution: At least 300dpi
Bleeds and Safe area
A 2mm border must be added to pictures and designs bleeding to the edge, so that there is no white space or border showing around the artwork. It is also important to keep text at least a 22 away from the paper edge or the trim line to prevent accidental cropping.
Color Specifications
Print previews are not a safe and sure measuring tool for color accuracy. Colors on the file might be effected by monitor calibration, screen resolution and lighting, just to name a few. Many Pantone colors show a marked color shift when converted to four color process.
For one, two or three color jobs printed in Pantone spot color, make sure your colors are specified as spot color and they separate correctly. You can test this by printing separations on your laser printer.
To achieve the desired color on press, digital files must reflect accurate color models and percentage. Please make sure all colors are in CMYK mode for color accuracy and a better quality output.
Image Resolutions
►All images and pictures should be 300 dpi.
►Rasterized text or logos should be 1200 dpi.
►Screen values should be between 133 lpi and 150 lpi.
Guidelines by Application
The following outlines the specific file requirements by application. If you have any questions, please contact our graphics department.
Adobe Photoshop
►Files should be 300 dpi at 100% of actual size for quality offset reproduction.
►Files should be saved in PDF format (embed all fonts and set the screen value to 133 lpi.)
►If your file has die-cut lines and/or white printing, please seperate these into different layers and name it accordingly.
Adobe Illustrator
►Files should be 300 dpi at 100% of actual size for quality offset reproduction.
►If your file has die-cut lines and/or white printing, please seperate these into different layers and name it accordingly.
►Embed pictures, linked files, and create outlines for every texts (or send them together in a zip folder).
Digital Proofs
We provide PDF files as electronic soft proofs. These digital proofs intend to show you the layout and design elements of your job, but cannot be a guarantee of color accuracy. If color accuracy is of extreme importance to you, please ask for a hard copy proof. Scan all transparencies and line art at 100% of final size unless data size is prohibitive. If such a case occurs, scan at 1/4 or 1/2 of final size. Scan all transparencies and line art at 100% of final size unless data size is prohibitive. If such a case occurs, scan at 1/4 or 1/2 of final size.
Things you should know
1. Printing
- Some materials can be bent (not flat) which is normal for papers and stickers.
- Color of printed product might be different from color on your monitor and also under different lights and shadows.
- If your design has heavy or darker color, printed product color can be easy to get scratched off if the product is not laminated.
2. Laminating
- A bit of small dust can be appear in laminated product which is uncontrollable.
- Different lamination patterns/types, can have small affect on printed color because of reflection of the lights.
- Some holographic patterns might have a small thin lines from creating their patterns at the manufacturer.
4. Cutting
- Each cut product might have different image margin but will not exceed bleeds and safe area.
5. Plastic product
- Printed product on plastic (e.g. Transparent card) might have a small scratch mark.
6. Die-cutting
- Die-cut / Kiss-cut margin can be +/- up to 0.5mm on stickers and +/- 2mm for papers and plastics
7. Stickers
- Customers are responsible when peeling stickers of a release liner.
- If stickers are rubbed or touched regularly, color and/or laminated film on stickers might peel/scratched off.
8. White printing
- White printing on clear substrate, would give a opacity of your product around 50% (for 1-shot of white ink)
9. Digital Proof
- Digital Proof shows how your design layout would look, but color might be a bit different from actual product. However, you can order a printed sample to see actual color (add extra cost).
10. Re-printing product
- Re-printing a product, cannot guarantee color, material, lamination film, cutting/die-cutting margin that they will be 100% the same as your last order.
