File Prep Basics

• Bleeds Include 1/8 inch bleeds

  "Bleed" is a term used in printing for images or graphics that go right to the edge of the paper, or "bleeds" off the page without a border. Bleeds are accomplished by printing the product on paper that is larger than the end result and trimming off the extra material. To allow for bleeds, the document must be setup 1/8" larger than the final cut product.

  For example, suppose you are designing a 4" x 6" postcard that should bleed off the page. When creating your document, set the document size to 4.25" x 6.25". Some design / layout software includes options for properly creating a new document to account for bleeds. Bleeds are recommended even if the product will be printed with borders.

• Color Setup Use CMYK color mode

  All full color artwork must be saved in CMYK color mode.

  If your document contains elements using RGB or Pantone colors, these will converted automatically to CMYK during preflighting. Converting these to CMYK will cause a shift since they are not of the same color spectrum.

• Image Resolution Ensure 300 dpi resolution

  For most printing jobs, 300 dpi (dots per inch) is the minimum image resolution to guarantee acceptable printing results. Submitting files with resolution lower than 300 dpi may result in the print turning out pixelated or blurry.

  It is not recommended to include images saved from webpages in your artwork. Web art is optimized for display on web pages by using a resolution of 72 or 96 dpi. This is too low of a resolution for use in printing and will result in a blurry print.

• Text and Fonts Convert text to outlines

  When submitting files, it is recommended to convert all text to outlines. Converting text to outlines causes all text to be converted to regular graphical objects which ensures all text in the document is printed exactly as intended.

  If text is not converted to outlines and your artwork utilizes non-standard fonts or fonts that are not installed on our computers, we may not be able print the file exactly as you intended. You must provide us with any fonts used in the document.

FAQ's

What is the preferred file type?

Can I submit a MS Word .doc?

How To Prepare Files By Application

• Adobe Illustrator / Free Hand

  • Save as .eps
  • Include any placed images
  • Convert any spot colors to CMYK
  • Convert ALL text to outlines (Illustrator) or paths (Free Hand), or include all printer and screen fonts or TrueType fonts; be sure to include all styles used (regular, italic, bold italic)

• Adobe Acrobat / PDF

  • Adobe Acrobat .pdf files are considered print ready files
  • Ensure document size, orientation, and bleeds are properly set.

• Adobe InDesign

  • Include all page layout files(s) - .indd
  • Include all art support files - .tif or .eps
  • Include all printer and screen fonts or TruType fonts; be sure to include all styles used (regular, italic, bold italic)

• Adobe Photoshop

  Photoshop is not recommended for art with small text. We cannot work with web graphics. Web art resolution (72 dpi) is too low to print a quality product.

  • Save as .eps or .tif
  • Scan original at anticipated output size - 300 dpi for color / 600 - 1200 dpi for B & W bitmap
  • Convert any spot colors to CMYK
  • Convert color files to CMYK mode

• Quark

  • Include all page layout files(s) - .qxd
  • Include all art support files - .tif or .eps
  • Include all printer and screen fonts or TruType fonts; be sure to include all styles used (regular, italic, bold italic)

• CorelDRAW

  • Convert ALL text to curves
  • Export as an Illustrator .ai file