Artwork Specifications
Acceptable Media
- Emailed files or compress folders under 5MB
- CD or DVD
- Website Upload
File Formats Accepted-Mac or PC
- Illustrator CS4 or below - .ai, .eps or .pdf files
- Photoshop CS4 or below - .tif, .eps. or .psd files
- InDesign CS2 or below - .indd files
- Quark 6.0 or below - .qxd files
- Freehand and Flexi- converted to Illustrator (.ai) or .eps format
File Formats Not Accepted
- Power Point
- Excel
- Word
- Publisher
- If you do not see your file format here, please contact our prepress department before sending your job.
To ensure all deadlines are met, please make sure you follow these additional guidelines:
Fonts
Please include your fonts or convert all text in your documents to outlines!
Photos
All photos should be at least 150 dpi at print size. If scanning your image, please scan it with the above settings. Larger print sizes may allow for lower resolution. Preferred file formats are .tif, .eps or .psd. Jpegs can be used but are not advised due to the data loss (during compression) associated with them. Gif and bmp files are generally unacceptable. Please contact our prepress department with any questions concerning resolution and output size.
RGB/CMYK
Files saved in RGB or CMYK are accepted, while CMYK is preferred. Keep your file in the color space it was created in, and don't mix the two. (IE, do not place RGB images in a CMYK document or the reverse.)
Hard Copies
Please include printed proofs or laser prints, including references to any specific colors and finished sizes.
Colors
All specialty colors need to be clearly indentified, especially PMS colors.
Sizing/Bleed
Please save files at print size or at half size in direct proportion to printed size. If saving at half size, please do so only if it is a vector file. In addition, please specify on your proof or tell your customer service representative if saving at reduced size. 1/4" of bleed on all 4 sides is required for mounted pieces, while 1" of bleed on all 4 sides is necessary for hemmed banners. As a general rule, add a minimum of 1/4" all around your art.
Compression
Compress files to be sent via FTP with tools like WinZip (on PC) or Stuff-It (on Mac). This will facilitate transfering files to and from the FTP server. Please verify your archives before sending.
Proofs
We offer 3 methods of proofing your job:
- NO PROOF - Because rush orders do not allow for enough proof time, we will process prints following the exact image we receive in the files provided by the customer. It is imperative that customers provide files that accurately represent the products to be delivered. On rush orders, we cannot be responsible for errors / omissions in the original designs and we will require a signed proof waiver form to run your rush order. If there are any problems with your rush order, you are accepting full responsibility.
- PDF/JPEG - These low-resolution files are for ease of use and to accommodate e-mailbox file size limitations. Due to variations between computer monitors, the colors represented in the electronic proof may not be true to the final output. These proofs should not be used to judge the quality of the final output, but for content only.
- HARD PROOF - A reduced size version of the actual product.
Regardless of your proofing method, please review them carefully as we can not be responsible for missing elements and spelling errors.
Please contact a customer service representative prior to sending us files or with any questions you might have about your order. Please contact our prepress department with any technical or design related questions.