Artwork Guidelines

We have prepared the following checklist to assist you with files you are submitting prior to ordering which is considered final. Improperly prepared files wll be printed at your own risk.

**WE WILL NOT NOTIFY YOU IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS**

If you need further instructions, see File Guidelines for asssistance.

Quick Checklist

►Type is legible and crisp.

►**IMPORTANT** Fonts MUST BE converted to outlines, not just embedded.

►Page layout is correct.

►Margins are set.

►Artwork matches the specified dimensions, i.e. if you are ordering 3.5 x 2, files should not be smaller or larger, except for bleed area, if applicable.

►DO NOT LINK IMAGES in Illustrator or InDesign - Embed them.

►Colours in CMYK mode.

Bleeds (Ink Goes to Edges)

A 1/8" bleed (on any edge which means adding 1/4" to the canvas size if all 4 edges/sides bleed) 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 1/4" away from the paper edge or the trim line to prevent accidental cropping.

IMPORTANT: Bleeds cannot be white or black unless the background is white or black. If you try to fit an image directly on the trim line and presume it will be trimmed that way, you will be disappointed with the results since it's likely you'll have unsightly white edges which will look unprofessional or important information may also get chopped off.

Colour Specifications

Print previews are not a safe and sure measuring tool for colour accuracy. Colours will be affected by monitor calibration, screen resolution and lighting, just to name a few. Many Pantones shift when converted to CMYK process; in particular bright blues tend to convert to purple.

Please make sure all colours are in CMYK mode for colour accuracy and a better quality output.

Image Resolution

►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.

Adobe Photoshop

►Files should be 300 dpi at 100% of actual size for quality offset reproduction.

►Scan all transparencies and line art at 100% of print 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 your files are over 50 MB, scan at 1/4 or 1/2 of final size. DO NOT scan materials that have already been printed unless you'll be satisfied with poor quality results.

►Flatten all layers

►Files should be saved in TIF format from Photoshop. DO NOT SAVE them as EPS.