Business cards. Colour printing in the Toronto area, including Mississauga, Oakville, Brampton.

How to Setup Your Files for:

  •Graphic Designers
  •Best Results
  •Rich Blacks
  •Microsoft Files
  •PDF Files
  •Details for the
    Do-it-Yourselfer
  •Free to Low Cost
    Software Available

  •Using Borders &
    Horizontal Rules

  •File Match
    Guarantee




Paper Cards


Magnetic Cards


Plastic Cards

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How We Print & Paper Type


File Types


Specifications



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GFX is proudly issue-free with the BBB Canada for 14 years. Feel free to do your own search for our company, or any company you plan on doing business with. GFX Printing is not a member of the BBB.

The Hard Part Made Easier By GFX

We have done everything we possibly can to simplify the online printing ordering process. We realize though that there can be individual complexities in the file setup and transferring process. That is why we deal with every order on an individual basis. It is part of the process of making sure your colour printing, whether on business cards or on plastic gift cards, turn out the way you imagined. However, our printing services are typically for graphic designers very familiar with file preparation as we cannot provide any personal tutoring if you do not have the recommended software.

The Basics ... for Graphic Designers

  • Simple Calibration: At the very minimum, your monitor needs to be calibrated using Adobe Gamma (comes bundled with Photoshop).
  • Colour Profile: U.S. Sheetfed Coated v2.
  • Colour Space: CMYK.Resolution: Minimum 300 DPI (Max. 375 DPI). No web graphics.
  • Resolution: Minimum 300 DPI (Max. 375 DPI). No web graphics.
  • Full Bleed: 1/8" on any side that bleeds.
  • Rich Blacks (Solid Backgrounds Only): We recommend C50% M50% Y50% and K100%. Not recommended for text.
  • File Type: EPS or TIFF only (fonts converted and layers flattened). Note that we consider Photoshop EPS files to be BITMAPPED and the same as TIFF for the most part.

    **IMPORTANT** we prefer true vector EPS files over any other file format which will result in crisp printing. Vector means Illustrator, CorelDraw, FreeHand. Photoshop EPS files are STILL BITMAPPED.
  • Do not send files by email unless instructed by your GFX representative.
  • Archive: Save all files in a single Zip or StuffIt archive before transferring -- use proper naming conventions for files, i.e. NOT archive.sit - use ClientName.sit.

Click here for Microsoft Publisher specifications.

Instructions for uploading files will be provided after you place your order. We recommend that you provide Low resolution JPEGs with your high resolution vector files as proofs. If you do not send low resolution proofs, we will not remind you and all printing as it your own risk. Do not send files by email.

Rich Blacks

NOTE that Rich Black on the back of any printing is considered full colour because Rich Black is CMYK.

Recommended rich black for solid backgrounds only.      Black text on a white background only.

Doing it Yourself? Read Below if you Need More Further Details of File Preparation

We also don't recommend using a paint program such as Photoshop for text only (specifically on a white background), unless there's special effects or it's on a colored background (make sure the font is fairly heavy). If you do not have a drawing program such as Illustrator or CorelDraw, increase the resolution to 1200 or 2400 dpi (line art); this solution is only recommended for black text on a white background (see above for Rich Blacks) .

First and foremost, is your monitor calibrated? If you have no idea what we're talking about, here's a link to Adobe's knowledge base that will explain what calibration is.

  • Are the files CMYK? Greyscale for the back only, unless printing color both sides;
  • Have you checked the canvas size? Image size and canvas size are 2 different things.

Allow 1/8" on any side that bleeds, and 1/8" on the inside "live" area that doesn't get trimmed.

  • Have you named all files (ZIP, SIT, TIF, EPS, etc.) so that we can figure out who the file belongs to? YOURNAME.EPS /TIF /ZIP /SIT is good.
  • Have you converted fonts to curves (CorelDraw), outlines (Illustrator) or paths (Freehand)? In Photoshop, it's "render type layer"*. Save your original files in case they need to be modified and resubmitted.
  • Have you exported the file without any further compression (i.e.: no LZW or JPEG? These will add a distinct fuzziness to your completed print job even if it's not visible on your or our monitor).
  • Note that compressed files such as *.zip or *.sit is not the same thing as using compression within a program such as Photoshop.

DO NOT embed a JPEG, web graphics or clipart within your files! These will result in the same poor quality for which we are not responsible.

  • For the back, have you triple-checked spelling and grammar? We do not proofread your artwork.
  • Finally, stuff or zip (compress) your file(s) and send it to us!

Instructions for sending us files will be provided after you place your order. Low resolution JPEGs should be provided with your high resolution files: this gives us the opportunity to see what you see.

Borders/Horizontal Rules (Lines)

If you plan on adding a border around the edge of the card, we recommend that it not be smaller than 1/4"; 1/8" for trimming and 1/8" on the inside visible area. This is especially crucial for business cards where the border will almost always trim off balance due to the nature of trimming and the small size. For example, on a 4x6 postcard, 1/16" off balance is barely noticeable, but quite noticeable on a 3.5 x 2 business card. Use small borders at your own risk!

Horizontal rules/lines may not output if they are smaller than .25". If supplying a TIFF file with small/fine lines, they will appear jagged or not print at all.

PDF Files

We are offset printing, not digital, and we do not accept PDF files as final artwork.

For Best Printing Results

1) Use a photo editing tool such as Photoshop to scan, crop, correct, etc. photographs and save them as 300dpi (375dpi maximum) CMYK TIFF files, then;

2) Place the photograph into a drawing program such as Illustrator to add your text on top of the photograph;

3) Always try to use a drawing program such as Illustrator for large blocks of text like the back of a postcard or contact information on the front of a business cards.

4) Always keep in mind that vector files (Illustrator/CorelDraw/Freehand) will produce the best results since they are not resolution dependent like bitmapped files (TIFF or JPEG).

Free to Low Cost Software Alternatives

Don't have Photoshop or Illustrator? Below are some links to low-cost or free alternatives - note that we have no experience with these programs and cannot help you, nor can we guarantee they will be compatible files for offset printing:

Photo Imaging:

Draw/Vector Imaging:

Proofs

We are a gang printer and  because of the nature of gang printing, we do not provide nor recommend film-based proofs such as Matchprints.

Need More Information on Preparing Artwork?

We regret that we can't offer personal tutoring for any particular software package should you need further assistance in preparing your files. Your GFX customer service representative will try to assist you if you need clarification on any of the above.

Microsoft Publisher 2003

Using Microsoft? We accept MS Publisher 2003 files. Please note that we have to make a number of alterations to Publisher files, eg: we convert images and graphics from RGB to CMYK, as well as make many other revisions to them before we can actually use them. If you are using your own photographs in publications, please ensure that they are at least 300 DPI (maximum 375 DPI). We may ask you to send the photographs separately as TIFF files so that we can rebuild the file to our specifications. DO NOT USE PACK AND GO WIZARD. To avoid potential problems, use only truetype fonts that come with Office 2003: see Microsoft's site for a list of included fonts at Microsoft's site. If you send *.pub files, you'll also have to include JPEG files as proofs. Please allow a minimum of 2 business days for us to make the file adjustments. If you want us to rush your file conversion, there is a $50 service fee.

Your Supplied Artwork

You are 100% responsible for the accuracy of your layouts. Please proofread all layouts carefully. As postal regulations are subject to change, you are responsible for complying with current mailing restrictions for backside layouts. Check with your local Post Office if you plan on using bulk rates.

If we have any problems with your artwork, we will notify you prior to printing it. We try to review files within 24 hours of receipt. Our review process is nominal, however, and it's your responsibility to follow our guidelines.

What's Your Guarantee?

If the files we print don't match the files you sent us, we will reprint it at no charge. Exceptions include RGB or Pantones to CMYK conversions, PDFs, embedded profiles, or slight trimming imperfections. We do not guarantee a 100% perfect match. If the files we print match the files you sent us, the cost of reprinting them is borne by you. Our prepress staff check files carefully and give you as many opportunities as you need to fix your files before they go to press. We do not charge you for printing until we receive correctly formatted files. However, note that if you need to send files more than twice, there is a service fee associated with this at $25 per additional upload.

Please follow the guidelines and instructions carefully to avoid delays and/or additional service fees.

 

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iNeedBusinessCards.com & GFX Printing are divisions of Art a deux, Ltee.
General Inquiries: 905-828-7399 (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)

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