Art Templates

This is an area where most delays occur so great care should be taken in the preparation of your artwork. This is something you can do yourself, however you will have to pay attention to some basic rules and your measurements will need to be accurate.

Please supply artwork as press ready files, in the formats & requirements listed below.

ACCEPTED SOFTWARE FORMATS

We recommend creating your artwork in a design program such as Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Freehand, or Corel Draw. If you are using a newer version please save as down to our acceptable version for best compatibility. If you are using a graphic design program not listed above, you may export as a .EPS, or a .PDF for submittal and our art department can verify quality and compatibility.

TEMPLATES & MEASUREMENTS

We recommend using one of our service artwork templates. Our Templates are already set-up for easy use in our recommended design programs and include the printable dimensions. Artwork and template needs be placed on separate layers. Do not flatten templates or dye lines within your files. Any flattened artwork submitted is subject to additional fees. We highly recommend sending us your complete layered artwork just in case you need a quick text change we can fix it for you instead of having to resubmit your artwork.

OUTLINE YOUR FONTS

Did you know one of the best ways to ensure that your artwork prints the way you want is to outline your fonts. This converts your letters from editable fonts into vector point shapes. In Adobe Illustrator, select all of your artwork and go to your Type menu and choose "Create Outlines." Other software can refer to this same technique as "Convert text to Shape" or "Break Apart Text". The smallest font size allowed is 6pt.

ARTWORK RESOLUTION

Vector files are recommended for some print processes. For raster artwork we recommend high-resolution of 300 dpi best print quality. If you must use a raster based program to create your layout like Photoshop, we recommend all text be left editable and not rasterized to avoid pixelation.

BLEEDS & SAFETY AREAS

A 5mm bleed past ALL edges is required on artwork to allow for printer shift or variation in template sizes across different print processes. This includes the center hole of disc artwork; please do not delete artwork in that area as bleed is needed there also. We recommend creating a safety area for your text design elements by keeping them 5mm from all edges. Please don't feel you need to delete extra artwork past the bleed or printable edges, it's always better to have too much than not enough.

COLOR SPACE

Define all color modes as CMYK or PMS. No RGB files. Offset, Photo Pro, or Thermal printing are CMYK process printing and cannot guarantee Pantone colors. All Pantone colors must be specified in artwork and can only be guaranteed with Silkscreen printing. Use Pantone coated color guides for closest color.

COLOR MATCHING

As colors vary in different printing processes as well as on different materials, if your artwork needs to be matched please supply us with a printed color match sample &/or Pantone colors. If color matching is requested additional fees and proofs may be required.

PRINT WITH OR WITHOUT WHITE FLOOD COAT

The white flood-coat is a layer of ink on a silver disc that acts as a base-coat or primer for the colors printed on it, recreating the effect of printing on white paper. No white flood coat will show silver of disc. Offset, Silkscreen, and PhotoPro disc printing processes use white flood coats.