Easy Guide to Art

Accepted: Art File Types

Usable Art

Send us your artwork and we will start proofing! The best types of art to get the process moving as quickly as possible are:

• Adobe Illustrator (.ai)
• Vector PDF (.pdf)
• Layered EPS (.eps)

Acceptable only for Full color, or CMYK products

• High Resolution Images (.jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .tif) 300 dpi at print size
• Adobe Photoshop (.psd) 300 dpi at print size

These types of files allow the greatest flexibility for sizing graphics to any size without loss of quality. All .ai or .eps files must be created in a vector program originally. Taking a file that is not .ai or .eps and saving it as that format does not make that an acceptable file.

Fonts

If you include text in your files, please convert to outlines or paths (expanded) before sending.

Placed Art

Any art or scans placed within a layout application, such as Illustrator, should be placed in the document as an eps at 100% scale.

Proofing

We will send you a proof of your art before printing to ensure that the final output matches original file. If color is critical, we require you to supply us with exact PMS colors (Pantone Matching System).

Unaccepted: Art File Types

Unusable Art

You’ll hear us call this “bad art” or refer to it as low-res, pixilated, or blurry. Generally we need art that is vector or TO SIZE (meaning the size you want it printed at or larger) at 300 dpi.

A good rule of thumb is if you can zoom in and it’s blurry or you can see pixels, then it’s no good.

Web Images

If you attempt to use an image from a website, it will not be suitable for your needs. Images on websites are typically compressed to minimize file size, allowing web pages to load more quickly. However, these reduced-size files are insufficient for printing purposes.

Small Images

If you have a small digital photo, do not increase its resolution (dpi) in a photo editing program. This process only creates gaps between pixels, resulting in a blurry image.

We DO NOT print from or accept artwork for print in the following formats, except for importing text into a design program:

• Microsoft Publisher (.pub)
• Microsoft Word (.doc, .txt)
• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pps)
• Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlt, .xml)

We understand there are instances when sending poor art is better than sending nothing. If this is the case, you may send the art you have but Art Charges of $35 per hour will be added to your order. Please call or email us for cost estimates or questions.