Artwork Guidelines
Thank you for taking the time to read our design guide! By doing so we know you care to get the best product possible by ensuring your designs comply with best printing practices! We have prepared this guide for you so that you can get the best final product possible. Files that do not meet our design requirements can possibly cause delays to your order or can lead to unexpected print results. If you have any questions please contact us before placing an order.
Checklist for Online Designer/Pre-made Design Templates
• Check your spelling! Proof-read your design, we DO NOT check your spelling.
• Keep all text and important images away from the edge by at least 1-2”. If choosing Pole Pockets use a 4 inch safety space for pocket plus welded seam,
• Wide format products are generally intended to be viewed from a distance and may appear pixelated close up. Please avoid small type. For every 10 feet of viewing distance away from your banner/sign, you will want to increase the letter height by 1 inch. Here is a quick guide to reference:
• Double check that the size you are designing at is the size you want to order. (The size is shown at top left of designer)
• We have a catalogue of vector clipart images and shapes you can use in your design.
• Our online designer supports the upload of your own JPG, PDF and SVG images. Make sure your images are at least 150 DPI at actual size. You can check this in the image palette where you will see an indicator of LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH resolution. Vector PDF and SVG files will indicate VECTOR
Checklist for Uploading PDF (PDF is our preferred file type) or SVG Files
• Please use our blank pdf templates when designing in order to make sure the bleed, safety space, and margins are correct.
• Make sure that all fonts are converted to curves/outlines. If they aren’t converted, then your text may not print correctly.
• Double check your artboard size before designing.
• All images must be embedded in the file. Unembedded images may drop out of the design and will not print correctly.
• Designs may be submitted in RGB but we do not gaurentee a color match as we print in CMYK. If you need PMS or color matching please inquire with customer service BEFORE you order. Do not upload color critical files online.
• All transparencies need to be flattened.
Checklist for Uploading JPG, TIFF or PNG Files
• Please use our blank pdf templates when designing in order to make sure the bleed, safety space, and margins are correct.
• Double check your artboard size AND resolution before designing. We require a minimum of 150 DPI at final size or you may design to a scale of ¼ final size at 600 DPI. Paper Posters (our highest print quality product) should be designed at 300 DPI at final size.
• Designs need to be created and saved in CMYK in order to avoid color shifting in printing. We CAN print your RGB files but cannot be responsible for differences in color on your screen and the final print product. Do not upload color critical files online.
Design Tips & Tricks
• For best results, we recommend going with lighter background colors and avoid heavy ink saturation. If you need to print a heavy ink coverage background, a subtle pattern can help with saturation issues.
• Using contrasting colors in your design will help visibility. Light text on a dark background or vise versa will have higher legibility and get you better results.
• Respect margins and safety space. Banners are not a high precision product when it comes to trimming and hemming. Vinyl may stretch or shrink, so allow for as much as 1/4 inch varience in final size. Elements to close to the edge of your banner may be trimmed off. Allow FOUR inch safety space when choosing pole pockets, i.e. for a standard 3 inch pole pocket it's 3 inches for the pocket plus 1 inch for the safety space.
• Simple, bold fonts are easier to read than script or novelty fonts.
• Hemmed banners may be slightly smaller than the size you order because of the folded hem. For exact sizes, please choose clean cut.
Professional designs/designers should NOT use online proofing system (it's RGB) and email a link with Print Ready files using Dropbox.com, Google Drive or wetransfer.com
