ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS

 

ACCEPTED FILE FORMATS:

When sending a vector file, it is always a good idea to send the file in TWO of the above formats. Sometimes one will open correctly, the other will not. ALSO send along a bitmapped image (.jpg or .psd or .bmp or .tif) of the final image, so that we can see what it is supposed to look like.

Please FLATTEN your image so it is all one layer.

Please WELD the pieces together that are supposed to be one final piece.

Please use the COMBINE (in CorelDraw) or MAKE COMPOUND PATH (in Illustrator) to create one element with the white spaces being just holes, instead of white filled pieces sitting on the darker background.

COLORS

Cut vinyl is only available in a limited range of solid colors. We recommend you study the 3M Premium Vinyl Colors Chart to see the range of colors we have available. (CLICK HERE for 3M color chart)

With cut vinyl graphics, please give us the PMS colors which go with the images. We will try to match to the closest corresponding 3M vinyl color.

FONTS

We have over 13,000 fonts in our fonts file program. HOWEVER, there are over ONE MILLION fonts available on the web today, and most of those are FREE FONTS. So, whatever font you are using, please do the following:

In the image, convert all fonts to OUTLINES or CURVES. Also (in case we need to add more text/change the text in the same font) please IDENTIFY which lettering uses what font, and send us the font files separately. Please do not assume that we have your font, or can easily identify it, especially if you are working on an Apple Computer, as all of our computers are PC's.

BITMAP (TO BE PRINTED) IMAGES

Any image which has graduated shades of color, more than 3 colors in any element, or is like a photograph, will have to be PRINTED. We will also print images created in Illustrator or CorelDraw (CS5 and X5 or earlier) using the special effects filters (such as drop shadows, graduated coloring, rainbow effects, etc.).

If an image was created using special effects in Illustrator or CorelDraw, please use the same guidelines for sending us the file as the guidelines above for VECTOR files.

For bitmaps, the best images are uncompressed .tif files, but we can use .psd, .bmp, and even .jpg files, if they are large enough files. If sending a digital camera photo, we can convert RAW files, which will give us the best data to work with.

All printing is done in CYMK, but we will accept your files in either RGB or CYMK.

If your image was created in Photoshop, or is a photograph, please send us the file in the highest resolution which you have (without upsizing it artificially). We recommend that you use PHOTOSHOP or a similar photo editing program, enlarge the file to the full final size, and take a look at the image in full size. What you see is what you are going to get. Check the image specifications in that size, and if the dpi is less than 25, we will probably need to use a different image. We have programs that will sharpen a soft image to a certain extent, but we can only increase the resolution comfortably about 25% to max 40%, before things start looking odd. For images that will go on the sides of trailers, box trucks and vans, we prefer the resolution to be a minimum of 50 dpi, so that your final print will look sharp and clear.

HOW TO SEND US YOUR FILES

Most vector files are not that large, so you can zip the multiple files together and send them to use via e-mail. Send to jason@theimagemakers.com.

Bitmapped images for larger prints will be very large files. For files such as these, you may need to use DROPBOX or a similar file sharing program.

You may also put your files onto a CD or DVD and mail them to us. With large bitmapped prints, it is a good idea to send us a hard copy "color proof" of your image, so that we fully understand how you want the final product to appear. (Images on the computer can vary from one monitor or one computer to the next, so a computer-visualized image is not necessarily color-accurate).

If you have any questions at all, please contact us at 916-425-3241.

We look forward to working with you!