crop 1. Bleed & Safety Margins
All print jobs require a 0.125" (1/8 inch) bleed added to all four outer edges. Bleed is the artwork area that extends beyond the final cut line.
Formula: Bleed Size = Final Trim Dimensions + 0.25" Total (0.125" per side).
Example: A standard 3.5" × 2" business card file must be built at 3.75" × 2.25".
Safe Margin: Keep all critical logos, text, and phone numbers at least 0.125" inside the trim border to prevent accidental trimming.
palette 2. Color Mode: CMYK
Commercial offset and digital presses print exclusively using CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) inks.
RGB Shift: Files submitted in RGB or Pantone will be converted automatically to CMYK. Bright backlit screen shades (such as fluorescent greens or electric blues) may appear slightly less saturated.
Rich Black Formula: For deep solid black backgrounds, use C:60 M:40 Y:40 K:100. For small body text, use 100% K only (0/0/0/100) to prevent fuzzy edges.
high_quality 3. Image Resolution
Low-resolution graphics will appear blurry or pixelated when transferred to physical paper stock.
Handheld Items: 300 DPI at 100% scale for business cards, postcards, flyers, brochures, and stationery.
Large Format / Signage: 150 DPI at 100% scale for vinyl banners, yard signs, posters, and foam boards.
text_fields 4. Outlining Fonts / Curves
To avoid font substitution or missing character errors during RIP processing, always convert all typography into vector outlines/curves.
Illustrator: Type → Create Outlines (Ctrl+Shift+O)
InDesign: Type → Create Outlines
Minimum Font Size: 7pt for regular type; 8pt for white/reversed text on dark backgrounds.
auto_awesome 5. Spot UV & Foil Masks
Products with Spot UV gloss or foil stamping require a separate black-and-white mask file aligned exactly to the print artwork.
Mask Requirements: Vector artwork where 100% K (solid black) indicates the finish, and 0% K (pure white) indicates no finish. No gradients or drop shadows.
file_present 6. Recommended Formats
We recommend exporting your print files using PDF/X-1a:2001 or PDF/X-4 standard with all transparencies flattened.
Accepted: PDF (preferred), TIFF, high-resolution JPEG, and PNG.
Double-Sided: Upload either a 2-page PDF (Page 1 = Front, Page 2 = Back) or two separate files labeled Front and Back.