Technical Artwork Information

An Artwork Creation Program is any computer or cloud-based software application that can be used to create the artwork file for print. There are several different programs that can be used, but the standard recommended suite of programs is Adobe Creative Suite or Adobe Creative Cloud. Adobe Illustrator CS or CC  Adobe Illustrator is an ideal program to use for print products as it is a vector-based program. Vector images are based on anchor points and the lines that connect them [image of a vector sample that shows points and lines]. This unique structure means that a vector image can be scaled up or down without losing image quality. Illustrator is designed with many tools and features...

One of the first steps to properly creating a print-ready file is ensuring that the format of the file is correct. In this case “format” means making sure that the file has the correct width and height, as well as the correct bleed and safe margin allowances. Each of these will be explained in detail below.Width and Height Though it may seem simple, it can be difficult to determine what the proper width and height of the document should be. There are also several terms that get used to describe the width and height, which are defined below: Flat Size: This refers to the dimensions of a document after it has been printed and received any necessary trimming, but before it has been subject...

I received my printed product and the colors do not match what I saw on my screen.  Here's a question we received from a customer who placed an order with this same issue. Problem 1. Dark Black colors inaccurate to digital proofThe questions was:  "The printing on the items is very strange. It looks like the colors did not come out correctly and does not match the proof. Please let me know if there is anything we can do to remedy this. Thanks!" On screen, here's how my design appear: 

Here's how it looks side by side with the actual printed piece. 
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This guide should be followed every time a design is started, regardless of the product being created. The points mentioned below are considered “Best Practises” when designing for print and will apply to all products. More detailed guides are available for specific products or product groups.Main Elements When Starting a Design For Print:Format Ensure the artboard/page is set to the correct size For books, the artboard(s) should be set to the final FOLDED size of the book For all other products, the final TRIM size should be used Bleed should be allowed using the built-in features of Indesign and Illustrator, and NOT by making the artboard bigger It is not enough to just...

The most basic definition of printing is putting ink on paper. How that ink is used to create the image is a far more complex process, and can be impacted by several factors. The most important of these factors is Colour. This can refer to the actual hue of an element in the design, but in the technical sense, it refers to the different systems for classifying and mixing colours. Printing primarily uses the CMYK and Pantone systems, with black ink playing a very important role in ensuring a proper print outputCMYK Colour Space CMYK stands for Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y), and Black (K), and is also referred to as “4 Colour Printing” and “Process Printing”. Most “Full Colour” printing...