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Electronic Art Specifications
PLEASE PRINT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
Listed below are the specifications for the different areas of your electronic artwork. We recommend that you follow these guidelines in order to keep your costs down, as well as eliminate any problems when your job
is printed.
In order to meet your deadlines, the artwork you send must be created and saved per the enclosed specifications, making
your files compatible with our imagesetter. If corrections or modifications are required to ensure proper output, your order may be delayed pending clarification or approval.
Supplied Art
Original Art/Scanned Art: Include all placed graphics with your file.
Scan resolution should be a minimum of 300 lpi (lines per inch) at final scale for continuous tone images, and 1200 lpi for bitmap images.
Type Specs: 6 pt. minimum. Avoid fine reverse type. We recommend using a
bold face font in reverse areas. Avoid process builds on text areas.
Lines/Rules: Minimum of .75 pt for positive print, 1 pt. for reverse. Avoid building thin rules out of process color.
Image Area: Maintain 1/16" margin from die line on all artwork not
intended to bleed. Minimum thickness is 1/32" on borders intended to bleed off the label.
Color Specification: Make sure all elements are noted for proper color
break. Before sending your files for printing, please print out a set of separations and check that all elements are printing, and that they are in the correct color. Avoid building thin rules and text out of
process colors.
Trapping: Our Graphic Artists will review all files and trap them
accordingly. If you need trap information, use the following: Black; Set to overprint all colors. Colors: All traps should be set to a minimum of 1 pt. Remember to spread the lighter color into the darker color.
Bleed Requirements: When a bleed is desired on any item, an extension between 1/16”
to 1/8" should be allowed on each applicable side. If this allowance is not made, we would require an art charge to add this.
Screens: All screens should be a minimum of 10%, lighter screens will not reproduce well on our presses.
Screens of over 90% may appear as solid colors due to dot gain on the press.
Color Separation: Specific guidelines need to be followed when coloring documents. It is important to follow
these to avoid any delays in processing your order. Use only CMYK spot colors (cyan, magenta, yellow or black). Do not label them as process colors (no RGB, index, or process mix colors etc.). For
special ink orders use Pantone spot colors. Always follow our color conversion chart as listed below or it will be necessary for us to question the color correctness. You are responsible for any trapping
or spreading needed for orders requiring registration. A trap allowance between .4 and .7 pt is acceptable. For Color Process art should have a resolution value no less than 600dpi/ppi. Also, art should be
sized at 100%. We will not accept art that will have to be reduced or enlarged for the fact that this will affect the resolution.
Barcodes/UPCs: Bar width reduction (bwr) should be .003". Any
barcodes sent with your files that may not print or scan properly will be replaced in your files and charged accordingly. We do not guarantee scanability of barcodes smaller than 80%, or truncated shorter than
.4".
Creating Files
Document Layout: Create one label per file. Both graphics and text should be sized at 100%. Send only files needed for
the item(s) being ordered. Final document size should be the same size as the label ordered or should clearly indicate crop marks for label position. It is always helpful if you can supply a printout from your
file to verify correct layout.
A Note on MAC Fonts: To guarantee an exact font match, we recommend you send us the Macintosh Postscript screen & printer fonts used, or using your
Illustration program, convert all text "to curves" or "create outlines" in your files. Be sure to include both screen and printer fonts when using Type 1 fonts. Avoid using True Type fonts
when possible.
A Note on PC Fonts: At A & D Labels we output from PC and Macintosh files. When Mac fonts are substituted for PC they may differ somewhat. To avoid this variance we
recommend you use an Illustration program to convert all text "to curves" or "create outlines". Also follow the list below pertaining to font specifications. A proof can be sent, and
with your approval, our best match substitution can be made.
MAC requirements
QuarkXPress® and PageMaker®:
Along with your file sent for placement, submit all supporting graphics files. Without the supporting graphics we can not properly render your artwork on our imagesetter. Color your text and graphics
per the enclosed specifications and then group your layout before sending. We prefer placed images to be in a TIFF format. We have experienced some problems with .PCX formats while working in QuarkXPress®.
Photoshop®: Files must be saved as a Macintosh® TIFF with LZW compression. Do not color an image in Photoshop®. We are only able to accept
bitmap images at 600 dpi and grayscale images at 300 dpi effective resolution. Scan from only good black/white artwork that is crisp, otherwise, please touch-up art before sending.
Adobe Illustrator®:
Create all text as "outlines" and group all characters when working in Illustrator® Color your text and graphics according to our enclosed specifications. For placed graphics, send a separate file containing your graphic as a supporting file.
PC requirements
PageMaker®: Along with your file
sent for placement, submit all supporting graphics files. Without the supporting graphics we can not properly render your artwork on our imagesetter. Color your text and graphics per the enclosed
specifications and then group your layout before sending. We prefer placed images to be in a TIFF format.
Corel Draw®: We can accept this file format from Corel Draw® 9.0 or earlier. You are welcome to us ".cdr" or ".eps" files generated by Corel Draw. Always send your .cdr file and any supporting graphics. If sending by mail, please include a printed copy to be used for placement and/or backup if needed.
Sending your files
We can accept your electronic orders on a 3.5"
floppy disk, Zip disk, CD or e-mail. For e-mail orders indicate your account number in the subject line of the e-mail message. For e-mail transmissions be sure to create a compacted archive to reduce
the size of your files and include all file contents (.zip for IBM or .sit for MAC). DO NOT send us original electronic artwork. The disk or file could possibly be lost or damaged going through the mail.
Our E-mail Addresses:
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