artik promotional productd and screen printing and embroidery

Artwork For Screen Printing

Guidelines for sending us Artwork

Illustrator	• Please convert all fonts (type) to outlines. • Save the file as .EPS to ensure maximum compatibility	If the only file you have is a Microsoft word please convert to PDF and our art department will do the necessary correction to the file Please do not hastate to contact us for help with your artwork
Photoshop	• Please keep file size LOw (4 to 6 M.B) if possible • PSD files are best at a resolution of 300 DPI or higher for top quality image
Corel Draw	• CorelDraw CDR files are great. • Please convert all fonts (type) to outlines.
Jpeg	• Bitmaps are best at a resolution of 300 DPI or higher for top quality image
	• You can convert the file to a PDF Format to save space and maintain print properties

ART INSTRUCTIONS - Let's Make Sure Your Prints look GREAT!

We recommend that you or your graphic designer supply us with ready art, the recommended graphic software is Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw.
If you can't give us ready art, Artik art department can help you with creating the artwork at a charge of $30 per half hour, if you are creating the art yourself please read the following .

This guide will help you prepare art that works well and helps you avoid art processing charges. Two main types of graphics described below.

Vector Graphics

Vector graphics use lines, curves and shapes and create the image based on mathematical formulas.

The big advantage to Vector is that no matter how much you enlarge the image you never lose the image sharpness. Vector is great to use for all designs with the exception of photographs.

To create vector art (spot colour design) most use Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw.
File formats accepted are ai. cdr. eps. Depending on the quality we can also work with PDF. If you have another file format, send it to us ad we will check it out.

Adobe Illustrator and ‘Corel Draw’ design creation rules:

1 –	For most screen printed designs bold and simple work best. Make sure your outlines are bold enough.
2 –	If you send us a design with fonts, we may not have this font and our computer system will substitute it to another font. To make sure you get the exact font, convert the font to a shape, following are instructions on how to do this in Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw. If needed, you can send us the actual font file (for example font.ttf) but changing the font to a shape is preferable.

Adobe Illustrator change Font to a shape (outlines) instructions:

1-	Make a copy of the file and rename it, this way you can always go back to the original file and edit the text if needed. I usually name it design name _font.ai and the backup is designname_outlines.ai.
2-	Select all text, go to the ‘Type’ menu and select Create Outlines, now your fonts are not fonts anymore, they are shapes. Or select font and right click and select ‘create outlines’. Alternatively select font and right click and select the ‘Create Outline’ option.

Option: If needed you can send us the font file we are missing.

Corel Draw change Font to a shape (curves) instructions:

Make a copy of the file and rename it, this way you can always go back to the original file and edit the text if needed. I usually name it designname _font.ai and the backup is designname_outlines.ai.

In Corel Draw, select all text, go to the ‘Arrange’ menu and select ‘Convert to Curves’, now your fonts are not fonts anymore, they are shapes. Alternatively select font and right click and select the ‘Convert to Curves’ option.

In Corel Draw right click on the text and select “convert to curves”.

Option: If needed you can send us the font file we are missing.

Raster (Bitmap, Pixel) Graphics

Raster images are composed of many pixels, the more pixels the sharper the image. If we have to enlarge the image, the pixels become bigger and the image looks jagged and blurry. Raster images are usually used for photos or complex ‘four colour’ process designs.

raster art loses resolution as it is enlarged

Enlarging a low resolution JPEG gives poor results

Most people use Adobe Photoshop for raster images. Remember the following rules:
Adobe Photoshop image creation guidelines:
1-	Image should be at 200 to 300 DPI at final size. Look under Image/Image Size and choose Document size as final image size and Resolution at 300 pixels/inch
2-	If you have it, send a layered Photoshop file
3-	Create your art in CMYK mode, for exact inks, specify Pantone colours and remember image will look different on different computer screens.