Art  Guidelines

Artwork is considered "print ready" when it can be used for prepress and printing without the need for adjustments that may possibly incur additional fees or result in delays to production. For artwork that is not 100% print ready, we charge $25.00 per hour (billed in 5 minute increments) to make adjustments such as size, text or other manipulations. This work will always be quoted prior to working on the artwork. When submitting digital art files to Creative Graphics, please refer to the guidelines below. If you have any questions please call us at 614-501-9960. Here are a few tips to remember when creating your design...

• Design must be high-contrast. There is either on or off, positive or negative. Grays are acquired by decreasing the size of solid dots. This can be done using halftone dots.

• Take a bold approach. Bolder lines print more easily.

• Mind your solids. Be cautious of big solid areas. They are harder to print because they require lots of ink and even ink coverage. On fabrics, they also get rubbery, and will eventually crack after lots of washing.

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Vector  Art  Requirements

Vector artwork is composed of paths, lines, curves, and shapes that are controlled through points that have definite  locations on the x- and y-axes of the work plane. Because of this, you can increase or decrease the size of the graphic without any issues. Vector artwork that is saved correctly can easily be transformed into a screen-printed product. If you don’t use vector graphics, please understand that the screen printer’s graphic designers may need to re-create your design for best results. Vector artwork files must be saved in CorelDraw® or Adobe Illustrator® as a .cdr, .ai, or .eps file format. All text fields must be converted to curves or outlines to prevent font substitutions. Please include a .jpeg thumbnail of your design to confirm that no font substitutions have occurred. All objects must have at least a 1pt line thickness to guarantee proper print quality. If the vector file contains any placed raster images, these images must meet or exceed our requirements for resolution when rendered at 100% of the final imprint size. Also, they must be submitted with the original vector file.

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Raster  Art  Requirements

Raster artwork is not composed of vectors, so they will become blurry and unusable if they don’t have a high resolution. Try to use raster files that have a resolution of at least 300 dpi and are the size desired they are to be printed at. In addition, if your design includes linked photos, be sure to include the photos or embed them when you send your design. We will accept raster artwork files saved in a .tif, .jpeg, or .png format, but we prefer an Adobe Photoshop® Document (.psd)  For our purposes, all raster elements and art files must be saved at 100% of the final print size with a resolution of at least 300 ppi (pixels per inch). With raster images art fees may apply.

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Font  Information

Furnish all fonts used in your document, we can accept .ttf and .otf files. Or all text in your document must be converted to paths, curves, or outlines. The text then becomes an object and can no longer be edited as text. Be sure to include a paper proof composite as a .jpeg thumbnail to ensure no font substitution has taken place. If fonts are not provided we may substitute a close font alternative.

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Size

All design should be sized to the desired size they are to be printed at. Our standard sizes for a left chest are 4.0" wide for adults, 3.5" wide for youth, and 4.5" wide for oversized. For a Full Front or Back print our standard size is 11.0" wide for adults, 9.0" wide for youth, and 13" wide with a max. of 15" tall for oversized. For a T-shirt sleeve print our standard size is 3.5" wide, and a long-sleeve sleeve print standard size is 14.0" long. For sweatpants or shorts our standard size is 4.0" wide.

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Placement

Our standard placement options are left/right chest, front/back center, left/right sleeve, or left/right leg. If you would like a unique placement option please contact us so we can help you prepare your art for the required conditions the placement will require for production.

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Line  Thickness

All design elements should contain a line thickness of at least 1pt. Failure to assign a 1pt line thickness to all objects may compromise the final imprint quality.

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Spot  Colors

Please specify color via Pantone Matching System aka PMS spot color designations. Due to hardware and software color calibration considerations, this will allow for the best color matching possible. Click on the link below to view our stock colors.

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E-mail

When sending art via e-mail, send to mike@creativegraphics.com and attach your file to an e-mail with a detailed account of who you are and what you would like us to do with the attachment(s). If you have files larger than 10MB please upload it in the area provided above.

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Proofs

When creating designs for our customers, proofs are a way of assuring that we have set your type correctly and that all of the design elements are placed according to your requirements. A proof is a mock up and is not a 100% accurate representation of what the final product will look like. When reviewing your proof for approval please remember to take note of the size, placement, and location of the design as well as the designs accuracy. A proof will be sent to you via email that must be approved before we can begin your order. We do not start on your project until you have signed off on a proof.

When placing a reorder, proofs are used to ensure that the artwork we have on file matches what has been ordered and is the same artwork as the customer wants to be imprinted. Proof approval will still apply and your project will not begin until we receive the sign off on the art proof.

Please call 614-501-9960 or email mike@creativegraphics.com with any questions you may have regarding art.

 

Thank You!