FILE GUIDELINES

If submitting artwork for letterpress or foil stamping please follow these rules for quick turnaround and happy printers.

We very much appreciate you following these guidelines for preparing your files, it makes the process of converting your image into a photopolymer plate much smoother. We also offer prepress design if you need help setting up your files for $175 an hour. Please review our Terms of Service.

ARTWORK SET-UP

Layout all pieces in a document spread and flatten all layers. If your files are very large you may send them as separate files. Make sure all negative space is knocked out using the pathfinder tool. Remove all transparencies, gradients and drop shadows. We cannot print any transparencies in letterpress. All artwork must be in vector or halftone with strokes of .25pt or thicker. If the lines are floating they must be 0.5pt or thicker. All typography must be outlined.

FILE FORMAT

Files should be saved as a single page PDF or an AI file. Please do not submit multiple page PDF files.

TEXT

Double-check your design to make sure all text is no smaller than 6 pt. Anything smaller than 6 pt will not register when transferring your file to the polymer plate. All text should also be outlined before submitting. If we do not have your font family, your text and design will be skewed once we open your file on our computer. Outlining fonts will prevent any changes from happening between your computer and ours.

COLOR MODE

One-color designs should be submitted in 100% black. Two or more color designs should be submitted in Pantone solid uncoated colors. Please, no RGB files or CMYK colors.

PANTONE COLOR SET-UP

With the desired areas selected in InDesign or Illustrator, go to Windows > Swatches to open up the swatches panel. Once you are in the Swatches panel, in the upper right corner click on the drop-down menu. Select Open Swatch Library > Color Books > Pantone solid uncoated. Click the swatch you’d like to use to change the highlighted type/shape to your preferred spot color.

CROPS & BLEEDS

All final sizes should be indicated with crop marks to be cut to your desired size. If you are creating a design with a bleed, please make sure the design bleed extends 1/8” past the final crop marks to account for trim room.

FILENAME

Save your artwork in this format: Lastname_name of project. If you are submitting multiple files save them separately as: Lastname_name of project1, Lastname_name of project2, etc.

MAX PRINTING SIZE

Our current maximum printing size is 18”x24”. This includes accounting for crop marks on your finalized artwork, so make sure to account for that when creating your final design.