Graphic Guidlines - Setting up your files

 

Professional Design Assistance

 

If you're not familiar with the current techniques in today's digital print technology don't worry. We're here to help. Contact one of our designers today and we'll walk you through step by step to insure your files are set up properly. Don't have artwork or software? No problem, we can help you create cutting edge designs and visuals for any presentation.

 

We work with businesses large and small so if you're a graphics professional looking to save time and money these guidelines will ensure your project is printed exactly the way you designed it.

 

Formats

 

We recommend Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop saved as a .PDF

You may also send the file in the following types: jpg, jpeg, psd, tif, tiff, eps, ai, and png

We prefer that you send .PDF or .EPS files with outlined fonts. These files are easier to handle and will likely speed up your turn-around.

Remember to convert all type to outlines (Adobe Illustrator) and flatten your Photoshop files before uploading.

Save as 'Press Quality' and do not include crop marks, color bars, registration marks or any other indicators that you do not want printed on the final piece.

Color Mode

You should always start and finish your designs in CMYK color mode. If you use Spot or Pantone colors, please have them converted to process colors prior to uploading your file.

Resolution

Files should be created at 100-150 DPI at 100% (final size)

Bleeds

7mil Cling - no bleed set-up, no crops - make your artwork exactly the size you are ordering.

 

8mil Posters- no bleed set-up, no crops - make your artwork exactly the size you are ordering.

 

10mil Hi-Rez Indoor Banner- no bleed set-up, no crops - make your artwork exactly the size you are ordering.

 

13oz Indoor / Outdoor Vinyl Banner-no bleed set-up, no crops - make your artwork exactly the size you are ordering. We suggest you keep any important text / artwork 2 inches inward from the edge of your artwork as to avoid any elements being cut off / hemmed over.

 

Coroplast* - ensure you have 1/2" on each side of your artwork, no crops - make up your artwork 1" larger on the width and lenght of the size you are ordering.

 

Foamboard* - ensure you have 1/2" on each side of your artwork, no crops - make up your artwork 1" larger on the width and lenght of the size you are ordering.

 

Magnets* - ensure you have 1/2" on each side of your artwork, no crops - make up your artwork 1" larger on the width and lenght of the size you are ordering.

 

10mil banner for Economy Collapsible Banner Stand* - 1/2" bleed on all sides, no crops - make your artwork exactly 25" x 61" to be cut down to 24" x 60", with grommets in the corners.

 

13oz. banner for Economy Collapsible Banner Stand* - 1/2" bleed on all sides, no crops - make your artwork exactly 25" x 61" to be cut down to 24" x 60", with grommets in the corners.

 

10mil Premium Indoor Banner 33"x80" with Retractable Stand* - 1/2" bleed on all sides, no crops - make your artwork exactly 34" x 81" to be cut down to 33" x 80"

 

*Your PDF file will only output the size you have in your document set-up. To ensure your bleed is always acknowledged, you must include the bleed on your artboard (Document Set-up) in addition to the actual size of your finished size desired. i.e. If you order a 24" x 18" Coroplast, your artwork with bleed and document set-up both should actually be 25" x 19".

 

Helpful Tips and Advise

What is the difference between raster and vector?

Raster based artwork such as photos, or flattened artwork (from Adobe Photoshop) are made up of tiny squares (pixels) and depending on your resolution and/or final output size desired, the file could have a low quality end result. Any raster elements you wish to use should have a high enough resolution (DPI) before considering them for your large format product.

Vector based artwork such as illustrations or clip-art style elements (from Adobe Illustrator) is made with mathematical calculations, and can be scaled up to any size without losing quality. Keep in mind that any effects used in Adobe Illustrator are raster based and have transparency - this greatly adds to file size and you must have correct settings in your "Document Raster Effects Settings" to ensure best output for these effects. If you're doing a photo-quality print on a 36" x 48" poster, and leave the raster effects settings at default 72 DPI - you may see tiny squares in your drop shadows, as opposed to a smooth shadow.

Which program do you recommend for best quality output?

While it is not mandatory, we prefer Adobe formats (such as PDF) - if you're using a program outside of Adobe, it will have to be exported from whichever program is being used as one of the following file types - PDF, JPG, or TIF - prior to uploading.

How do I store my banner for later use? Is there any maintenance or cleaning required?

When you are done displaying your banner - in order to maximize your future usage, you must keep it clean, dry, and in a dry cool place while it is not in use. Your outdoor vinyl banner will probably get pretty dirty from all the elements during it's time being displayed. The best method of cleaning your outdoor vinyl banner is to lay it flat (if possible) on a clean area, table or floor. It is recommended that you use a mild dishwashing liquid and luke warm water to rinse. Do not use any harsh abrasive or petroleum type cleaners. Clean and dry each side before storing. You must ensure it is completely dry prior to roll up and storage. Any wetness left on the banner will cause mildew and may ruin some of your banner over time.

Once your banner is completely dry - roll it up with the image outward - to avoid any cracking of the printed side. Do not roll your banner super tight or super loose - this will allow for some breathing room while it is stored. Place your banner back in box and store it flat, not vertical. If it is standing up vertically, it may wilt and warp causing wrinkles over time.

What is the best way to clean smudges or dirt off my banner or yard signs?

For areas covered with ink it is recommended to use soap and warm water. For non-ink areas it is recommended to use a household ammonia based window cleaner or similar. It is always a good idea to test in a non-conspicuous area to test to make sure your cleaner will not melt or otherwise harm your banner or yard sign. Grand4mat suggests using your best judgement when using cleaning products as Grand4mat will not reprint or replace any banner or yard sign damaged by improper cleaning techniques.

Designing borders on banners and yard signs.

Borders are an issue because all substrates will vary from batch to batch making exact cuts very difficult. We recommend that you do not design your file with a border. If you do will not reprint an order with borders of varying widths. If you absolutely must have a border make it at least 2 inches in thickness, however we still don't recommend borders.

Problems with overprint

Primarily used to intentionally overlap inks for a number of reasons, overprint can cause unexpected results. We suggest that you turn all overprint objects off before submitting your files.

How to get rich black

Rich black is an ink mixture of solid black, 100% K, with additional CMY ink values. This results in a darker tone than black ink alone. If you print black alone as 100% K, the resulting black may not be as dark as you might like. We recommend using
C 60 M 40 Y 40 K 100
This will give you a deep, dark, rich black.

How to get a grayscale image in a CMYK document.

Grayscale images that are converted to CMYK will have a color shift in the final print. That shift may be green or yellow. Always check the CMYK values of your grayscale in the final CMYK document. If there are other values other then K in your grayscale image, there is a chance that the color will vary.

To eliminate all values other then K, use your Channel Mixer (adjustment layer) in Photoshop, then click "Monochrome" and adjust accordingly.

Color issues when setting up files for Coroplast, Foamboard, or Magnet Substrates

Coroplast - Due to the nature of Coroplast, most of your light colors and/or pastels are more susceptible to streaks, fingerprints, smudges, and smears. Cyan and Light Cyan are often an issue as the ink does not penetrate the substrate heavy enough to cover some of these smudges or fingerprints. When setting up your files, try to avoid large areas of solid light colors and gradients. If you must have a large area of solid color, try to keep your T.A.C. (Total Area Coverage) above 150 if possible. This means that when you add up all of the CMYK values, your total will add up to 150(%) out of a full 400% build. i.e. Rich Black T.A.C. is 240% C-60 M-40 Y-40 K-100.

Foamboard - Foamboard does not have as many issues as Coroplast, but on occasion smudges and fingerprints do happen. We still recommend you maintain your T.A.C. to be 150% and above. Foamboard is somewhat pourous when compared to Coroplast and Magnets, on most light colors you might see a more absorbed look when printing with Foamboard. Additionally, the Foamboard is not as bright white as the Coroplast or Magnets, visibly it is a couple points lower on the brightness scale.

Magnets - Magnetic substrate is especially prone to fingerprints and scratches. If you follow the T.A.C. as mentioned above in the Coroplast portion of this FAQ, you should be fine.

Transparancy Issues

Transparency is likely to cause problems with a printed file if it is not flattened. Outline fonts and ensure that your file is in CMYK mode for best results. If you are uncertain how to flatten transparencies in your file or if you would like us to explain how to check for transparency problems please contact us prior to submitting an order.

 

Contact:

Dan Cohen

Phone: 800 733-3545 ext. 5
Email: dc@display-world.com