Small Format File Help

BOOKS / BUSINESS CARDS / POSTCARDS / BROCHURES

Artwork comes in all shapes and sizes, and rest assured, we can handle them all! Help us produce your small format projects by following the guidelines below. Don’t forget we’re always a call or email away if you get stuck! For tips on setting up large format projects, check out our large format tips here.

You can also download the small format guidelines as a PDF file in our handy “cheat sheet”:

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Preferred File Formats

 

Adobe Illustrator

.ai & editable .pdf

    • For artwork requiring editing, Package the file with all fonts used in the document

    • Embed all images and Package with linked images

    • When saving as .pdf, enable option to Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities
Adobe InDesign

.indd

    • Package the file and include all linked images and fonts
Adobe Photoshop

.psd, .tiff, .pdf

    • Include all layers, paths, and channels

High resolution .pdf files with crop marks and bleed are preferred. We also accept the native files created with Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

All graphics requiring contour-cutting need to be vectorized.

Artwork Setup Tips

 

Color

    • Set document color mode to CMYK for four color process production, including all files linked within the document

    • For color-critical jobs, spot colors should be defined with PMS numbers, instead of color values or generic names like “plum” or “sea-foam green”
Fonts & Text

    • Adobe Illustrator files should have all [unchanging] text converted to outlines

    • Adobe InDesign files must be properly packaged to include all fonts used in the document
Crops & Bleed

    • Include at least a 1/8” bleed where possible, and a 1” bleed for graphics to be installed

    • Keep important text/borders at 1/8” – 1/4” in from the edge

    • For full bleed images wherein no bleed is provided, the print will be short-cut, resulting in dimensions shortened by up to a quarter inch
Size & Scale

    • Create your art at 100% whenever possible and have all links at 150 ppi. If reduction is necessary for file size, please create your layout at 50% or 25% of the final size

    • If your art is at 50% or 25% and has linked raster files (i.e. TIFF, PSD, EPS), they should be at 300 ppi (50%) and 600 ppi (25%) to print at high quality

More of a visual learner?

Watch this video on creating a print ready file in Adobe Illustrator!

How to add and apply a bleed in Adobe Illustrator – Design for Print Tutorial

How to add and apply a bleed in Adobe Illustrator. 0:00 What is Bleed 01:26 How to Apply Bleed 03:12 How to save your file as a PDF with bleed & trim marks 04:50 How to set up a new artboard that includes bleed This is a question I’ve been asked on the channel a few times, and when one of my subscribers asked it again, rather than writing a lengthy explanation (again), I decided a video would probably help everyone in the long run.

We offer proofing!

PDF proofs are available by request at no extra charge. Hard copy proofs are available by request and are $25 per proof. Let us know if you’d like to add a proof to your next project!
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