Graphics for sales, grand openings, or community events almost always look FANTASTIC and are designed to catch the attention of the public. The final product does not magically appear but are prepared in a certain way, including deciding on the art file format and making sure there is a proper print bleed to name a couple. There are also mistakes that can be made with the artboard size or not using CMYK color that make it more difficult for the printer to properly prepare the files. This can result in it taking longer for the project to go to print.
Designed to attract as much attention as possible, graphic signage for sales, grand openings, or community events almost always look fantastic! Given the importance of the final product, it’s essential that the preprint art file is properly formatted, including the proper print bleed. Other important factors are the artboard size and using CMYK colors. If any of these details are off, a delay in your project can result.
Read below as we cover the Top 3 most common art preparation mistakes on the part of individuals or companies.
Art File Prep Tip #1 – Include Print Bleed, Trim and Safety Margins
Print bleed, trim, and safety need to be created by a graphic designer before they are sent to a print shop. By properly creating these items, you can be assured that the final print will come out exactly as you desire. Let’s examine what each of these items means in the design process:
- Bleed is the extra space located around the document that is able to be cut off after an item is printed. Print bleed allows the print to extend all the way to the edge of the paper without any issues related to damaging the image. In general, its size is typically .125 inches or ⅛”.
- The trim is highlighted with marks that show where the document will be cut off at its final size. The trim of the design is related to the bleed as it cuts off the area that has bled into the trim area (located beyond the trim marks).
- Safety is defined as an area located within the final document size and it ensures nothing will be changed, altered, or modified in that space. Keep in mind that any pertinent information you want printed should be located within the safety section.
Art File Prep Tip #2 – Choose the Correct Artboard Size
When it comes to the artboard size or canvas size, they should match the design size to reduce the number of adjustments that will need to be performed by the print shop, potentially altering your design
There is also another important reason for the artboard size to be correct during the design and printing process… If the size is not correct, there will be a risk of the design not being printed in the right position. This can spell disaster for the final printed product as some information might be missing or the design can just look “off” to the average eye.
Art File Prep Tip #3 – Using RGB Instead of CMYK
Let’s discuss the most common issue that is found when art files are going to print. The art file format can require some extra steps if it has been created using RGB colors instead of being created using CMYK colors.
Why is this so important?
If the art file format is RGB colors instead of CMYK colors, prepress software will need to be used to convert the colors from RGB to CMYK. While this can help you get close to the actual colors you used when designing the art file, there is no guarantee they will be 100% the same when it is printed in CMYK. Better to be safe than sorry and design your files in CMYK.
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