How to prepare Adobe Illustrator files

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Create a New Document

Click on "File", then click on "New" (File > New)

You will then be presented with an image similar to the one below.

Create the document with the correct size. Some standard sizes are:

  • A1 — 594mm x 840mm — eight times the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A2 — 420mm x 594mm — four times the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A3 — 297mm x 420mm — two times the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A4 — 210mm x 297mm — the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A5 — 148mm x 210mm — one-half the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A6 — 105mm x 148mm — one-quarter the size of a standard A4 letter
  • A7 — 74mm x 105mm — one-eighth the size of a standard A4 letter
  • DL — 99mm x 210mm — one-third the size of a standard A4 letter
  • Double-DL — 198mm x 210mm — two-thirds the size of a standard A4 letter
  • Half-A4 Long-drop — 105mm x 297mm — the size of a standard A4 letter that is folded in half length-ways
  • Business cards — 54mm x 89mm
  • Appointment cards — 54mm x 89mm

Choose "CMYK Color" mode - DO NOT choose RGB — and don't be lazy, have a look and check that the colour mode is correct.

 

Bleeds

Please keep bleeds in mind when you are designing your artwork. If your artwork has a white border, then bleeds are not required. However, if your artwork is NOT white on all four sides, then you MUST include bleeds in your files, and those blleds MUST be included on all four sides.  In Illustrator, this area should be extended past the page borders, as indicated by the black page lines. The bleeds MUST extend AT LEAST 3mm past the edge of the printed page.

 

Borders and Safe Areas

The printing and cutting processes has a mechanical tolerance of up to 2mm. So, if you have a border in your artwork, it is essential that your design has at least 5mm of white space from your border to the trim line. If your border is less than the 5mm, then your job might lose its symmetrical appearance.

If your job is bigger than a business card, then we suggest your border is about 7mm.

It is also essential that no text or essential parts of your artwork come within 3mm of the trim line.  Again, due to the mechanical tolerance during the printing and trimming processes, any content within 3mm of the trim line may be cut off. In fact we advise that any essential text and images should be placed at least 5mm from the edge of the finished product.

 

Resolution

Do not use images that you have found on the worldwide web. Almost all of those images have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (72dpi or 72 pixles per inch), and they result in blurred or 'pixilated' images being printed.

If you want your printed product to look professional, then all of your images must be at least 300dpi at the final output size. 

DO NOT attempt to change a low resolution image to a higher one by changing the dpi in your imaging software — you cannot change a 72dpi image into a crisp and clear 300dpi, all you will get is a blurred image that is set at 300dpi.

 

Be careful with Rich Black

If you are going to have your job printed digitally, then do not use "Rich Black", as it can produce a somewhat mottled appearance. We suggest that 100% "K" (i.e.: 100% back) should be sufficient if you order a Fast Digital product.

If you are ordering a Discount Priced product, then we suggest you do use "Rich Black", and your setting for Rick Black should be:

  • Cyan 70%
  • Magenta 40%
  • Yellow 15%
  • "K" (Black) 100%

 

Outline Fonts

You can embed your fonts, however, if we are not licenced to use the relevant font, then we cannot make your file press-ready.

It is best if you 'outline your text, as this makes the 'fonts' issue irrelevant.

The first step in 'outlining fonts' is to select ALL the objects that are in your document: "Select" > "ALL".

Once you have selected ALL of the objects, then choose 'Create Outlines' ('Type' > 'Create Outlines').

The above 'outlining' process has converted all text to 'pictures', so we will not need to worry about fonts at all.

There is a 'down-side' to outlining text; we cannot edit your file if a mistake has been made. Our experience, however, has shown that the problems caused by customers supplying 'bad' fonts, or fonts that we are not licensed to use, far outweighs any other 'editing' issues.

The next thing to do is save your file.

Please save you file with another name — if you do not use another file name, then you cannot edit your text either.

Please save your file as an 'eps' file.

OK. So you have now clicked 'Save'. Great, it is all done and finished.

Zip or Stuff your file and send it to us with your order.

 

 

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