Sometimes the artwork we receive is perfect but often times there are problems that need to be addressed before we can move forward. Therefore, we have prepared a list of the most common mistakes made when preparing artwork. Here are the top 10 artwork mistakes we have found:
1. Missing Fonts
This is one of the most common problems we’ve encountered when we receive artwork. You might have a wonderful and fancy font in your artwork, but if we don’t have it, when we open your file we’ll get an error message and thus won’t be able to reproduce the label. The best way around this is to always outline your fonts before sending us your file.
2. Bleed spaces and Borders
If you want your color to print all the way to the edge of your label/tag you need to include a bleed. Also, you need to leave some space around the very edge of your label, free of text. The reason we need this is because during die-cutting the label material can shift ever so slightly. Therefore, we recommend to make allowances for this in your artwork.
If you want a border on your label that prints/weaves right near the edge, you must leave at least 3mm from the border to the edge. That way we are allowing a tolerance for slight movement/cutting that may be much less noticeable on the final product.
3. Document Color Mode CMYK
Most digital color printers today print in CMYK, also known as four color process. If you create your file for the RGB color space, the color is going to look different when printed on a CMYK printer, so it’s always a good idea to create your artwork as CMYK.
4. Improper File Resolution
Many times, people send us a file of a picture or graphic that was on their website and expect us to create a nice-looking label from it.
Unfortunately, in most cases the file on the web site is very low resolution, often as low as 72 dpi. We know if we print a file of that resolution it’s not going to look good. For best results, we recommend a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.
5. Spelling and Typing Mistakes
While we will catch mistakes, it is up to you, the customer, to check your label artwork carefully. You can save time and expense by spending extra time making sure all your text is correct from the beginning of the development process.
6. Missing Graphics/Links
All your graphic elements should be included in your file before sending to us. Otherwise, when we open your file there may be missing graphics or links; possibly causing delays on your development.
7. Unsupported Software Format
Use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator Ai files. These packages create high quality art that will produce the best quality custom product label. If you don’t have this software, then make sure you can export into a standard graphics format such as:
8. Color Expectations
If color matching is imperative to you, we recommend you request a sample, this way you will see exactly what your labels will look like once produced.
9. Incorrect Sized Artwork
We often receive artwork where the size of the art does not match the size of the requested label, causing confusion and possible delays. If your artwork is a different size than the requested label please include detailed instructions with your artwork request.
10. Bitmap Images converted to PDF
When we receive an artwork created originally in a vector software but exported as JPG or PNG format, we request for it to be forwarded to us as an editable vector art, what we mean is that the file should be in its original and editable format (.ai, .eps. pdf). If you take that image in .JPG or .PNG and convert it in PDF, it is not helpful for us as we will not be able to edit it for our production processes. If the artwork was created in a vector program different to Illustrator, please convert it into any of the above-mentioned formats.
If what you are looking for when you convert your artwork to JPG is to reduce the size of the original vector file, (to make it a lighter file), we recommend sharing the original file using Google Drive, OneDrive, WeTransfer or Dropbox.
Ultimately, the best way to avoid defects in your final production is to check for compliance with the design requirements and to verify that there are no errors such as those mentioned above. If you have any doubts about your design, contact your sales executive to pass on your doubts to the design department.
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