Artwork Guidelines: How to Prepare Your Files for Print
These artwork guidelines explain how to send files we can print cleanly on napkins, cups, ribbon, labels and everything else we make. In short: send vector art (.AI, .EPS or .CDR) with fonts converted to outlines, tell us your colors and email it to art@printwand.com. Nothing is printed until you approve your proof.
Quick checklist: is your file print-ready?
A print-ready file is vector art (.AI, an .EPS saved as vector, or .CDR) with every font converted to outlines, objects of the same color grouped on one layer and your ink colors named, ideally by PMS number. Email it to art@printwand.com with your order number or name. Not sure it's ready? Send it anyway, and we'll check it.
- Vector file: Adobe Illustrator (.AI), .EPS saved as vector or editable, or CorelDRAW (.CDR).
- Fonts outlined: every font converted to curves or outlines, so the lettering can't change on our end.
- Colors grouped: all objects of the same color grouped together and placed on the same layer.
- Colors named: list the ink colors you want, by PMS number if you have them.
- Photos: send the largest original file you have, not a screenshot or a web copy.
- Emailed to art@printwand.com: put your order number in the subject line. Still at the quote stage? Use your name and the product instead.
How to send your artwork
There's no file upload on this site, so artwork comes to us by email at art@printwand.com. Attach your files, add your order number (or your name and product) in the subject line and tell us anything we should know: colors, placement, the wording you want. We acknowledge every order. If anything on the acknowledgment doesn't match what you asked for, tell us right away.
What file format should my artwork be?
Send a vector file if you have one: Adobe Illustrator (.AI), an .EPS saved as vector or editable, or CorelDRAW (.CDR). Convert all fonts to outlines first. If all you have is a JPG, PNG or PDF of your logo, email it to art@printwand.com anyway, and we'll tell you whether it will print well.
What is a vector file?
A vector file draws your artwork with points, lines and curves instead of pixels, so it stays sharp at any size, from a small label to a balloon. Logos built in Illustrator or CorelDRAW are usually vector. A photo or screenshot isn't, even when it's saved as an .EPS or .PDF. That's why we ask for vector art.
Vector vs. raster
Raster (or bitmap) images are made of pixels: photos, screenshots, JPGs, PNGs and most images saved from a website. Enlarge one and the edges turn soft or blocky. Vector art is made of shapes, so it scales cleanly. For ink, foil and etched imprints, vector art gives us crisp edges and clean color separations.
What is an EPS file?
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) is a common format for passing artwork between design programs. It can hold vector art, pixel images or both. For printing, we need an EPS saved as vector or editable, with fonts converted to outlines. An EPS that simply wraps a photo or screenshot won't print any sharper than the original image.
What dpi do I need for printing?
DPI (dots per inch) measures how much detail a pixel image holds at the size it prints. A common guideline in the printing industry is 300 dpi at the final print size. Treat that as a general rule of thumb, not a Printwand requirement. Vector files have no dpi. Send your largest original image, and we'll check it.
CMYK vs. RGB: which should I use?
RGB (red, green, blue) is how screens display color. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) is the ink mix used for full-color printing. A color that glows on your phone can look a little softer in print, so expect small differences on full-color work. For one- or two-color designs, name PMS ink colors instead of either.
What is a PMS (Pantone) color?
PMS stands for Pantone Matching System, a numbered library of standard ink colors. Give us a PMS number, such as a particular navy or blush, and we'll print your design in that ink. Ink looks different on colored products than on white ones, so the same PMS color can shift slightly on a dark napkin or bag.
What is bleed in printing?
Bleed is extra artwork that runs past the edge of the finished piece, so no thin white line shows if the trim is a hair off. It matters for full-color designs that go edge to edge, such as some labels. Not every product prints to the edge, so tell us your design and we'll confirm whether it needs bleed.
Crop marks and safe zone
Crop marks are thin lines at the corners of a print file that show where the piece will be trimmed. The safe zone is the area inside the trim where important text should sit, so nothing gets cut off. If a product needs either, we'll show it on your proof.
What is rich black?
Rich black is black built from all four process inks, black plus some cyan, magenta and yellow, so large dark areas print deeper than black ink alone. It only applies to full-color (CMYK) printing. Keep small text and thin lines in plain black, because a slight shift between four inks can make fine detail look fuzzy.
How to outline text before sending
Outlining turns each letter into a shape, so your lettering prints exactly as you designed it, even if we don't have your font. Our artwork specs ask that every font in vector art be converted to curves or outlines. Do it last, on a copy of your file, because outlined text can no longer be edited as type.
- Adobe Illustrator: select all text, then choose Type > Create Outlines (Shift+Ctrl+O on Windows, Shift+Cmd+O on Mac).
- CorelDRAW: select the text, then choose Object > Convert to Curves (Ctrl+Q).
- Save a copy before you outline, because outlined text can't be edited as type afterward.
How proofs work at Printwand
Before we print, you'll see a proof of your design on the product. Check spelling, names, dates, colors and placement carefully, and ask for changes if anything is off. Production starts only after you approve the proof. If you want to change something after that, the change has to be confirmed with us in writing.
Imprint areas by product
Every product has a set imprint area, the space your design has to fit inside. A few examples are in the table below. The exact area for your product and size is listed on its product page, and we'll confirm it on your proof. Design to the shape of the area, and keep text a little inside its edges.
| Product | Example imprint area | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday 3-ply cocktail napkin (5") | 3" x 3" | custom cocktail napkins |
| Everyday 3-ply luncheon napkin (6.5") | 3.75" x 3.75" | custom cocktail napkins |
| Round plastic plates (7" / 10.25") | 2.25" / 3.25" circle | custom plastic plates |
| Square plastic plates (6.5" / 8" / 10.75") | 2" / 2.5" / 3.5" square | custom plastic plates |
| 12" latex balloon | 4" x 4" | custom balloons |
| 9.25" flying disc | 5.5" x 5.5" | custom flying discs |
| Satin ribbon, 3/8" / 5/8" / 7/8" | foil 0.25" / 0.5" / 0.75" tall | personalized ribbon |
| Solids playing cards (poker size) | foil 2" x 3" | custom playing cards |
| 15" x 16" color tote bag | 10" x 10" | wedding favor boxes and bags |
| Serving boards | etched 4.5" x 4.5" to 7" x 7", by board | custom charcuterie boards |
| Coffee sleeves (10–20 oz) | 4" x 1.9" | custom party cups |
Imprint methods by product
| Product | Imprint options | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Playing cards | Foil (hot stamping) or ink | custom playing cards |
| Favor boxes & bags | Ink; foil on gable boxes, popcorn boxes, kraft bags and paper treat bags | wedding favor boxes |
| Satin ribbon | Foil (hot stamping) | personalized ribbon |
| Labels | Full-color digital or foil, depending on shape and size | custom water bottle labels |
| Plastic plates | Ink | custom plastic plates |
| Tumblers & glassware | Laser etching or full-color digital on tumblers; laser etching on Tritan glassware | personalized tumblers |
| Serving boards | Laser etching | custom charcuterie boards |
| Balloons | Ink | custom balloons |
| Mouse pads | Full-color digital | custom mouse pads |
| Yard signs | Full-color digital | custom yard signs |
| Flying discs | Ink | custom flying discs |
| Crab crackers | Ink | custom crab crackers |
| Cocktail picks | Plastic: ink or full-color digital. Wood: ink or foil | custom cocktail picks |
Want to know what foil stamping, embossing or debossing look like? See imprint methods in our FAQ.
Colors on colored products
Ink and the product underneath it interact, so a design printed on any product color other than white will look a little different from the same design on white. Gold foil on navy napkins, for example, reads differently from navy ink on ivory. If an exact color matters, tell us in your quote request and we'll help you pick a combination that works.
Logos, names and permissions
When you send artwork, you're confirming that you have the right to use everything in it, including logos, team names, characters and photos. If your design includes someone else's trademark, please make sure you have permission before you order.
Want to go deeper?
- RGB, CMYK and PMS explained, from our sister brand Company Folders
- Why bleed matters when printing, from the printwand.com blog
Files ready?
Email your artwork to art@printwand.com, then tell us what you're planning. Request a Quote · We reply within 2 business days. Call for rush orders. (248) 738-7225.