artwork guidelines file format
artwork for cut vinyl
All major design packages are accepted, including Illustrator CS3, Photoshop CS3, InDesign CS3, QuarkXPress 6 and Freehand 10. Previous versions of each program are accepted, too. If your software version is more recent than ours, please back-save your file(s) to the version(s) above.
When supplying artwork for cut vinyl graphics, it must be provided in vector format, so that our machine can read it. A Freehand or Illustrator file is suitable for this, Photoshop or Quark files are not.
We cannot accept Corel Draw or Publisher files. We can open Word or Powerpoint files, but there will be a charge for us to convert the artwork to a printable format. The preferred format for print files is EPS or TIFF format. We can open PDF files, but it can present issues if we need to edit the file at all before print. Source files are therefore preferable and may be requested if required.
fonts Please ensure that all fonts on your file have either been outlined, or have been included with your artwork.
scale & resolution Our general rule of thumb is that artwork containing bitmap images should be supplied at a minimum of 300dpi at quarter scale. For really large artwork, where files are getting too large to work with, you may get away with a smaller scale or resolution. Remember that large format print is generally viewed at a distance, so it doesn’t need to be as high quality as a printed brochure, for example. However, please avoid sending us artwork used on web-sites, as they are generally far too small for large format print. Vector artwork is ideal where possible, as it can be scaled to any size and retain its sharpness. When scaling artwork, please keep it to a round scale (eg 25% or 50%). Let us know the ratio and output size, too, so that we can scale it back up correctly when printing. Also, be sure that your dimensions are in proportion. For example, A4 artwork can’t be scaled up to a 3 metre by 1 metre banner without us having to alter the layout of your artwork.
bleed Whether or not bleed is required can depend on the job. It’s easier for us to remove bleed from artwork than it is for us to add it, so if in doubt add at least 10mm bleed on all sides, or phone to check.
Please ensure that any fonts or strokes used have been outlined.
visual proofs It is advisable to include either a printed visual, or a low resolution JPEG or PDF with your artwork, so that we can check that what we are printing matches what you expected it to look like. If you would like us to e-mail a proof back to you before printing, please let us know.
colour matching Our digital printing system cannot provide a 100% accurate Pantone colour match. When critical colour matching is required, we can run test swatches for you to choose the closest match from, though this is chargeable. You must request this before we print, otherwise we can’t accept responsibility for inaccuracy of colours.
how to send your artwork Once you’ve set up your files correctly, you need to send them to us. • Files under 10MB can be e-mailed. Please send to artwork@big-digital.co.uk. • Individual files from 10MB to 100MB can be sent via www.mailbigfile.com, using the email address above. • Multiple files, or files larger than 100MB need to be sent on a CD or DVD to the address below. Please make sure you have already placed your order separately with details of your requirements, so that our artwork department are expecting your artwork and will know what to do with it when it arrives.
no artwork? If you do not have artwork we can design it for you, based on your brief. Note that design/artworking is charged at an hourly rate. Please phone us on 0141 229 4240 or e-mail info@big-digital.co.uk for a quote and to arrange an appointment.
useful sizes for artwork A Series (mm) 4A0 2A0 A0 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10
1682 1189 841 594 420 297 210 148 105 74 52 37 26
x x x x x x x x x x x x x
2378 1682 1189 841 594 420 297 210 148 105 74 52 37
Vehicle Templates We can supply Illustrator format scale templates for most vehicles. Please let us know the exact make, model, size and door configuration required. We may need to take actual vehicle measurements before printing a vehicle graphic, to avoid errors that may be caused by inaccurate templates.
Billboards (w x h, mm) 4 sheet 6 sheet 12 sheet 16 sheet 32 sheet 48 sheet 64 sheet 96 sheet
1016 x 1524 1200 x 1800 3048 x 1524 2032 x 3048 4064 x 3048 6096 x 3048 8128 x 3048 12192 x 3048