Artwork Setup Guide

To achieve the best printing results for your box design, follow our straightforward guide for creating high-quality, print-ready artwork. If you require assistance with any of the steps outlined below, our friendly team is ready to help – just get in touch!

 Standard artwork setup guidelines

For the best printing results, we highly recommend using one of our free box templates. Follow these guidelines to ensure your artwork is print-ready:

  1. Colors: To accurately reproduce the colors you see on screen, ensure that all artwork, including imported pictures, is produced and saved in CMYK mode within your design software.

  2. Resolution: Set your artwork, including any imported pictures, at a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) to maintain sharpness and clarity.

  3. Bleed Space: Include a bleed area that extends at least 3mm beyond the edge of your box design. This prevents any gaps between the ink and the edge of the paper caused by trimming equipment tolerances. Extend any pictures, block colors, etc. intended to reach the edge of the final boxes into the bleed region.

  4. Safe Zone: Establish a safe zone, located 3mm from the box design outline. Keep all crucial text, photographs, symbols, and other elements inside this safe zone to avoid any unintentional cropping during the trimming process.

  5. Fonts: Embed or convert your fonts to outlines before saving your artwork. This ensures that your font preferences remain intact, even if we do not have the exact fonts you’ve used loaded on our systems.

  6. Crop Marks: When saving your artwork, include crop marks to indicate where the boxes should be trimmed.

  7. File Format: Save your artwork as a high-resolution PDF for optimal results. Alternatively, project files from software such as Photoshop, InDesign, or Illustrator are also acceptable. Note that interactive PDFs are not recommended for printing purposes.

  8. Proofreading: Before finalizing your box artwork, thoroughly inspect and proofread it to ensure it meets your requirements.

If you need any assistance or have further questions, feel free to reach out to our friendly team.

Brochure Printing - 2
Brochure Printing - 1

How to setup your artwork for custom shapes

  • For boxes with unique forms, it is necessary to provide a cutting guide in your artwork file. The cutting guide is a stroke outline that accurately represents the size and shape you want to be printed. To differentiate the cutting guide from your artwork, use a vivid color such as magenta.

  • If you have chosen one of our in-house shape possibilities, you don’t need to set up a cutter guide. Simply download the appropriate template from our website and start creating your artwork within the provided guidelines.

  • Please note that the cutting guide ensures that your box is cut precisely according to your desired shape, so it is essential to include it in your artwork file for custom designs.

 

EMBOSSED PRINTED BROCHURES

How to set up your artwork for foiling, spot UV, scratch-off latex and/or embossing

  • To ensure proper handling of components that will undergo foiling, varnishing, embossing, or debossing, it is recommended to keep them on a separate layer within your design software. Clearly label this layer to avoid any confusion with the rest of your artwork.

  • Similarly, for scratch-off latex, organize the dimensions, configuration, and placement of the panels on a different layer than the rest of your artwork. Assign an appropriate name to this layer as well.

  • If there are any elements that need to overprint, you have two options. You can either place them directly on the layer beneath the scratch-off panels, or you can add them to a layer positioned above the layer below the panels. Choose the method that best suits your design requirements.

How to set up your artwork for variable data printing

To ensure smooth processing of your variable printing project, please follow these steps:

  1. Create a spreadsheet file: Set up a spreadsheet file where each column represents a variable type you want to print. For example, you can have columns for “Prizes” and “Verification Codes” if you’re organizing a scratch-off contest. The first row of each column should contain the column heading, such as “Prizes” or “Verification Codes.”

  2. Fill in the variable information: Each row following the column headings should correspond to one box in your print run. Fill up each row with the variable components for each box. If you have graphics or changeable pictures, save them as separate image files and enter the file names into the spreadsheet.

  3. Establish a foundation artwork file: Create an artwork file that includes all the components shared by each box in your print run. This can include background images, logos, or static text elements.

  4. Set up placeholders: To guide our team on item placement and styling, set up placeholders for each variable element in your artwork file. Place each element on a different layer and rename it according to the corresponding variable type column in your spreadsheet.

  5. Prepare the folder: Gather all the necessary files into a single folder. Include the spreadsheet file, artwork file, and any image files for changeable graphics. Avoid using subfolders if possible.

  6. Send us the folder: Ensure that the entire folder, containing the spreadsheet file, artwork file, and related image files, is sent to us for processing.

By following these steps, you will provide us with the necessary information and files to execute your variable printing project accurately.

Need help with preparing your design?

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