Artwork is considered "ready" when it can be used for prepress and printing without the need for adjustments that may possibly incur added fees or result in delays. When submitting digital art files to Mind’s Eye Graphics, please refer to the below guidelines:
VECTOR ART REQUIREMENTS Vector artwork stores geometric information about lines and shapes. They can be scaled easily without producing the stair-step edges you will see on raster images. They adapt to the resolution of any output device so are considered to be resolution independent. They are generally produced in programs like Adobe Illustrator® and CorelDraw®. Vector artwork files must be saved up to Adobe Illustrator® CS2 or CorelDraw® up to Version 12. All text fields must be converted to curves or outlines to prevent font substitutions. Include a proof of your design with color designations to confirm that no font substitutions have occurred. All objects must have at least a 1 pt line thickness to guarantee proper print quality. If the vector file contains any placed raster images, these images must meet or exceed our requirements for resolution when rendered at 100% of the final imprint size. Also, they must be submitted with the original vector file.
RASTER ART REQUIREMENTS Raster images, also known as bitmap images, are defined by a grid of pixels, or dots. Raster images are dependent upon the number of pixels and cannot be enlarged without producing noticeably jagged, stair-step edges. They are produced by digital cameras, scanners, and can also be created by programs like Adobe Photoshop® and Corel PHOTO-PAINT ®. We will accept raster artwork files saved in an Encapsulated Post Script (.eps) format, or an Adobe Photoshop® Document (.psd) up to Version 9. For our purposes, all raster elements and art files must be saved at 100% of the final print size with a resolution of at least 300 ppi. We will accept raster artwork files saved in an Encapsulated Post Script (.eps) format, or an Adobe Photoshop® Document (.psd) up to Adobe Photoshop® CS2. For our purposes, all raster elements and art files must be saved at 100% of the final print size with a resolution of at least 300 ppi (pixels per inch). If you have any questions, please call us at 888-942-9518.
PREFERRED APPLICATIONS We will accept files saved in Adobe Illustrator® up to Version 12, and Corel Draw® up to Version 12. providing that all text is converted to curves or outlines. We will also accept files saved in Adobe Photoshop® up to Version 9 at 100% of final print size with a resolution of at least 300 ppi. Jpegs are most often useless but can be replicated for use in screen-printing at an hourly art fee. As we use PCs, make sure Macintosh® files have been saved with the appropriate file extension. If you have zipped files larger than 10MB please forward via conventional mail, priority delivery service or call to inquire use of our FTP site. When using FTP file transfer please send an email to artdept@mindseyeg.com to advise us of all order details.
FONT INFORMATION For vector art, text must be converted to paths, curves, or outlines. The text then becomes an object and can no longer be edited as text. If future changes to the text will be necessary, the original font file must be supplied for use on PC. Be sure to include a paper proof composite with color call-outs or a. tiff or .jpg thumbnail to ensure no font substitution has taken place.
LINE THICKNESS All design elements should contain a line thickness of at least 1pt. Failure to assign a 1 pt line thickness to all objects may compromise the final imprint quality.
SPOT COLORS Spot color is the term used to describe separation and printing using one ink color for each color in the design. Each color that makes a composite image will be printed using a separate screen. Spot colors are generally solid, flat fields of color used for screen-printing where a printer can lay down several solid areas of color to produce multi-colored artwork. Spot colors are also used to identify additional colors in a four-color process file or print job. Please specify color via PMS spot color designations. Due to hardware and software color calibration considerations, this will allow the best color matching possible.
MEDIA We will accept PC formatted disks, Compact Disks, 3.5” diskettes (MAC 1.4MB only), Iomega Zip disks 100MB & 250 MB, Iomega Jaz disks 1GB. If you have zipped files larger than 10MB please forward via conventional mail, priority delivery service or call to inquire use of our FTP site Whe using FTP file transfer please send an email to artdept@mindseyeg.com to advise us of all order details.
E-MAIL When sending art via e-mail, send to artdept@mindseyeg.com and attach your zipped file to an e-mail with a detailed account of who you are and what you would like us to do with the attachment(s). If you have zipped files larger than 10MB please forward via conventional mail, priority delivery service or call to inquire use of our FTP site Whe using FTP file transfer please send an email to artdept@mindseyeg.com to advise us of all order details.
PROOFS When creating designs for our customers, proofs are a way of assuring that we have set your type correctly and that all of the design elements are placed according to your requirements. A proof will be sent to you online or printed on paper that can be approved at our office or delivered to you. We do not start on your project until you have signed off on a proof. When artwork has previously been created, proofs are used to ensure that the artwork we have received is the same as artwork the customer wants to be imprinted. Artwork should never be submitted without either a hard copy proof or an electronic .tif or .gif file displaying your design on ALL garment colors it is to be imprinted upon.
Please call 888-942-9518 with any questions you may have regarding digital art.