Paper Signatures - Artwork Help

Refer to this page for information on how to set-up your files before you email or mail them to us. We tried to be as thorough as possible but if we were not and you have a specific question you need answered before you send us your files please either call or email us with your question.

If when we receive your file it is not set up correctly we will contact you. After we contact you, you can either resubmit your artwork or let us correct it for you (if we can) for an additional charge of $25.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

For full color/4-color process printing please save your file in CMYK mode.
Give us only the files that we will need to complete your order.
Never use the style palette to bold or italicize your fonts.
Before sending your files print out a copy first and check the quality and accuracy of the text and images. This is exactly what we will use to print, we will not make modifications to your files.
Make sure that all fonts have been embedded or converted to outlines.
If you are supplying us with actual paper printouts of images, logos or art (also called "camera ready artwork") we only accept sharp black and white prints to use for final printing.
Careful attention should be made in converting Pantone colors to CMYK color. Sometimes there will be quite a big color change from the conversion process. For best results you should save the file in CMYK color from the very beginning.
Whenever possible you should zip your file before you submit it to us to allow for faster transfer by email.

ITEM SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

Business Cards

For a standard business card please set-up your artwork to a size of 3.50 inches by 2.0 inches with an 1/8 (0.125) of an inch margin around all sides. If there is a bleed on the business card, the card should be set up with a size of 3.75 by 2.25 inches. For a custom size business card, set up your artwork to the size you need and leave an 1/8 (0.125) of an inch margin around all sides. If there is a bleed, the bleed should extend 0.25 inches around all sides of your artwork. Business cards are to be set 1-up.

Full Color Printing - If you will be ordering full color business cards please save your file in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: TIFF, EPS or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi.

Spot Color Printing - If you are ordering spot color printing which includes any of our standard colors flat printed or thermographed (raised) or any Pantone® Matching System (PMS) color please save your file as a PDF with a resolution of 600 dpi. If there is more than one spot color in your file, you will need to submit the file color separated. Please see our note below on SPOT COLOR SEPARATIONS.

Letterheads

Spot Color Printing - Spot color printing includes any of our standard colors flat printed or thermographed (raised) or any Pantone® Matching System (PMS) color. Save your file as a PDF with a resolution of 600 dpi. If there is more than one spot color in your file, you will need to submit the file color separated. Please see our note below on SPOT COLOR SEPARATIONS. Set-up your artwork to a size of 8.50 inches by 11 inches with a 1/4 (0.25) of an inch margin on the top, along the sides and bottom. We currently do not print letterheads with bleeds.

Full Color Printing - If ordering full color letterheads set-up your artwork to a size of 8.50 by 11 inches with a 3/8 (0.375) inch margin on the top and along the bottom. Save your file in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: TIFF, EPS or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi. We currently do not print letterheads with bleeds.

Envelopes

Spot Color Printing - Spot color printing includes any of our standard colors flat printed or thermographed (raised) or any Pantone® Matching System (PMS) color. When ordering spot color printing you may choose from any of the following envelope sizes: 3.63 by 6.50 (#6-3/4), 3.88 by 9 (#9), 4.13by9.50 (#10), 6 by 9, 9 by 12 and 10 by 13. Please set up your artwork based on the size of the envelope you are ordering with a 1/4 (0.25) of an inch margin on the top, along the sides and bottom. Save your file as a PDF with a resolution of 600 dpi. If there is more than one spot color in your file, you will need to submit the file color separated. See our note below on SPOT COLOR SEPARATIONS. We currently do not print envelopes with bleeds.

Full Color Printing - When ordering full color envelopes you may choose from any of the following sizes: 4.13by9.50 (#10), 6 by 9 and 9 by 12. Please set up your artwork based on the size of the envelope you are ordering with a 3/8 (0.375) of an inch margin on the top, along the sides and bottom. Save your file in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: TIFF, EPS or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi. We currently do not print envelopes with bleeds.

Postcards

Our standard postcard sizes are 4.25 by 5.50, 4 by 6, 5 by 7 and 5.50 by 8.50 inches. You can set up your postcard in one of these sizes or in a custom size. Please leave a 1/4 (0.25) inch margin around all sides of the postcard. Bleeds should be extended a 1/4 (0.25) inch past the edge of the postcard.

Full Color Printing (4 color process) - Please save your postcard file in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: TIFF, EPS or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi.

Flyers

Our standard flyer size is 8.50 by 11 inches. You can set up your flyer in this size or in a custom size. Please leave a 1/4 (0.25) inch margin around all sides of the flyer. Bleeds should be extended a 1/4 (0.25) inch past the edge of the flyer.

Full Color Printing (4 color process) - Please save your flyer file in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: TIFF, EPS or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi.

Brochures

Our standard brochure sizes are 8.50 by 11 inches, 8.5 by 14 inches, 9 by 12 inches, 9 by 16 inches and 11 by 17 inches. You can set up your brochure in any of these sizes or in a custom size. Please leave a 1/4 (0.25) inch margin around all sides of the brochure. Bleeds should be extended a 1/4 (0.25) inch past the edge of the brochure.

Full Color Printing (4 color process) - Please save your brochure file in the CMYK color mode. We will accept your brochure file in any of the following formats: EPS, TIFF or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi.

Labels

Labels can be printed in most any shape and size you need. For special shapes such as stars, hearts, starbursts etc. we can email you a template for you to use to help you design your label. Allow an 1/8 (0.125) inch margin around all sides of the label. If there is a bleed, please make sure that it extends a 1/4 (0.25) inch past the edge of the label. We recommend not dropping below a 15% screen and not exceeding an 80% screen, this is due to loss and fill in.

Full Color Printing (4 color process) - If you will be ordering full color labels please save your file in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: EPS or PDF. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi.

Spot Color Printing - If you are ordering printing with any of our standard label colors, Pantone® Matching System (PMS) colors or if you are ordering foil stamping or embossing please save your file as a PDF with a resolution of 600 dpi. If there is more than one color in your file or if there will be multiple processes such as foil stamping and flat printing or embossing and flat printing, you will need to submit the file color separated. Please see our note below on SPOT COLOR SEPARATIONS.

Greeting Cards (full color)

For full color printing of greeting cards we print on white 12 pt gloss cover paper stock. The outside of the card is gloss coated and the inside is uncoated. Blank white envelopes are included with your order. The standard size is 10 inches by 7 inches unfolded (folds to 5" by 7"). Save your artwork in the CMYK color mode in one of the following formats: TIFF, EPS or PDF. If your artwork contains a bleed you should set it up at 10.25 by 7.25 inches. We will trim a 1/4 (0.25) inch from all sides to produce a finished size of 10 inches by 7 inches. If your artwork does not contain a bleed the file size should be 10 inches by 7 inches with an 1/8 (0.125) of an inch margin around all sides. The resolution of your file should be 300 dpi. The greeting cards can be ordered with full color on both sides, full color front with black ink inside or full color front and blank inside.

SPOT COLOR SEPARATIONS

If your file contains more than one spot color or Pantone® Matching System (PMS) color you will need to color separate the file before you send it to us. To to this simply follow these easy steps:

Step 1: Design everything in your file in black even if the item will be printed with color.

Step 2: Create a PDF file, be sure to embed all fonts and save your file as 'YourJob_composite".

Step 3: Let's say your file contains areas to be printed in red and areas to be printed in blue. Select everything in your file that will be printed in red. Delete everything else. Save this version of your file as "YourJob_red". Reopen the PDF from Step 2 and select everything in the file that is going to be blue. Delete everything else. Save this version of your file as "YourJob_blue".

Summary

You should now have 3 PDF files:

a black composite
a file that contains only areas to be printed in red
a file that contains only areas to be printed in blue

Paper Signatures is your source for invitations, business greeting cards, business cards and much more!