Frequently Asked Questions

Adobe Illustrator files are the preferred format for graphics. They allow the greatest flexibility for scaling graphics to any size without loss of quality. Scans should be CMYK and saved as an .eps. Resolution of the scan should be 300dpi at 25% of final output size. CorelDRAW* see accepted file format notes. NOTE:  If you include your text in your Photoshop file, your resolution will need to be higher than this in order to assure that the text looks as clean as possible. Flatten or rasterize text whenever possible.

Accepted Formats Illustrator CS (.ai, .eps, .pdf) - Convert ALL fonts to outlines - Outline ALL strokes ​ Photoshop CS (.psd, .tif, .eps) - Save as CMYK Acrobat (.pdf) - Embed ALL fonts and images upon export- Set image export to 300dpi   CorelDRAW* (.cdr, .eps, .ai, .ps) - We DO NOT take native .cdr files! - Files must be exported/saved in an industry standard format (.eps, .ai, or .ps) before sending - Convert ALL fonts to outlines - Outline ALL Strokes   QuarkXpress (.qxd) - Include ALL fonts and placed images NOTE: Do Not simply "Save As" an acceptable file format type as the file still will not be compatible for printing.

All files need to be setup at 25% (1:4 scale) of actual size (for example, a 16” x 32” sign should be laid out in a 4” x 8” document). Files with bleeds need to have a minimum bleed size of 3/4”. Photoshop files need to be 300dpi at 25% of actual size. Any art scans placed within a layout application, such as InDesign or Quark, should be placed in the document as an .eps at 70-100% scale.

All Adobe Illustrator, and CorelDRAW files must have the fonts converted to outlines or paths. All fonts used in an InDesign or Quark document must be provided, both screen and printer fonts.

We require a .pdf of the final artwork to ensure that the final digital output matches your original file. If you need the output color to be extremely accurate, we require you to supply us with specific PMS colors.

(.jpg, .bmp, . gif) These are formats usually formatted for web design. These can only be accepted if the resolution is at least 150-300dpi and in CMYK color. NOTE: If you are taking an image from a website it WILL NOT WORK. Photos from websites are formatted from the originals to be as small as possible so web pages can load quickly. These files are too small for print.

If you are taking pictures from a digital camera to send to us for output, your camera settings must be at “High” or “Best” resolution. Digital photos under 5MP usually do not work for large format output. If you have a small digital file, DO NOT open the photo in a photo editing program and change the resolution (dpi) to make the photo larger. There is no way to ADD resolution to a photo that has already been taken, all that happens is you take a bad photo and make it larger in size. Please retake the photo or find an alternative. If your digital camera does not take photos at a print acceptable resolution, then you must use a traditional film camera and either scan the photo or send us the developed glossy print to scan. We DO NOT print from or accept layouts for print in the following formats, except for importing text into an actual design program: MS Publisher, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel.

All turnaround times quoted begin when we receive the Print Proof Approvals, end at the ship date and are measured in business days (excluding holidays).  The Print Proof Approval allows us to send your order to production. ​ Any delay in artwork submission or proof approvals may postpone production and may extend our quoted turnaround times. ​ NOTE: Mockup Approvals are not Print Proof Approvals.

• Please build one file per design. In the case of programs that support multiple pages only place one design per page. • Color mode should be CMYK, not RGB. All colors used in document must be specified as CMYK, not Spot Colors. Except for Screen Printing, please only use Spot Colors. • Create your document to actual size, with the dimensions in inches, NOT feet. (For example, if your final product is 3’ x 5’, build it as 36” x 60”.) • For banners and flags, inset your text and important graphics 2.5” from the edge to prevent them from being sewn through in the finishing process. • Please remember to save a copy of your file with the type converted to outlines, paths or curves and send us this copy to prevent any font substitution problems.

Banners – Our standard hem turns 1.125” of material (add 2.25" to your required finished size) and is double stitched with the stitching coming in 3/4” from the folded edge. A 2.5″ margin from the (2.25" oversized) unfinished trim edge of the banner is required to prevent Live content from being turned and sewn. POCKETS: Pole pockets are calculated based on the outside diameter of the pole. Up to 1” pole diameter would use a standard 3” pocket that has a 2.25” opening (measured flat). 1.25” – 1.875” Poles would use a 4” pocket that has a 3.25” opening (measured flat). Please request a template for banners that require pole pockets to help prevent your live content from being sewn through. HORIZONTAL FLAGS: Our standard hem for Horizontal Flags turns 0.75” of material and is Double Stitched along the top and bottom edges with the stitching coming in 3/8” from the folded edge. The Fly edge of the flag is Quad stitched and turns 2” of material with the stitching coming in 1.5” from the folded edge. VERTICAL FLAGS: All Vertical Flags are Quad Stitched along each of the three (non-header) sides of the flag. MARGINS: Double Stitched sides require a 1.5″ margin from the unfinished trim edge to prevent Live content from being turned and sewn. Quad Stitched sides require a margin of 2.5” – 3” from the unfinished trim edge. The canvas header covers 1.5” of the left hand side of the flag, so a margin of 2” from the header’s unfinished trim edge is required. POCKETS: Pole pockets are calculated based on the outside diameter of the pole. Up to 1” pole diameter would use a standard 3” pocket that has a 2.25” opening (measured flat). 1.25” – 1.875” Poles would use a 4” pocket that has a 3.25” opening (measured flat). Please request a template for banners that require pole pockets to help prevent your live content from being sewn through. Rigid Signs – Our rigid sign process requires no special allowances except in cases where special frames are used for mounting. Please be sure to consult with us on Rigid sign requirements BEFORE you invest a lot of time into artwork creation.

If color is critical to your job, for additional charges we can produce a small print sample of your file for you to inspect. Color corrections can then be made and another print sample made for final approval. If you specify pantone spot colors, our color management will attempt to get as close as possible, however this may result in a color that does not look as you intended. Due to the nature of digital imaging, exact Pantone spot color matches are not always possible. For an additional fee we can provide you with a printed color chart so you can see how your Pantone spot colors will print. Please be aware that the calibration on every printer may vary slightly causing a slight variation in color even if printed from the same printer at a later time. Please note that metallic inks are not available for digital printing. Pantone’s CMYK equivalent will be substituted for the metallic inks specified in your file. If you do not wish this substitution to occur, please substitute a non-metallic color to simulate the effect you are trying to achieve.

When including Photoshop (bitmap) images, you should scan or create your image at its final reproduction size at the following resolutions: • 75-100 pixels per inch for vinyl banners • 100-120 pixels per inch for textile printing • 150-220 pixels per inch for rigid substrates Rasterized type in Photoshop will lose its crisp look and ‘stair-step’ if the file resolution is too small. Save these files in the JPEG format with the quality or compression level set to Highest Quality or Maximum Quality. This setting ensures there is no distortion or loss of detail while providing the best compression of the file.