PRICES ARE BASED ON DELIVERING PRESS-READY DIGITAL FILES:
Press-ready digital files should be prepared as 4 color (CMYK) files in TIF, Photoshop (PSD) or JPEG formats. Minimum 300 dpi. File resolutions up to 400 dpi are accepted.
Your digitall files can be sent to us by e-mail attachement or on disk (CD / DVD).
SIZING & BLEED: When preparing electronic image files for submission you will need to keep in mind that Image files (front & rear) are required to have an extra 1/8" trim on all edges to allow the image to bleed off the edge of the card. This is required to allow for minor printed area innacuracies that can occur from press registration and during final trimming. The 1/8" allows margin for a clean appearance at the trimmed edge where the image meets the white background of the paper.
If you want to print the entire image edge-to-edge, without any loss of the image you will need to use a border around your image. The easiest option is to simply size your image smaller than the final card size and paste it into your border design exactly as you want it to appear and so the entire image floats inside the border. Then only the border gets trimmed BUT... then the border must be AT LEAST 1/4" or more on all sides because the border needs at least 1/8" for accurate trimming for the same reasons explained above. So the final digital ready artwork will be the same size overall -- 4.375" x 6.125" (for continental size) but the live image area can be no larger than
Borders can be any colors or design of your choice
it is best to to use Photoshop or similar photo editing application to "clone" picture area and extend it into the border trim area.
ou can then surround the image with a border on all edges.
EXAMPLE: A Continental size card is 4.125" x 5.875" (or the fractional equivalent, 4-1/8" x 5-7/8) after final trim.
The card artwork must be prepared to 4.375" x 6.125" (or the fractional equivalent, 4-3/8" x 6-1/8") which allows for 1/8" on each edge for final trimming.
For a full-bleed image card the image must be
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR IDEA FOR REPRODUCTION
Find the card size stated in the price list. This is the final trimmed size. Your digital file must add 1/8" to every edge so for example, the Continental Card size which is trimmed to 4-1/8" x 5-7/8" If you want the image to bleed off each edge (an edge to edge printed image) you will need to prepare the image
(Additional charges apply when we prepare your artwork - minimum $50.00 charge and $40 per hour after 1 hour)
MAKE A MOCK-UP: On
an 8.5" x 11" piece of paper, make a simple outline
drawing that represents the image to be used for the front of
the card - even a crude drawing is okay but try to make it approximately
the actual size of the card you are ordering and use . Use this drawing
to show us how you want the image placed and any cropping you
want. If you want a title on the front, show the placement of
your title and approximately the actual size of the typeface
you want the title to be in. Click here to see samples
of typefaces available for titles on the front of your card.
Please refer to the type face by its name. Determine whether
you want the image to bleed off the card edge or to be defined by a
border ...and how thick that border will be. Choose a color for
your title and/or border. Make full notes of all these decisions in
the margins around the image area of your mock-up. Complicated, creative or exacting design instructions should be avoided to prevent
SENDING ORIGINAL MATERIALS: (Unless
sending digital files - see below) Send materials (original photo,
print or slide, along with your mock-up, Logo or any other graphic
materials to be used in your design) to us by U.S. Mail or UPS
along with your deposit listed in the price tables for the product
you are ordering.
When we receive your materials we will
assemble your design from your mock-up instructions and send
you a proof by e-mail or regular mail. When you've approved the
design it will be sheduled for press and shipped to you when ready.
We will work from your sketch or
mock-up or camera ready artwork.
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