How To Setup Artwork For Large Format Printing

In order to provide the best print quality for your custom vinyl banner, we recommend you follow this guideline:

Acceptable File Types

Following is the list of all acceptable file types (formats):

PDF, TIF, JPEG, EPS, AI and PSD (all layers flattened to 1 layer and at 150 dpi or higher at the final size).

Artwork Size

Set canvas size (image size) with ¼” bleed on all sides to the actual size of your sign. Example - if you creating 3'x5' vinyl banner, set your canvas size to 36.5" inches by 60.5" inches.

Artwork Resolution

Set file resolution to 150 dpi at 100% print size. If your file size is smaller than 100% the resolution must increase accordingly on all Raster Based designed and submitted files such as TIF, PSD, JPEG & etc. For example: If the original file size is 10" x 20" and the final print size is 30” x 60”, your original file resolution should be at 450 dpi (150dpi x 3, as the original file, is 3 times that of the final print size) so that when it is enlarged to the finished size the resolution will be 150 dpi.

If you are working with vector images (programs like Adobe Illustrator & Macromedia Freehand) resolution is not an issue unless you have placed photographs into your document.

Color Specification

Set Color Mode to CMYK (or RGB if CMYK is unavailable. We will convert all RGB colors to CMYK mode before printing and this may cause shift in colors.

Fonts

We recommend that you convert all fonts to Outlines / Curves where possible before submitting your design art file, if not please include all fonts used in File.

Rich Black Printing

For the best results on printing Solid Blacks (Excluding text smaller than 30 pt.)use C=20%

M=10% Y=10% K=100%.

What is the largest size file I can upload?

We can accept up to 250 MB upload directly through our website and files bigger than that we have a special file upload site. You will be given instructions when you go to the file upload page after placing the order.

Software specific instructions:

Illustrator:

Convert all text to outlines. Expand all Fills and Stokes. Save as PDF file.

Photoshop:

Flatten the image. Make sure your file contains only 1 final background layer. Save as PSD file.

Corel Products:

Native Corel files cannot be processed or printed. You must save your Corel file as PDF or EPS or high resolution (150dpi or greater) TIFF or JPEG

Microsoft Word:

Try to avoid using Word to set up the banner. They usually are troublesome and cannot be printed. If Word file is all that you have, add a border proportional to your sign size and make your design inside that border only. When uploading your Word file, include all Fonts used in the files in upload.

Publisher:

Native Publisher files cannot be processed or printed. You must save your Publisher file as PDF or high resolution (150dpi or greater) TIFF or JPEG.

PowerPoint:

Native PowerPoint files cannot be processed or printed. You must save your PowerPoint file as PDF or high resolution (150dpi or greater) TIFF or JPEG.

PDF files:

Convert all text to outlines. Expand all fills and strokes.

EPS files:

Convert all text to outlines. Expand all fills and strokes.

AI files:

Convert all text to outlines. Expand all Fills and Stokes.

JPEG files:

Make sure your JPEG is set to 150dpi at full sign size in inches. As a general rule JPEG files less than 1mb in size cannot be printed. Do not compress or optimize your JPEG, save at 100% quality.

TIFF files:

Make sure your TIFF is set to 150dpi at full sign size in inches. As a general rule TIFF files less than 1mb in size cannot be printed. Do not compress or optimize your TIFF, save at 100% quality.

Letter Visibility Chart

Use this chart to determine the distance for maximum impact and readability distance

Letter Height	Distance for max impact	Readable Distance
3in.	30ft.	100ft.
4in.	40ft.	150ft.
6in.	60ft.	200ft.
8in.	80ft.	350ft.
9in.	90ft.	400ft.
10in.	100ft.	450ft.
12in.	120ft.	525ft.
15in.	150ft.	630ft.
18in.	180ft.	750ft.

Article ID: 272, Created: 10/15/2012 at 5:44 PM, Modified: 2/6/2020 at 3:31 AM