PPAI # 255213
ASI # 177852 |
| U.S.
Navy Tomahawk Cruise Missile Decal |
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The Decal
Factory -
Whatever your military
signage needs, we can fulfill them. |
Recycle Your Vinyl Banner |
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Factories
Coast to Coast to Serve You
Business to Business Sales
"With a personal touch" |
Guidelines for
Supplying Artwork
Custom Banners Decals Labels
Signs
Serving Industries and
Manufacturers |
General Guidelines
These guidelines cover
the most common, though not all our requirements. Even if you do not fully
know what all your project requires, we do: The Decal Factory® staff
is trained to know, and acquire from you all the necessary elements your
artwork and project needs and requires for the professional final product
The Decal Factory® is noted for producing.
DECAL FACTORY products use many printing processes, including: screen
printing, offset, rotary letterpress, and flexography. While art preparation varies for each method as well as for the product being produced, there are some general guidelines to follow in preparing camera-ready artwork.
For screen printed products, artwork should stay 1/8" from the edge of the decal or continue past the edge 1/8" if the imprint will bleed. If two colors touch on your artwork, the light color should bleed under the dark color by 1/32".
Tighter registration is possible with rotary letterpress and flexography so artwork can be as close as 1/16" from the edge or continue 1/16" past the edge of the label for a bleed. When two colors touch, we only need 1/64" bleed of the light color under the dark color.
For all four printing processes, check with us to see if tones are available and what line screen is recommended.
Contact DECAL FACTORY for specifications on four-color process printing.
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| If your artwork consists of multiple
files, PLEASE use a ZIP utility to make one file, before uploading them. This avoids confusion if several customers are uploading more then one file at the same
time, or using the same file names.
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If you are printing multiple decals, we can help save you money. View our animation on combining orders for more information.
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Preferred Programs:
- Adobe Illustrator - 9.0 or higher.
- FreeHand - 8.0 or higher.
- Quark XPress - 4.0 or higher.
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Accepted Programs:
- PageMaker - 7.0 or higher.
- Corel Draw - 10.0.
- Export file as .ai.
- Send all support files.
- Keep colors as spot.
- Export text as curves.
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Fonts:
- Convert text to paths, curves or outlines (vector art).
- If this is not possible, send in both screen & printer Type 1 fonts used for the art to be printed. Be sure to list all font names used.
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Support Files:
- EPS - Illustrator: Save as Illustrator EPS.
- Freehand: Save as editable EPS.
- Quark Xpress: Save page as EPS.
- TIFF - PhotoShop file saved as 300 dpi grayscale at actual size.
- PDF - File must contain: vector art, high resolution (300 dpi) grayscale images for halftones, postscripts fonts.
- Bitmap Raster Image - 1200 dpi.
- DO NOT send your original!
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Accepted Programs:
- Adobe Illustrator: 9.0 or higher.
Saved as Adobe Illus. 9.0.
Convert text to outlines.
- FreeHand: 8.0 or higher.
Convert text to paths.
- Corel Draw: 10.0 or higher.
Export file as .ai.
Keep colors as spot.
Send all support files.
Export text as curves.
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Fonts:
- Convert text to paths, curves or outlines (vector art).
- Be sure to list all font names used.
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Support Files:
- EPS - Illustrator: Save as Illustrator EPS.
- FreeHand: Save as editable EPS.
- Quark Xpress: Save page as EPS.
- TIFF - PhotoShop file saved as 300 dpi grayscale at actual size.
- PDF - File must contain: vector art, high resolution (300
dpi) grayscale images for halftones, postscripts fonts.
- Bitmap Raster Image - 1200 dpi.
- DO NOT send your original!
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Screen Printed:
- Keep art 1/8" inch from the edge
or
continue past the edge 1/8" if the imprint will bleed.
- If two colors touch, the light color should bleed under the
dark color by 1/32".
- Create a white layer when printing white on clear.
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Offset, Rotary Letterpress and Flexography:
- Keep art 1/16" from the edge or continue past the
edge if the imprint will bleed.
- If two colors touch, the light color should bleed under the dark color by 1/64".
- Create a white layer when printing white on clear.
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| Things to Keep in Mind
In order for us to accurately price you on
your item, you will need the following information ready:
- Size of the item: (dimensions of the
actual cut material, not to be confused with dimensions of the printed logo. If artwork will not bleed off the decal there will
need to be a 1/8" margin between print coverage and edge of decal).
- Shape of decal: please let us know if this will be a custom shape. If you are looking for a basic shape i.e. ovals, rounded corner square or rectangle, octagon etc., please refer to insert for stock sizes we carry for these shapes.
- Number of colors printed: total number of
different colors in your design. If there are to many colors to count, this would be a 4 color process print. If you have a design with
3 colors (black, blue green), this would be considered 3 spot colors. Please note:
4 spot colors and 4 color process is not the same. If you are printing on a clear material
we recommend backing colors with white (see image below). If using a decal with face
adhesive, we will have to start out with a clear material.
(left) White halo around image.
(middle) White slightly inside image (seen from back).
(right) white background.
- Quantity: Please know the quantity you are looking for, or range of quantities. If you are looking for small amounts we will price you the minimum for the item you need.
Please note: minimum for roll labels start at 1,000;
Minimum for silk-screened decals 125;
If you are looking for less than 125 decals please inquire about digital printed
decals.
Please call for minimums on all other items.
- Material Selection: Because of the wide variety of uses of our materials, we would like to insure that the right products of material is used for your particular application. Identifying how the product will be used or what the decal will be applied to will help determined what material is best suited for you.
Material samples are always available at no charge for testing.
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| Four-Color Process
Guidelines |
GENERAL
GUIDELINES
All Printing Methods |
| Four-color process printing is
used for reproducing high quality graphics with photo type
images. This also works well for small multi color graphics in
which the total color count would exceed seven or eight colors.
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| Digitally created process images
should be created in or converted to CMYK
(cyan, magenta,
yellow, black) format. Some
programs, such as Photoshop, default to RGB (red,
green, blue)
format and must be changed. *Note any color change in the image
when converting from RGB to CMYK and adjust colors as needed.
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Follow the instructions below
for best results when using a scanned image within the art layout.
- Use an original
continuous tone image scanned on a high-end drum scanner.
- The scan must be
CMYK at 300 DPI resolution or higher at actual print size.
Most flat bed scanners only scan in the RGB mode. Although
these files will look good on the computer monitor, the
color information will not convert correctly for a
four-color process printed image.
Both created
and scanned images must have a resolution of 300 DPI or higher at
final print size. Resolution cannot simply be increased in the
program if working from a low resolution file. This merely spreads the
original pixel information across a greater number of pixels and does not
improve image quality. (Most internet images are a low resolution of 72
DPI.)
Scanned images cannot be manipulated.
Text, logos, borders, etc. should be created in a drawing / layout program
such as Illustrator, FreeHand or QuarkXpress. This allows us to make
necessary adjustments to the digital file such as adding trap.
Convert all text to paths, curves
or outlines. If this is not possible send both screen and
printer Type 1 fonts used for the job being printed.
Send a copy
of all original supporting files used to create the image.
When sending Photoshop files, leave the art in layers (do not
flatten or merge layers).
Color proofs are made from the digital file
and may vary slightly from your computer monitor or color printer. The
final printed product may also vary slightly from the color proof due to
the differences between printing and proofing methods.
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ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Screen Printing Only |
| Four-color process printing is for
reproducing detailed, photo type images. An image with large
solid color areas is best produced using glossy spot color inks.
Spot colors should be used in
addition to the process image when color is critical such as
company logos, text or borders. Large coverage backgrounds may
also require a spot color. All spot color information must be
defined in the file using Pantone® or Gill-line stock colors.
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| Image with small white text: Any
text that is 14 point bold or smaller needs to be overprinted
for registration. There should not be a knock out behind this
copy.
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| Small text outside the image area:
If text color is anything except black and the size is smaller
than 14 point bold it should be run as a spot color for
registration purposes.
Black text 55 point or larger and
large coverage areas should print as spot black.
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ART CONSIDERATIONS
All Printing Methods |
| For small black text, fine lines
or detail lines within an image set black to overprint (no knock
out).
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Small Black Text |
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Detail lines within an image.
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| The following examples show how to
prepare bleeds, margins and borders. All text or significant
parts of the image must be in from the cut line following the
same guidelines.
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Screen print: Margins and borders are a minimum of 1/8".
Offset: Margins and borders are a minimum of 1/8".
Roll Label: Margins and borders are a minimum of 1/16".
Sublimated: Margins and borders are a minimum of 1/4".
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Call Us today TOLL FREE
about your printed and promotional product needs. |
| The Decal Factory® deals
with thousands of products, businesses and industries. We can fulfill
your requirements, whether you see your product or industry listed
here or not. Whatever your stock, custom or specialized decal, label,
sign, banner, poster and sticker needs are, contact
us or E-Mail us for a free
quote or call us TOLL FREE (800)
369-5331. We can help! Read
what our customers say!
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Call us toll free today for your
free quote - (800) 369-5331 (M-F
8-4 PT).
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