How should I prepare a file for printing with you?
The basic and easiest answer to this question is that you supply a PRINT READY .PDF file. We recommended a minimum of 300dpi, converted to CMYK colorspace, all fonts outlined AND embedded. Specify your trim area with crop marks (Do not place crop marks inside the work area). Make sure you have a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") BLEED on all edges of your job, and a 1/8" (0.125") SAFE area that has all critical design element such as text, pulled away from trim.

Following these guidelines, and CAREFULLY CHECKING THE RESULTING PDF before uploading will greatly reduce the possibility of error and accelerate your job through production.

PDF print ready files:

Minimum resolution of 300 dpi
CMYK colorspace
All fonts outlined and embedded
Specify trim area with crop marks (Do not place crop marks inside the work area)
Artwork should have 1/8" (0.125") bleed from trim line
Information content ("Safe Area") should be 1/8" (0.125") away from trim line.

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What file formats do you accept?
We accept the following file formats below, keep in mind anything other than (.jpg, .tif ) or (.pdf ) files will incur additional charges. A properly prepared file will greatly reduce processing time and error on your proofs, as oppose to working with external elements such as fonts, images, and layout files.

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How much Bleed do you require?
We require a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") bleed on all projects.

This will add 1/4" (0.25") to your overall image area, on both dimensions. Below are some example layout files incorporating our templates available in our Product Templates section.

In this example, if you wanted to print a 3.5" x 2" standard business card with image all the way to the edge, you would need to submit a file 3.75" x 2.25".

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What is Bleed?
Bleed is the extended image area of your print job, that prevents unprinted paper from showing on the edges of your finished job. We require an 1/8" (0.125") bleed, on all projects.

It is not practical to print the image exactly to the edge of your finished product. Instead, additional image area is printed past where the item will be trimmed.

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Why is bleed so important?
In commercial 4 color printing, all final jobs are cut in stacks. The accuracy of cutting in stacks is never perfect. Sometimes, the pressure on the stack from the cutting blade will cause a slight shift on the paper, losing the precision of the intended cut. This is why bleed is necessary to compensate for the shifting.

If bleed is not provided on a document, the final result of a trimmed job may possibly result in a slight white border around the edge. The example below will illustrate why bleed is important.

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How to prepare a document with bleed?
For any original document size, add .25Ã¢â‚¬Â to your document size. Please remember that bleed rules apply to all document sizes. Here is an example of a business card document with and without bleed.

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How much safe area is required?
Although we have digital state-of-the-art cutters, and very savvy operators, printing is a multi-variable process, and is not exact. Just as we require bleed, we require a clearance area between the cut and the important image area. The important design elements are those which you cannot risk cutting into, such as contact information and text. We recommend a 1/8in (0.125in) safe area inside from trim line. If you choose to make less than this minimum clearance, we will NOT be responsible for items that are cut off in this area.

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What is CMYK?
CMYK is also called 4-color Process. Colors in CMYK images are composed of varying amounts of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. This is the way a printing press prints color, so it is vital that your image be in this color mode. For 1-color Process it needs to be grayscale or bitmap (which only use Black).

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What is RGB?
RGB is an abbreviation for Red, Green, and Blue. This is a color system commonly used for monitors, digital cameras, televisions, etc. This color system works well for DIGITAL items but not for printing ink on paper. You MUST convert your files from RGB to CMYK prior to uploading your files. You will notice that some colors (especially fluorescents), will convert to a much darker color. It is important you handle the conversion on your end so have a realistic idea of what can print, and choose your colors accordingly. Even better is to begin your new document in CMYK to avoid having to convert later.

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What is PMS, Spot colors, Metallic Colors?

Pantone Matching System (PMS)

A popular color matching system used by the printing industry to print spot colors. Most applications that support color printing allow you to specify colors by indicating the Pantone name or number. This assures that you get the right color when the file is printed, even though the color may not look right when displayed on your monitor. PMS works well for spot colors but not for process colors, which are generally specified using the CMYK color model.

Spot Color

Refers to a method of specifying and printing colors in which each color is printed with its own ink. In contrast, process color printing uses four inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to produce all other colors. Spot color printing is effective when the printed matter contains only one to three different colors, but it becomes prohibitively expensive for more colors. Most desktop publishing and graphics applications allow you to specify spot colors for text and other elements. There are a number of color specification systems for specifying spot colors, but Pantone is the most widely used.

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How can I send my files?
Please send your files to: " artdepartment@dotfront.com " . Make sure your order Id is included in the subject line.

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Can I place my order now, and send my files later or have my graphic designer
upload files to my job?
Certainly. Make sure your Order Id is included in the subject line.

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How much is shipping?
Shipping charges varies depending on your destination, please contact if you need a quote.

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