General Art Guidelines
• Set-up and Proofing
• Color Matching
• Software Guide
• Our Printing Processes
Art Check List
Art Upload
GENERAL ART GUIDELINES
Art Specifications: DIGISPEC® utilizes state-of-the-art digital Direct-to-Plate and Direct-to-Press technology in its printing process. To avoid additional charges and potential delays, art must be output-ready digital files and should conform to the art specifications found below and on our Art Check List.
Sm@rt Codes: Art requirements for all of our products conform to Sm@rt Artwork Readiness Guidelines 4C (300ppi or vector art as 4-Color process) or 4S (300ppi or vector art defined as Pantone® spot color).
Art Services: Any time art must be created or modifications must be made, art services will be billed as follows: typesetting & minor corrections – $37.50/v minimum; art creation, reconstruction, or significant modification – $75/v-per-hour.
Email & FTP: We accept art submissions via email and FTP. Submit files under 3Mb via email to your Sales Counselor. For files between 3Mb and 80Mb please use our upload utility. Remember to also send a printed sample of what you expect the art to look like. Refer to our Art Check List for details on art preparation.
Borders: When art includes a border or other art element that runs parallel to the mouse pad's edges, the naked eye can distinguish slight variations in print positioning. For this reason, we do not recommend the use of a border because the nature of manufacturing limits registration capabilities to ±1/16".
Registration: Please allow ±1/16" registration variance of the print to the product perimeter.
Copyrights: Customers warrant that all images supplied for reproduction, whether digital, conventional or otherwise, are unencumbered by copyright and other usage rights connected to the image(s) and agree to hold harmless and indemnify DIGISPEC® for all claims and expenses for any actions in law that may result from the use of these images.
Separations, Files, Plates, & Dies: All separations, digital files, plates, and dies created by DIGISPEC® remain factory property. Our storage policy is to keep these materials on file for 24 months. After 24 months, reorders are treated as new jobs and require new art and set-ups. Original art is returned on request.
SET-UP AND PROOFING
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Set-Up:
| HARD SURFACE Print Charges | INCLUDED | |||
| HARD SURFACE Set-Up Charges /v | INITIAL ORDER | REORDER | ||
| 100-500 | 1,000+ | 100-500 | 1,000+ | |
| Hard Surface: 1-4 Color Spot/PMS or Process | 50.00 | No Charge | 25.00 | No Charge |
| FABRIC SURFACE Print Charges | INCLUDED | |||
| FABRIC SURFACE Set-Up Charges /v | INITIAL ORDER | REORDER | ||
| 100-500 | 1,000+ | 100-500 | 1,000+ | |
| Fabric: 4-Color Process | 50.00 | No Charge | 25.00 | No Charge |
| Fabric: 1-Color Spot/PMS | 50.00 | No Charge | 25.00 | No Charge |
| Fabric: 2-Color Spot/PMS | 100.00 | No Charge | 50.00 | No Charge |
| Fabric: 3-Color Spot/PMS | 150.00 | 100.00 | 75.00 | 50.00 |
| Fabric: 4-Color Spot/PMS | 200.00 | 150.00 | 100.00 | 75.00 |
FREE Email PDF Proof: A digital proof in standard PDF format is emailed for every job. While not an accurate color proof, this PDF allows you to verify that the art is correct and generally the correct color. Production begins once this PDF proof is approved.
Production Proof: $62.50/v. Production proofs are recommended whenever color matching is critical. A production proof is usually required on larger orders. Please Note: Jobs cannot be rejected for color unless a production proof has been performed. Even then, the final job must vary dramatically from the proof for any rejection to be considered.
Color Targets: It is recommended that you supply an accurate color print with your art. We will print your job without an approved color target but, without an approved color target or a production proof, a job cannot be rejected if the product color does not match your expectations. We can supply a calibrated color target for your approval for $37.50/v. When color matching is critical, always order a production proof.
Production Proof: $62.50/v. Production proofs are recommended whenever color matching is critical. A production proof is usually required on larger orders. Please Note: Jobs cannot be rejected for color unless a production proof has been performed. Even then, the final job must vary dramatically from the proof for any rejection to be considered.
Color – Offset Lithography: While standard offset reproduces color and detail very well, the product surface can sometimes alter the color and appearance of the printed image. When color is critical, we always recommend either a surface proof or a production proof.
Color – Sublimation: During the sublimation printing process, a color target is used as a reference only – to give our press operators an idea of what the finished pad should look like. However, the sublimation process is designed to produce a "pleasing" representation – not an exact match – of the original. Some color variation from a color target is normal and expected. When color matching is critical, always order a production proof.
Color Conversion: Colors should be defined as either spot or CMYK. All spot colors will be matched to the Pantone® Color Bridge coated color guide. Converting spot or RGB colors to CMYK will change the appearance of the color, sometimes dramatically.
Special Inks – Offset Lithography: All inks that are necessary for the Coated Pantone® Matching System (PMS) are stocked. Specialty ink colors PMS 871 Gold, 876 Copper, and 877 Silver are also stocked. Special order inks, such as metallic and fluorescent, are available for $45/v per color. Ink is normally matched to coated Pantone® colors but ink color is not guaranteed to be an exact match. When color matching is critical, always order a production proof.
Special Inks – Sublimation: All dyes that are necessary for the Coated Pantone® Matching System (PMS) are stocked. Within the limits of sublimation, precise matching of PMS colors is not always possible. Metallic and fluorescent colors are not available for sublimation pads. When the sublimation process is used to print screens or half-tones of spot (PMS) colors, the half-tone does not always reproduce as expected or as you might experience in standard offset printing. For example, a 25% screen of PMS 186 does not print as light red but turns bright pink. When possible, select a second PMS color that matches the desired screen or half-tone. When color matching is critical, always order a production proof.
InDesign, QuarkXPress, PageMaker: InDesign is our graphics department’s preferred layout software. All placed images should be sized at 100%, not enlarged or reduced in the layout, and original image files must be provided with the layout document. PDF layout templates can be downloaded from our Stock Shapes page.
Photoshop:
We use Photoshop to edit and correct all photographic images and complex illustrations. As with all submitted work, images should be sized and cropped to final size.
When a clipping path is needed, create it by using pen tools and establish the fewest number of control points possible. When saving a file with a clipping path, please set flatness to at least 3 pixels.
Changing the resolution of an image from, for example, 72ppi to 300ppi will not improve the appearance of the file — it will actually be the correct resolution, but still appear "low res".
Illustrator, Freehand, Corel Draw: Make sure colors are defined as either spot or CMYK depending on the intended final print. Convert all text to curves/outlines to avoid font problems. Do not embed fonts in Corel Draw. As with a layout program, placed images must be sent along with the Illustrator file and should be properly sized and cropped in the originating program prior to placement.
OUR PRINTING PROCESSES
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Offset Lithography: All images submitted for hard surface mouse pads are printed as submitted. Image resolution should be set at 300ppi – remember that effective image resolution is decreased when an image is enlarged in a layout program; so, images should be sized at 100% in the final document.
Dye Sublimation: Sublimation is a specialized process that prints special heat activated inks on an advanced "transfer" paper. The transfer is then registered to a fabric surfaced product. When heat and precise pressure are applied, the heat activated inks turn into a gas dye, which then sublimates into the fabric. Once the image is transferred, it is permanent and washable. When the heat activated ink explodes into gas, it produces a 100% to 400% dot gain. This dot gain impacts all reversed or "knocked out" art. When some elements, such as text, are too small, the dot gain has a tendency to fill in the reversed area or eliminate it completely. For this reason, we recommend all reversed type be set to bold. Serif fonts such as Times should be set at 18 point or greater and sans serif fonts like Helvetica should be set at 12 point or greater. All reversed lines should be 1.5 points or greater. Image resolution should be 300ppi.
Sublimation Pad Size: All mouse pads are initially cut to ordered size. However, since the mouse pads have a natural rubber base and the sublimation process uses high heat and pressure, the dimensions of the final product may vary from ordered size. This shrinkage and/or growth is a normal and expected effect of the sublimation process.