Art Concerns

Promotional product art is a unique breed of computer art because it must interface with production machinery. For the most part that machinery is pretty high tech and usually requires high-end graphic files. File types used by most home and business computer users will not work. The list of unacceptable file types is long and includes: .jpg, .tif, .bmt, .gif, .cmx, .wpg, .wmf, .emf, .pcx, .tga, .sct, .cpt, .fpx, .cal, .wi, .png, and others, including anything produced in Microsoft Word, Publisher, PrintShop, WordPerfect, Serif or other home use programs.

In short, factories will usually reject bit-mapped graphics. They need vector graphics, but not just any vector graphic files. They require files that will interface with their machinery software, and if they are not given such files, they will charge to produce them from the files they are given. Factories typically charge $40+ per hour for fussing with graphic art that does not meet their specifications.

If you send them a .jpg or a .tif file, for instance, they can reproduce it in about a hour. But that adds $40+ to your bill, and usually a day in production time because they need to send out a copy of the converted art for approval before running the job. Often it amounts to a couple of days because the promotional products dealer needs to run the art by the customer as well.

Typically they require files produced with CorelDraw (.cdr) or Adobe Illustrator (.ai). But again, just because the art was produced with one of these programs or saved in their file formats does not mean that factories can use it as is. It is easy to copy and paste a .jpg file into CorelDraw, but then you have a CorelDraw version of a .jpg file. It has retained the characteristics of .jpg, even though it is saved as a .cdr file.

In addition, different factories have different file/art requirements. It gets fairly complex pretty quickly. Generally speaking, an .eps (Encapsulated Post Script) file is the most universal. Many art programs can produce such a file. If possible, use at least 600 dpi.

Business Specialties can handle all of the art and file requirements necessary for various kinds of imprinted, screened, embroidered, and embossed products. We can also design, prepare, and/or convert files as necessary. We can usually do it in less time and with less difficulty than our customers or independent graphic artists because we interface directly with both the customer and with the factory.



Art Concerns - To learn more about this author, visit Phillip Ross's Website.

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