Some things to remember when thinking of artwork for your next promotional order.
All logos and artwork are preferred in an outlined EPS, or for photos and images, a high resolution JPEG at no less than 300 DPI at the correct size.
What is an EPS file?
EPS is short for Encapsulated PostScript. An EPS file is a vector file which means that the image has infinite resolution ie. it will never go ‘pixelly’ when the size of the graphic is changed. It also will not have a white background. This file format allows our graphic designers to scale and change the colour of your artwork to a suitable design for your order specifications. These files are completely editable. EPS files are generally created in a program called Adobe Illustrator and can also have the file extensions of .ai (Adobe Illustrator) and .pdf (Portable Document Format). If you are unsure, send them to us and we can check them for you!
But I do not have an EPS file?
Ask your graphic designer for the original file and they should provide it for you. If not, don’t worry! Our graphic designers can redraw your logo at a cost of $85 per hour, depending on the complexity
MYTH: Some people believe that a JPEG file can be converted to an EPS by simply doing a ‘Save As’. Unfortunately this does not work and the file will not have the same properties as a true EPS file.
EPS file of logo
Why are JPEG, PNG and other image files unsuitable when decorating your promotional product?
JPEG files are pixel based files and are generally a low quality file compared to the EPS. They are ideal for photos, which is primarily their main function. If you wish to include a photo in your order, it must be at maximum print resolution, which is 300 DPI (dots per inch) at the desired measurements. JPEG files cannot be enlarged as they lose their quality and become blurry and ‘pixelly’. JPEG files are not as easily edited as the EPS file and colours cannot be changed accurately.
MYTH: Some people believe that the resolution of an image can be increased in Photoshop (for example 72 DPI to 300 DPI). This is not true. Image resolution can only be decreased and never increased.
JPEG file of logo
Why should all fonts be outlined? What is “outlined” anyway?
When supplying an EPS file, it is essential that all of the text and ‘fonts’ are outlined. Your graphic designer will know what this means. This is important because fonts are not embedded into files due to copyright reasons. Also, not all computers have the same fonts installed. If the fonts are not outlined, another computer may change the font to a different default font.
What if my file is too large to send via email?
Let us know and we can organise an easy way to upload large files to our free FTP site. There are also many free websites that allow the transfer of large files via email.
Files not accepted for promotional product decoration.
There are a few different reasons why we do not accept some file formats. They are predominantly due to the quality of the file as well as the nature of the files in the design programs we use. We do not accept GIF, PNG, BMP, Postscript files and CRD (Corel Draw files). JPEGS sourced from the internet are also undesirable as they are generally low quality due to web image standards. If you are unsure if your file is acceptable, feel free to ask our friendly team.
What if I have specific colour requirements?
See our related post on Colour Guidelines here
