Artwork Guidelines

RGB vs CMYK vs PMS Pantone spot colors...What's the difference?

Watch this short video and learn which color mode is right for you.

Download a Free CMYK Process Color Reference Guide or...

Email us your address to (info at printpeppermint.com) and we will mail you a FREE OFFSET PRINTED booklet.

Optimal File Specifications

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What is "bleed"? - Bleed is the section of the artwork that will be cut off when the final printed product is trimmed to the final size. The purpose of which is to continue a background color, image or design all the way to the edge of the card. On our templates, the red lines indicate the bleed section. Please make sure all backgrounds are extended all the way to this line. Bleed size is typically 1/8 of an inch (or 0.125) outside of the final trim size.

Optimal File Specifications

Download Art Guides - PDF
  • Bleeds: all files must have a 1/8″ bleed on each side
  • Safe Area: keep all critical text and artwork inside the trim
  • Colors: supply your files in CMYK color mode if you are printing 4-color process
  • Colors: supply your files with correct Pantone (U or C) colors selected in file.
  • Resolution: 300 dpi
  • Fonts: fonts must be converted to curves/outlines
  • Transparencies: flatten all transparencies
  • File Types: Preferred: PDF, EPS | Also accepted: TIFF or JPEG
  • ICC Profile: Japan Coated 2001

How to Prepare Files for Finishes

If your project includes foil stamping, spot UV, embossing, or die cutting you will need to provide a mask file (per finish) alongside your design files.

Create a black and white pdf file where all black areas have a color value of

K = 100%  (C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100)

Black areas represent where you want the finish to be located and white means no finish will be applied.

If your project contains more than one finish, you must provide separate mask files for each finish.

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Frequently Asked Questions - Artwork

Helpful Information

1. Color Mode

The full-color printing process requires artwork to be saved in four-color CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black)mode. That's because printing presses use 4 plates (one plate for each color) to achieve the final combination of that compose the artwork image.

However, the total black and white artwork or images must be in GRAYSCALE color mode in order to get that full, rich black in the final output. Files in RGB (Red, Green, Blue), as well as Pantone colors, will automatically be converted into CMYK.

2. Fonts

As much as possible, please outline your fonts(in illustrator and inDesign). This is to avoid any font issues when your job is printed. If you are submitting Quark Xpress or InDesign files, please include a font folder containing all the typefaces used in your layout. Please do not use a font size smaller than 8 points. Typically, very small or very thin fonts may not be readable especially when printed against dark or busy backgrounds.

3. Proof Reading

Before submitting your artwork, please check and review all copy/text for typos or misspellings. A PDF will be available for viewing after artwork submissions to provide the opportunity to check everything before your jobs go into print. Once the job is approved, we cannot be responsible for any misprint or errors in the finished print.

4. Resolution

To ensure the best output quality, the minimum resolution for artwork is 300 dpi(dots per inch). Make sure your link files or images (especially in illustrator, QuarkXpress, and InDesign)are in this resolution or higher. Images need to be created at 300dpi or higher to ensure there will not be a substantial drop in quality-typically resulting in blurry images with jagged edges. If you are scanning pictures, please make sure the settings are for a photograph and that the resolution is also 300 dpi or higher.

5. File Size

For files larger than 10MB, we recommended that you compress your file using software programs like WinZip (for Windows) or Stufflt (for Mac). You can also send your artworks by signing up for a free account on We Transfer.

6. Upload Time

Uploading file may take a while depending on the speed of your connection and the size of your artwork. Uploading a 4MB file could take about 5 minutes on a DSL connection. If you are having issues with our uploader, you can always email your files to support@printpeppermint.com or use a file sending service like We Transfer.