Artwork Services

After placing your order for personalised pens, branded stationery or other custom desktop accessories, you will be asked by one of our Customer Services team to provide either complete branded artwork or an idea of how you would like the artwork to be generated on your behalf.

In either case, we will ensure the whole process is as painless for you as possible. With our visual proofing system, you will know exactly what you will be getting before we proceed to the production stage. This helps ensure that your promotional pens are produced to match your brand and any other exact requirements.

If You Supply Artwork:

• Refer to our printing area guidelines to ensure the promotional product is adequate for your corporate message. Take particular care to ensure fine print and logos are legible for your target audience and the branding message on your pen is a clear one.
• Once you are satisfied the print area is adequate, ensure you generate your artwork to fit within the specified dimensions.
• Decide on the colours you wish to be printed on your merchandise. You can quote a standard colour reference such as PantoneTM or send us a sample of a physical reference such as a previously printed order or letterhead to enable us to match to your requirements. Try to avoid having bright colours on dark coloured printed pens. Accurate colour matches can only be achieved on white or lightly coloured promotional products. If the promotional item chosen is very dark you are advised to choose safe printing colours such as white, silver or gold. These are opaque and will cover the background colour of the item being printed. We would also like to remind you that metallic printed colours are not as durable as conventional colours because of their formulation and we can provide an optional overprinting varnish to preserve these types of ink – just ask for details.
• Refer to our guidelines listed below on the artwork format that best suits your requirements.
• Send your artwork by email and if everything is correct you will quickly receive a visual of the artwork as it would appear on the printed pens selected.
• You will be asked to sign-off the visual before we proceed to production on your order of promotional pens.

 If We Generate Artwork:

• We will take account of all the points we highlighted above and will advise you accordingly.
• Once we establish your requirements you will be provided with an estimate of the artwork charges.
• Once you have approved the artwork charge it will be generated to our perceived requirements and a visual will be emailed to you shortly afterwards to show the layout and colours requested.
• Any amendments will be reworked and visuals will be submitted again until approval is reached.
• After approval, a visual will be submitted showing the print in position on the promotional item that you ordered.
• You will be required to sign off the artwork visual before we proceed with the printing of your pens.

 Artwork Formats – Line Colours (also known as Spot Colours)

• Artwork should be created in Adobe Illustrator and saved as vectors (.ai, .eps or .pdf).
• For multi-colour printing, please ensure each colour is on a separate layer.
• All text must be converted to outlines or the correct fonts supplied to us in TTF or OTF format.

 Artwork Formats – Full Colour Printing

• Ideally these should be supplied a TIFF files (.tif) but Photoshop (.psd) is also acceptable. Jpeg (.jpg) formats are less desirable but may be acceptable providing they are high resolution.
• Images should be sent in high resolution.
• Files should be output at a minimum of 300dpi. 600dpi is recommended.
• Ensure blacks are generated and saved as 100% black and not made up from the full colour set, otherwise blacks may appear an undesirable shade.

Acceptable Media

There are a variety of methods available to store and deliver artwork as follows. Formats can be saved suitable for Apple Mac or PC.

• Email. This is the preferable method for sending artwork as it is immediate.
• Filesharing such as Dropbox or We Transfer. Just send us the link to download your files.
• CD or DVD.
• USB Flash Drive.