What Formats Can I Upload to Vistaprint for Business Cards

When a design client comes back to you lot complaining that their printer says that the files you gave them are unusable, information technology's pretty embarrassing. Equally the professional, information technology's supposed to be your task to take intendance of the technical side of things, not the client's.

To assist y'all avert these types of situations, we've compiled a listing of some of the about common impress file mistakes and how to prepare them. For the purposes of this post we are going to open up PDF files (a common file used for printing) in Adobe Illustrator to demonstrate common impress file mistakes.

For the examples, we've used a full-bleed business card design – this means that all graphics and images are supposed to extend all the way to the border of the paper. No affair which program you use to create your impress file in, it's always proficient to provide an editable PDF file for your customer and the printer.

PDF files are an crawly universal file format that can store loftier-res images, vector files, font data and more! All clients need to view PDF files is Adobe Reader – and about printers accept PDF files for print jobs.

The image above is a basic 3.v″ 10 ii″ business card template file. The document itself is 3.75″ 10 two.25″ to conform a total bleed blueprint. Hither'due south a breakdown of its components:

• The safety line (orangish box) is the area inside which you should keep all text and graphics that you don't want to be cut off by the printing machine.
• The trim line (dotted blue line) is the line forth which the card is going to be cut by the motorcar.
• The bleed area (border of paper) is the surface area that is going to be cut off by the motorcar, just make sure that this expanse is filled with image and color and then that there is no white infinite left on your carte du jour when it is trimmed.

Nosotros're going to include the trim line and the prophylactic line in the examples below to demonstrate many of the of the virtually common print file mistakes. In terminal PDF impress files, the guidelines should always be removed. Allow's get started on some of the most common print file mistakes:

1. No bleed areas included

The examples in a higher place show what a file looks similar when no bleed area is included. This is probably the virtually common print file mistake out there. To fix files like this, showtime with certificate dimensions that are at full bleed size, make sure that all graphics extend fully to the edge and keep text within the safety line.

2. Text and graphics are not inside the safety line

3. Incorrectly positioned borders

To solve this trouble, making sure that all borders are either thick enough or placed well inside the blueish safety line. Many printers actually recommend against adding borders considering their cutters don't e'er cut straight. To avert this, consider not adding borders to your design.

4. Artboard size doesn't lucifer the size of the design

When creating your print file the art board, or canvass must match up with the edges of your print blueprint. This makes information technology easier for the printer to add printer marks. If the printer has to adapt the dimensions of your file they may accuse your client extra for that. To avoid this, first with a template file or fix your document so that it matches the dimensions of your design.

To set exact dimensions for your artboard, start past create a new document in the Adobe program of your choosing by clicking File > New. A window will appear prompting you to type in the exact number values of the dimension of your document. This way, y'all can exist sure that your certificate dimensions are exact.

5. Leaving print guide layers in the file

6. Colors are in RGB, not CMYK

To avoid dramatic color differences between your on-screen and impress designs, build out your designs in CMYK color way beginning. Make sure that any images that are placed into the file are in CMYK besides. When y'all open a new file, brand sure that your color mode is gear up to CMYK.

The image above shows to to check that your certificate is set to CMYK color fashion in Adobe Illustrator. It's besides always a skilful idea to print at least 1 proof of the blueprint, so that your client can cheque if they're happy with the colors in the print earlier they print multiple copies of the blueprint.

7. Resolution is too low

The images in the file above are fix to nearly 72 PPI – not suitable for printing. Files needs to exist at least 300 PPI for print jobs. To fix this, prepare your document resolution to 300 PPI before y'all kickoff creating your design. Too brand sure that any raster images or photos that you lot utilize are already gear up to 300 PPI before you place them in the print file.

Avoid sourcing your images from random websites, because the resolution will probably be as well low – and considering of copyright bug. Make sure that you lot use high resolution, impress-quality image files from professional prototype sources.

8. Fonts aren't embedded or outlined

When creating your PDF files, make sure that you embed the fonts or outline them. To outline your fonts in Illustrator simply select your text and click Type > Create Outlines. Creating a PDF may embed a font by default setting but it never hurts to outline your fonts, merely to exist safe.

If you do outline your fonts, be sure that your client legally owns the font in the pattern and that yous give your customer a version where the text is not outlined so that the content can be edited after. It'south important to checking that yous're not making these basic print file mistakes – some printers will charge your clients extra for fixing incorrect print files.

Yous want your clients to come to you lot with more impress pattern jobs, and recommend your services, not the other way around. At present that we've gone through a bunch of basic print file mistakes, nosotros'd like to provide a few examples of correct, print-prepare files.

The download links below contain right, print-ready, full-bleed PDF files of business organisation card, letterhead and envelope designs. Experience free to download the files below and learn from them or cheque out our Templates Help Page for fifty-fifty more than great information!

• Business Card_Back (PDF)
• Business organization Carte du jour Front (PDF)
• Envelope #ten (PDF)
• Letterhead (PDF)

What other common print file mistakes have you seen? Share in the comments!

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Source: https://99designs.com/blog/tips/print-file-mistakes-to-avoid/

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