- Printing
PrintingOur in-house wide-format printing studio is set up to meet all your printing needs
- Signage
- Exhibition
ExhibitionOver 40 years of industry experience in helping businesses showcase themselves at exhibitions.
- Outdoor Display
Outdoor DisplayMake the outdoors your own with our range of branding and display products.
- Indoor Display
Indoor DisplayDisplay your promotional material in a professional manner with our indoor display range.
- Notice Boards
Notice BoardsA huge range of fabrics, frames and colours to suit your exact needs.
- Whiteboards
WhiteboardsMassive range of whiteboard styles and sizes available, including our special custom printed whiteboards.
- Pavement Signs
Pavement SignsPavement Signs, A Boards, Forecourt Signs & Swing Signs for all your retail display needs.
- Covid Range
Covid Range
- Design
- Case Studies
Signs Case Studies
Printing Case Studies
Display Case Studies
Exhibition Case Studies
Vehicle Graphics
Tips, Advice & Tutorials
Latest News
Design Case Studies
Artwork Preparation for Printed Products
ARTWORK AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Need help and guidance for your artwork?
PRINTED IN-HOUSE WITH YOUR DESIGN
Getting Your Artwork Ready For Print
Here at Creative Solutions we aim to make the process as easy and simple as possible to get your print from the design stage through to our printers. Use this page as a guide to preparing artwork, whether you have your own artwork ready or need our design team to produce it for you. If you have any questions about your artwork and what you need to do, speak to our friendly team on 01297 630130 who will gladly assist you, or drop us an email at sales@creative-solutions-direct.co.uk
This page consists of three main areas:
- How to supply us with your own artwork
- Best Practices and things to consider
- Use our Graphic Design service
You can also download our PDF Guide to Setting Your Your Artwork with all the information from this page.
If you require any clarification on any topic, please contact our Studio on 01297 630130 - we're here to help and ensure your printing meets our high standards and your expectations.
You dream it, we'll create it.
How to supply us with your Artwork
We've tried to make ordering your product online as easy as possible. Just buy your product as normal online, and send us your artwork when you have it ready. Don't worry if it's not ready straight away, we'll keep your order safely stowed away until your happy your artwork is good to go.
We'll never go to print without you giving the green light. Our graphic design team will let you know if there's a quality problem with your artwork.
Order Online
Order your product online and checkout.
Upload Artwork
Use the 'Artwork Upload' button in the top menu bar and send your artwork in.
Proof Sent To You
We will always send you a digital proof for you to check over before we go to print.
On the printers! Your product is sent down to the production team.
Delivery
We'll get your product out on a courier delivery straight to your doorstep.
General Information
Everything you need to know about the design process and your artwork.
Artwork Layout & Template Files
Artwork should be setup 20%, 25%, 50% or actual size. Please indicate scale within file name and on any proof.
We can email scaled templates (PDF, EPS, Ai, InDesign) files for pop-up display systems and banner stands. Please call sales on 01297 630130 or email sales@creative-solutions-direct.co.uk with your request.
Fonts, Lettering & Typography
When collecting files for output, please ensure that all fonts used are converted to outlines.
Experience has shown that whilst fonts may use the same name, slight variations do exist. Therefore we advise you not to rely on fonts from another source but to send fonts all converted to outlines.
Fonts used in Illustrator, InDesign and CorelDraw can converted to boxes/curves before saving to output and therefore no font files are required. To do this, select all and then convert in one action (usually from the 'Type' or 'Style' menus).
Photo Scans & Images
Images should be provided at a minimum of 300dpi @ 25% (size-for-size taking in to account magnification) and saved in CMYK format. TIFF file formats are preferred but we also accept images in any other formats included JPG and EPS. Care should be taken when providing images in other formats as compression can reduce final print quality.
Template Bleed Area
We usually recommend all critical information is within a 50mm bleed around the outside.
Sending Your Artwork To Us
By far the easiest receive your files is via our website using our FTP (File Transfer Protocol) facility:
- FTP Upload- Use the file upload upload tab at the top of the page in the menu bar. Fast and easy to use. Maximum file size is 2GB.
We can also accept files saved on:
- USB Stick (returned immediately after saving to our network)
- Email- send to sales@creative-solutions-direct.co.uk
Colours, Pantones and RAL Swatches
We recommend using Pantone or RAL colour swatches rather than relying on screen colours. If you use screen colours as a guide, ensure that your monitor is closely calibrated.
Whilst every effort is made to match specific Pantone & RAL colours, it is not always possible to match specific colours when using CMYK printers. If colour is critical then please supply a reference.
Logos
All logos used should be EPS vector files (these can be magnified to any size without degradation of quality). If you do not have an EPS version, we can create a replica copy from a JPG or TIF file supplied (subject to sight of file- approximate studio charge £60 plus VAT). The EPS file can be forwarded to your for subsequent print requirements.
Mac & PC File Applications
We can accept files saved in:
- Adobe Illustrator all versions
- Adobe InDesign all versions
- Adobe Photoshop all versions
- Corel Draw
- Microsoft Powerpoint versions 2200 and XP (requires transferring to graphics software- studio time charged)
- Microsoft Publisher versions 97,98,2000 and XP (requires transferring to graphics software- studio time charged)
- Microsoft Word 2010 and XP (requires transferring to graphics software- studio time charged)
The Graphic Design Process
We like to make the process as simple and as smooth as possible for you, we'll need a couple of things to guide the creative process to produce something truly showstopping.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
- A brief outlining what you are looking to achieve
- Any artwork you have already such as logos sent to us (ideally in vector format)
- Any high res images sent to us
- Corporate brand guidelines where necessary
- All contact information you would like to be shown
OVER TO US
- Contact you to discuss your project and ideas
- Provide you with an initial design estimate
- Once approved, we'll commence design
- You suggest any amendments or changes
- We make the changes, you approve and we make the product come to life!
If you are new to graphic design process, artwork files, templates and software, do not worry! We are here to assist you and offer our expertise for best practice.
We have worked with a full range of clients and businesses, so have lots of examples and product knowledge to let you know what would work well with your vision. Download our Artwork Guide PDF to have this information to hand.
Need our Graphic Design Services?
Getting noticed and creating a professional display has never been easier. Our graphic design team, known as the creativestudio, are on hand to help with any design requirements no matter how small or large. Our experienced team can help turn the ideas in your head in to a reality, the only limit is your imagination and they can certainly help with that.
Our design capabilities are vast, from laying up a banner stand to a complete company rebrand. Logo design, web design, banner design, sign design, pop up stand design- our team know what works and how to best create your unique product.
ARTWORK CHARGES
Studio time is charged at a very competitive £60/hour plus VAT, but unlike other companies we'll only ever charge for actual time taken at regular 15 minute intervals. Every job will be priced on an individual basis, and we'll always do our utmost to make sure it's the most cost effective it can be for you. We have access to a huge library of images and backgrounds and an experienced team of designers. PDF proof files are emailed to you for approval or amendment.
COLOUR REPRODUCTION & QUALITY
Whilst every care is taken before and during the printing process, Creative Solutions will not be liable for any colour discrepancies or poor quality image resolution on finished products, where artwork is supplied by a third party. Screen calibration and computer interpretation of colours and shading may mean that what is seen on screen may not be exactly replicated on the finished product. Customers are asked to provide hard copies of the required artwork, if they feel this may be the case. It is the customers responsibility to ensure that suitable photos are used in artwork designs. Creative Solutions cannot be responsible for poor quality prints due to unsuitable image/photo selection.
Our In House Graphic Design Team will help you to create an amazing impression! We will create a design that will stop passers-by in their tracks. Unlike some other companies, we want to offer value for money, you will only be charged for the actual time taken to create your work. We have the talent needed to get your business growing.
If you have any questions about the design process, please contact us and we will be more then happy to assist you.
Sign up to our Newsletter
Updating page...