Printing your Products can sometime require a good amount of knowledge to effectively get what you want as a finished product. We’re compiling a host of information here to help that experience be fruitful for you! We’ll be constantly adding to this FAQ, so check back if you need something answered. If you don’t see your answer here, feel free to email us at orders@artistexpress.net and we can help answer your questions and build this knowledgebase!
Color Mode Best Suited for Printing
For best color results, please send us your artwork in CMYK color space. We can still accept RGB files, however there is no guarantee on how the colors will turn out in print. Usually RGB prints a bit darker than what is seen on screen. Click on the images below to zoom in and see the differences in quality.
CMYK color space provides the most accurate color matching to your original artwork, and is recommended for printing.
RGB color space provides richer colors, but they don’t always translate in print. RGB is best for digital artwork meant to be viewed on a screen.
Image Resolution Best Suited for Printing
For best results, and to avoid any pixelation of your artwork in print, please send us files at a minimum 300DPI. Anything under that could result in diminished print quality. Click on the images below to zoom in and see the differences in quality.
Image Printed at 300 DPI; Optimal Print Quality
Image Printed at 150 DPI; Artwork is blurry and not as crisp.
Image Printed at 72DPI; Noticeable artwork degradation.
File Formats Acceptable for Printing
For posters, cards, or any flat printable items, please send them as either JPG, PNG, TIFF, or PDF. Note: PNG files only print in RGB color space.
For books, PDFs are STRONGLY preferred. Please send books in the following way:
- Covers – Please send one PDF containing the Cover (First PDF page), Inside Front Cover (Second PDF page), Inside Back Cover (Third PDF page) and Back Cover (Fourth PDF page). Note: If you have variant covers for your book, send EACH cover with these 4 pages in it.
- Interiors – Please send one PDF containing all Interior pages (pages, not spreads) in their intended order.
If you prefer to send them as JPGs, PNGs or TIFFs, be sure to explicitly name each file so there is no confusion. Example:
- Cover – Cover.jpg
- Back Cover – Back Cover.jpg
- Inside Front Cover – Inside Front Cover.jpg
- Inside Back Cover – Inside Back Cover.jpg
- Interior Pages – Page 1.jpg; Page 2.jpg; Page 3.jpg etc.
For Stitched books, page counts MUST be a multiple of 4. Each sheet they are printed on contains 4 pages of the book, and having an odd number of pages will leave undesired blank white pages in your book.
Spot Foil
ArtistExpress needs a PSD with a layer for the BASE ART of your artwork and another layer for the FOIL area to be foiled in solid black, with transparency. You must also knock out the foil area on the BASE ART layer in white. It is STRONGLY recommended that the foil layer has a 1px stroke also in solid black. The foil area can’t have any glow or soft edge effects.
Make sure your layers are named and setup like this!
An example of the FOIL layer,.
An example of the BASE ART layer, with the foil area knocked out in white. If there is color in this area, it will be overprinted on the foil.
Spot Embossing
Instructions Coming Shortly