I Can see It, Why Can’t You Print It?
Camera Ready Artwork – What is Acceptable?
Camera ready artwork can be a very confusing issue. Questions arise as to what is considered camera ready artwork. Transfers have to be printed from a screen and then they have to survive the heat application process. Many customers utilize computer software art packages to develop their camera ready art. However, many times the shading and small lines attained on a paper cannot be converted to transfers to release properly.
Camera ready artwork is a high contrast black and white PMT, bank cut rubylith or amberlith, or a film positive or negative containing no gray or fuzzy areas and having sharp, precisely defined edges. If the design has multiple colors, each color needs to be represented on a separate overlay. Camera ready artwork must be flat and in proper proportion. Minimum size of art should be 1? x 1? and maximum of 13? x 13.5?. Please submit art to printed size. Additional sizes available for an additional charge.
Images that are transmitted by fax are not camera ready. Neither are business cards, yellow page ads or cloth patches. Camera ready art should represent an image exactly how the customer wants it to look; it should not need any modifications. Other rules and guidelines to keep in mind:
Camera Ready Art:
To qualify as true camera ready art, the following criteria must be met:
- 1. Sharp, black image on white paper.
- 2. Totally clean (no spots, stains, pinholes)
- 3. Must be suitable for photographic reproduction.
- 4. Submitted Camera Ready Art can be increased no more than 200% or decreased no more than 50%.
- 5. Maximum size of submitted art: 13?x 13.5?. Please submit art to printed size. Additional sizes available for an additional charge.
- 6. Minimum size of submitted art: 1?x 1?. Please submit art to printed size.
- 7. Minimum line width recommended: 1 point.
- 8. Criteria for art containing dot screens:
- A. Maximum dot screen: 30 LPI (lines per inch).
- B. Range of dot density allowed: 15-35%
- 9. Remember when we use your camera ready art – what you send is what we produce.
- 10. Faxed art is very seldom acceptable.
If your art does not meet these requirements, it will not be considered Camera Ready and will not qualify for the Red Label Program. However, it can be placed as a custom order with a minimum 30 piece order. Normal production is 12 working day on multicolored orders, and 10 working days on single colored orders. Rushes are available for a fee and can be applied to insure delivery in a timely manner. For pricing information, please see the Custom Heat Transfers tab.