Dr. Blue

ARTWORK CHECKING CRITERIA

Please be sure to read and refer to the artwork specifications provided here when preparing your artwork. For detailed information about each element, please read through the appropriate sections on this page. For the best print results, we highly recommend using our Product Templates.

File Preparation

File Format

1. All artwork / images must be saved in CMYK colour mode.
2. All pictures for printing need to be created at 300dpi and above.
3. All font needs to be embedded
4. Kindly make sure only 1 design in your file.

Font

1. Curve / Create Outline / Path all the fonts must create outline before save artwork file to PDF file format to avoid missing font issue.
2. Some fonts have copyright restrictions and will not embed in PDF files.
3. Minimum 5 pts font size (may not applicable for Hot-stamping and pre-inked stamp, please refer to its own artwork specification)
4. For small text, please AVOID:
   • Font type is too thin
   • For white background with black text and line, you are advised to use K100 only.
   • White text on colored / black background
   • Light color text on white background
   • White text on colored background made up of a combination of 2 or more CMYK Colour Value).

All wording that consists of font size ≤ 5pts and without BOLD, must add outline to reduce the wording blurry problem.

Color Mode

All artwork / images must be saved in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) color mode. If you save under RGB mode, Blue Printing will automatically convert to CMYK mode and the overall color space will change.

• Percentage of C100, M100, Y100, and K100 must be below 240% in total.
• Do not set color tints (toning) to below 10% of difference.
• Please avoid setting BLACK color to C100, M100, Y100, and K100. Too much ink coverage may result in sheets sticking together and causing text or image to look blurred.

To get the most from black, use the colour combinations stated below:

Line / Border

• For light color, set line weight at least 1pt.
• For dark color, set line weight to 0.25pt and above. (may not applicable for Hot-stamping and pre-inked stamp, please refer to its own artwork specification)

Image

• Ensure all the images are in CMYK color mode.

• Ensure all the images resolution is not below 300dpi.

• Do not overlap from lower dpi to higher dpi in the layout program.

Product Size Template

Our product size template does not contain any designs. They are specific application files which include predefined guide-lines indicating bleed, safe zone, and trim lines. Using our templates correctly will prevent this from occurring.

Principle guideline

• Full Bleed
  • Enables your background design to extend to the edge of your end product.
  • If your background design is not in Full Bleed dimension, the product will have a line along the edge.
• Trim Size
  • Anything element left outside this box may be CUT-OFF (trimmed away).
  • Borders are not recommended as they may appear uneven in the end product due to shifting in the cutting process.
• Safe Zone
  • Keep all your important content (text, images, logo etc.) within this area.
  

Additional notes

• Please remove the crop marks in your final artwork.
• Please delete all guidelines & descriptions before uploading your artwork.

Orientation

Follow the guides below if your design has 2 pages or more

Artwork Orientation

Artwork Orientation – Folded

Preparing Final Artwork

STEP 1 Download PRODUCT SIZE TEMPLATE from our website.

STEP 2 Design your artwork by following our artwork specifications.

1. Go through all artwork specifications
2. Follow our 3 PRINCIPLE GUIDELINES
3. Some products may have different/extra artwork specifications. Please refer to this handbook or website for more information.

STEP 3 Preparing final artwork file in PDF file format:

STEP 4 Place order online.

• Go through the respective product checklist to avoid errors.
• Go to the ‘Checkout’ page at our website to place your order.
• Send your final artwork file to us

PDF Setting

HIGH RISK OF LOSING GRAPHIC / TEXT

Please ensure your artwork files are saved in the right format for output. If your files are not saved accordingly, they have a high risk of losing graphic and text in output.

Converting Final Artwork to PDF :

Selecting the Right Acrobat Compatibility

Please convert your final artwork to PDF and select the right compatibility according to the designing software you use

Select at least Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4)

Tutorial AI – PDF File Format

Step 1: Save your artwork as PDF

Step 2: Choose PDF Style

Step 3: Choosing PDF Preset

Step 4: General Setting

Step 5: Compression

Step 6: Marks and Bleeds

Step 7: Output

Step 8: Advanced

Step 9: Security / Summary

File Format

These are the file types we accept

1. JPEG / TIFF
   • Provides a good quality outcome if the file is converted under certain specifications. Text or vector images appear less sharp compared to PDF file format.
   • JPEG file format: Set resolution at or above 600dpi
   • TIFF file format: Set resolution at or above 300dpi
2. PDF
   • Provide better quality outcomes.
   • For PDF setting please refer to tutorial at our website: Convert AI File to PDF

File Name

1. AVOID using the following for your file name:
   • Punctuation marks (i.e. ? ! ( ) [ ] { } : / “ ‘ , + ; . etc.)
   • General Typography (i.e. @ # * $ % + & > ~ etc.)
   • Uni codes (i.e. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.)
2. Except for hyphen ( – ) and underscore ( _ ), please refrain from adding punctuation marks, symbols or foreign types to your file name as it will become illegible when you upload your file to us, thereby making it difficult for us to identify your file. Hence, best keep it simple with alphanumeric file names.

Send File Method

You will be required to upload the artwork file (PDF file format) to us during the ordering process.

Upload by web

• Maximum file size is 512MB
• You may also upload to google drive / dropbox and share the link to the respective product.
• Attach your artwork file or share the link to the online ordering form before submitting your order.

Send by pen-drive / CD

• Please attach an empty file and proceed to the payment step. Then, you will need to inform us your company name, contact number and order ID that you will be sent to us by pen-drive/CD.
• Compile your artwork files into a pen-drive/CD and mail/courier to us together.
• You may also bring along your pen-drive/CD to our company.
• Please take note that this process will delay your turnaround depending on when we get your artwork file.

Preparing Spot Color Artwork

Preparing Round Corner Artwork Order

Step 1: Download the Product Size Template

Step 2: Choose the round corner type (position) you desired

• Open the Product Size Template file, you will see these guidelines.Adobe Illustrator

• To get the round corner artwork guideline, deselect the “Corner” position and ensure the “Curve” position is selected.

• If your artwork is WITHOUT Round Corner, deselect the “Curve” position and ensure the “Corner” position is selected.

Step 3: Delete all guidelines and save in PDF format.

Step 4: Select the round corner type (position) in the ordering page according to your artwork.

Step 5: Upload your round corner artwork to place order.

Embossing Artwork Specification

Part A: Limitation Checklist

1. General (Precaution)
   • Embossing is NOT ALLOWED to apply on the gluing area.
   • Embossing must NOT overlap with Silkscreen Spot UV artwork.
   • Vital elements (text, images, logo, etc) must be kept within the safe zone.
   • Embossing is applied, at least 3 mm from the creasing line.
   • Embossing is NOT ALLOWED to do in JPEG (Must in vector).
2. Font
   • Font size cannot be less than 11.0 points (based on Arial font type size) including wording inside a small logo.
   • Font size that is less than 11.0 points (based on Arial font type size), the word(s) will be embossed as a whole instead of individual letters.
   • Do not use font type with sharp end edge.
3. Line
   • Line thickness must be more than 1.0 point.
   • Gap between Embossing lines cannot be less than 2.0mm.
   • Outline of table is not allowed to apply (Miss-registration is more noticeable).
   
4. Dot
   • Dot thickness cannot be less than 2.0 points.
   • Gap between Embossing dots cannot be less than 1.0mm.
   • Dot artwork may also include small symbols and characters, for example Comma (,), Full Stop(.), Colon (:), SemiColon (;), Apostrophe (‘), Quotation Marks (“), and etc.
   • Symbol and character as mentioned above which are created using Font (Arial font type), the font size cannot be less than 20
   
5. Miss Registration
   • Registration accuracy of Embossing is ± 0.5 mm.
   • For products with Emboss finishing, users may not reject orders if Emboss defects affect only 2% or below of the printed quantity per order.

Part B: Artwork Preparation

1. Embossing artwork can be a vector graphic (vector) , text , shape or solid color.
2. Embossing artwork must prepare in 100% PROCESS CYAN color and NO TONING is allowed.
3. Emboss artwork must be accurately aligned with the printing artwork. Please double check to ensure the Emboss artwork position is at its Emboss artwork page.
4. Artwork is saved in latest format of Adobe Acrobat Document (.PDF)
5. PDF file must prepare for Embossing artwork :
   • Page 1 : Printable artwork only
   • Page 2 : Artwork of image to be Embossed

Example

Page1 : Printable artwork only

Example

Page 2 : Artwork of image to be Embossed

Part C: Example of Artwork Limitation

1. Embossing not allow to pass through creasing line
   Example:

   

   Embossing artwork on Booklet cover (Saddle Stitching)

   

   Embossing artwork on Booklet cover (Perfect Binding – Soft Cover)

   

   Embossing artwork on Booklet cover (Perfect Binding – Soft Cover)

   • Further Explanation for not allow Emboss pass through creasing line
     • For creasing away from Embossing, no tendency of cracking will occur on the paper material.
     • For creasing press against Embossing, paper material may cracked
2. Embossing line limitation
   • Gap between Embossing lines cannot be less than 2mm.
   • Embossing is applied, at least 3 mm from the creasing line.

   Example:

   

Hot Stamping / Spot UV Artwork Specification

Step 1: Prepare 3 Files

1. File 1: Sample File (Only applicable for hot stamping)
2. File 2: CMYK print ready file
3. File 3: Hot Stamping / Spot UV file

File 1: Sample File (Only applicable for Hot Stamping)

• This is the file containing the FULL Artwork and the Hot Stamping area or shape fill with process colour K100.
• Save in PDF format with the file name : Sample.pdf

Hot Stamping & Sport UV on the SAME Product

If you wish to do Hot Stamping and Spot UV effect on the same product, you need to prepare total of 4 different output files to us:

• File 1 : Sample File (Applicable for Hot Stamping only)
• File 2: CMYK Print Ready File
• File 3 : Spot UV File
• File 4: Hot Stamping File

*Please take note that the Hot Stamping and Spot UV effect cannot overlap each other on the same product.

File 2: CMYK Print Ready File

• This is the file containing the image WITHOUT Hot Stamping / Spot UV area.
• This artwork will be printed using process colour.
• Do not delete the crop area box, change the stroke colour to transparent.
• Use the crop box to create a mark and delete artwork guide.
• You can create crop mark by:
  1. Select effect > Crop Marks
  2. Select Object > Create Trim Marks
• Save in PDF format with the file name: Printing.pdf
  

File 3: Hot Stamping / Spot UV file

• The file which only contain the HOT STAMPING / SPOT UV AREA or SHAPE
• Only the image you want for Hot Stamping or Spot UV are duplicated in this file.
• Fill the image you want to Hot Stamping or Spot UV with BLACK COLOR.
• You can simply copy and paste the artwork and recolor it in C0 M0 Y0 K100 (black color) via:
  1. Adobe Illustrator : Fill Tool
  2. Adobe Photo-shop: Fill Tool / Layer > Layer Style > Color Overlay Option
• For Hot Stamping effect, please do not fill with the color you desire to apply for the hot stamping area. Type the color you want to apply for Hot Stamping below your artwork.
• For Hot Stamping / Spot UV display image, the background should leave blank and only the SPOT area is BLACK. Please use crop marks to indicate the print area.
• In the end product, these images which are colored in BLACK color in the artwork will have Hot Stamping or Spot UV effect applied on top of them.
• Do not delete the Bleed Area Box, but change the color to transparent. Their positions in relation to the bounding box are the same. This is extremely important as a different relative position will result in the Hot Stamping / Spot UV effect being applied somewhere else.
• Save in PDF format with file name: Hot Stamping.pdf / Spot UV.pdf

IMPORTANT

1. Minimum line thickness and font size is 0.5pt.
2. The edge of an image / area to be hot stamped must be 5mm inside of the TRIM size.
3. Image / area to be hot stamped must be in Vector Format, solid color and without any tint / gradient fill.
4. Image / area to be hot stamped cannot apply Spot UV effect.
5. Image / area to apply spot UV cannot apply hot stamping effect.
6. If the artwork has the same front and back design, please indicate clearly which side to be Hot Stamping / Spot UV

Step 2: Combine the files

• Zip All pdf file together OR Combine all files and save into 1 PDF file. (3 pages for Hot Stamping / 2 pages for Spot UV / 4 pages for Hot Stamping and Spot UV )

Final Product

Hot Stamping: Visual for Gold Stamping effect. This is how the printed product looks like.

Spot UV: This is how the printed product looks

The hot stamping price only for

1 side Hot Stamping and within 86x50mm.

The Double Charge will be applied if :

• The hot stamping size is larger than/outside the 86x50mm.
• The business card has a frame border design which needs to do a hot stamping effect.

Example:

The white area is the area you can modify. The blackened area is not allowed to have a hot stamping area.

Common Pending Job Problems

The list below are the most common problems with pending artwork. To avoid unnecessary delay in production of your order Please ensure your artwork is void of these common mistakes before uploading your file to Blue Printing