This is the most important of the process for our team. We can't get started unless we know what kind of artwork we're working with!
- Print-ready files are considered ai, eps or pdf files. - We can also work with .psd or .tiff files at 300 DPI. - We can typically also work with png files with transparent background at the actual output size.
Print-ready files are not jpgs, word documents, power point slides or in some cases, low quality png files. (Or jpg files that have been saved as pdf files. These will not work for production.)
Art Fees Every print job has a standard $45 artwork fee. (What!? A fee!? Trust us, all shops either bake fees into your price or charge for screens or something else. Our only set-up cost is artwork because our designer is AWESOME and worth every penny. The reason is simple - we want your designs to be amazing, and in order to achieve the best results, we have an insanely talented designer working on your files. Our designer touches every file that comes into our shop - from organizing it within our system, prepping it for print and ensuring that production has all the design specs on hand during press time. If you provide art files as requested, rarely will you ever exceed this fee. If your job will require additional design time, you'll be notified prior to placing your order.
Also note, the artwork fee is a one-time cost. If you need reprints of the design, there is never a cost for that.
If you do not have a design and need us to create one from scratch, we can certainly do so! Depending on the complexity of your design, custom designs range from 1 - 5 hours. Also note: Our custom designs are pretty darn impressive and worth every penny. Every client we've created for has been SERIOUSLY stoked about the final product.
What if I don't have artwork yet? Have no fear, you are NOT alone. We do need you to have some kind of an idea though. Build a Pinterest board, find a font you love, show us a design you like or draw it out. Our designers can take your idea and make it come alive, but the more you provide on the front end of the process, the quicker it moves and the less additional design charges you'll incur.
Art Approval We require all art approval through our online invoices or via email. It’s extremely important that you thoroughly review your mockup before approving it. We will not be responsible for errors, misspelling, or otherwise in approved digital mockups and artwork.
Color So MANY options, right? Color is tricky. It can look different on your monitor than your smartphone than in person. It can change slightly from fabric to fabric when its printed. We have a ton of great colors on hand and will make recommendations on popular, vibrant and eye-catching colors. We'll also make recommendations for ink colors based on the color of shirt/garment you have selected. We'll do our best to match your vision with our colors and get it as accurate as possible. If you have specific PMS branding colors, we can accommodate those requests as well.
Helpful hint: If you are printing on a dark shirt and would like a white or very light colored ink, you will need a 'base' applied to your design. The base allows the color to pop more and avoids it looking dull against a dark shirt. This base also serves as another color, which is a slight cost increase. If you are on a really tight budget, consider going with a light colored shirt and dark ink, which will not require a base and keep your costs down.