Artwork Guidelines

Resolution
Images to be 300dpi CMYK and saved at no less than 20% of final reproduction size. Please do not pull images or logos from websites as they will be saved at screen resolution (72dpi). Low resolution logos that have to be re-created will incur an additional charge for artwork time at £40 per hour.

Colours

When supplying files for output, please state any pantone references where possible if needed for us to match as closely as possible. MC Signs UK Ltd cannot be held responsible for any mis-match of colours where references have not been supplied. All files supplied should be in CMYK format. Reproduction of RGB formats through a CMYK process may result in unexpected colour issues. We encourage clients to supply hi-resolution proofs where possible or samples.

Please note: specified colours may also differ very slightly between processes and materials.

Formats
We accept many file formats, please follow these guidelines as close as possible to minimise any artwork time on your behalf.

Jpeg / Photoshop EPS / TIFF
Please ensure resolution guidelines above are followed

Adobe Illustrator EPS / AI
Please supply any placed images and fonts, alternatively you can embed the images (via the sub menu in the links pallet) and outline any text within the document.

PDF
When supplying a pdf for final reproduction, please ensure it is saved in CMYK format without any image compression, as any down sampled images within the document will re-produce at a lower quality. Outline fonts if possible and make sure fonts are embedded when creating the pdf.

Corel Draw / Freehand
Please export any files as .eps format, also ensure text is outlined

Vector – Illustrator EPS / AI / Freehand / Corel Draw
Vector format is the preferred format for the supply of logos as files can be reproduced at any size without distortion of quality. Any artwork to be cut in vinyl will also need to be supplied in vector format. Please ensure type is outlined and any colours are specified where applicable.

Unacceptable Formats
We cannot work with any of the following formats
Gif, Microsoft Publisher, Word, Excel & Powerpoint

Backsaving
Please do not backsave any files to previous software releases as it can sometimes disable any effects which are not available in current software versions. MC Signs UK Ltd run the latest versions of many software packages including Adobe CS5

Delivery of Files

Files under 10mb can be emailed directly to our studio at artwork@mcsigns.co.uk

There are many free online facilities for uploading large files such as www.yousendit.com Alternatively, artwork is accepted on disc/pen drive, posted to our office address.

Please remember, the final quality of graphics supplied by MC Signs UK Ltd depends entirely on the information and quality supplied by the client. We have an artwork team to help meet your requirements if needed. By following these guidelines we can offer a quicker, more efficient service to our clients.