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Artwork Requirement

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Artwork Requirement

Artwork Requirement

Artwork Requirement

We require VECTOR ART created in Adobe Illustrator or EPS format.
 
Important Note: A scanned image (e.g, .jpg, .gif, .bmp, .tiff, .psd, .pdf) or art created in a photo/paint/word program is not vector art.
 
In addition, simply embedding or copying your image into a drawing program, such as Adobe Illustrator, will not convert the image into Vector art format and will not be acceptable to produce a high-quality imprint.
 
Convert all fonts to paths, curves, or outlines.
 
Following Formats are acceptable with a minimal $25 + clean up charge:
 
Bitmap Image (*.bmp)
GIF Image (*.gif)
JPEG Image (*.jpg,*.jpeg)
PCX Image Document (*.pcx)
Text File (*.txt)
Adobe Photoshop Image (*.psd)
Word Document (*doc)
Excel File (*.exl)
 
ALL GRAPHICS MUST BE VECTOR ART
 
All multi-color artwork must be designed with PMS spot colors. CMYK file only acceptable with a process print.
 
For multi-color printing, colors must be separated by at least 1/16" of white space between colors to allow for color movement of up to 1/16" in any direction. Not available on certain items.
 
All type must be saved as outlines
Minimum Type Size: 6pt
LL Type must be saved as outlines
Minimum Rule Line Weight: .75pt
Minimum Screen Dot: 7%
HALFTONES/SCREENS: 50 lines, round dots only and allow for 25% dot gain.
 
Placed/Imported Images and Halftones
 
Due to the nature of the printing process, you will not get the best imprint with scanned images (jpg, gif, bmp, tif, psd), even if they are high res. If you are including images, please be sure to provide tif or eps files in high res black and white.
 
Please note that simply embedding or copying your image into a drawing program, such as Adobe Illustrator, will not convert the image into Vector art format and will not be acceptable to produce a high quality imprint.

In-line Ink Printing

In-Line Ink Printing All In-line Plastic Bags
(1-10 Spot Colors) (5000 Bags or more)
 
We will accept art ONLY in PC-compatible formats, created or drawn in these programs.
 
Please, NO placed or embedded images. Convert all fonts to paths, curves, or outlines We prefer VECTOR ART created in Adobe Illustrator or EPS format.
 
Adobe Illustrator Artwork (*.ai) (recommended) Adobe Acrobat Document (*.pdf) (recommended) Adobe Illustrator Artwork (*.EPS) (recommended)
 
Important Note: A scanned image (e.g, .jpg, .gif, .bmp, .tiff, .psd, .pdf) or art created in a photo/paint/word program is not vector art. In addition, placing, linking, embedding, or copying these images into a drawing program does not convert them into vector art and will not meet our art requirements. We can convert them to vector for you at a minimal clean-up charge.
 
Following Formats are acceptable with a minimum $25+ clean up charge:
 
Bitmap Image (*.bmp)
GIF Image (*.gif)
JPEG Image (*.jpg,*.jpeg)
PCX Image Document (*.pcx)
Text File (*.txt)
Adobe Photoshop Image (*.psd)
Word Document (*doc) Excel File (*.exl)
 
ALL GRAPHICS MUST BE VECTOR ART All multicolor artwork must be designed with PMS spot colors. No CMYK file unless it is a process print.
 
For multi-color printing, colors must be separated by at least 1/16" of white space between colors to allow for color movement of up to 1/16" in any direction. Not available on certain bags.
 
All type must be saved as outlines
Minimum Type Size: 6pt
LL Type must be saved as outlines
Minimum Rule Line Weight: .75pt
Minimum Screen Dot: 7%
HALFTONES/SCREENS: 50 lines, round dots only and allow for 25% dot gain.
 
In-line Paper Handle Bags
(1-4 Color Printed) ( 5000 Bags or more)

(Paper Grocery Bags, Paper Merchandise Bags, Gourmet Bags, Eco-Shipper, Dura-Bag)
 
Formats Aplasticbag.com can accept for artwork:
 
1. Camera-ready mechanical or scanned (raster) digital images that do not have to be enlarged more than 150%.
2. .004 right reading emulsion up negatives (RREU). Please do not try to furnish negatives for designs with screens/halftones.
3. .112 photopolymer plates, .050 relief. Please do not try to furnish plates for designs with screens/halftones.
4. 3.5" floppy disks for Macintosh. Please furnish confirming hard copy - scaled laser or ink-jet print, etc. - with disks.
5. 100 megabyte Zip disks for Macintosh. Please furnish confirming hard copy - scaled laser or ink-jet print, etc. - with disks.
6. 44, 88 and 200 megabyte Syquest drives for Mac. Please furnish confirming hard copy - scaled laser or ink-jet print, etc. - with disks. 6. CD for Macintosh. Please furnish confirming hard copy - scaled laser or ink-jet print, etc. - with disks.
7. As email attachments to [email protected]. Please fax confirming hard copy - scaled laser or ink-jet print, etc.
8. Mac Freehand and Illustrator files are preferred. Quark is acceptable if these are not available. PC file capabilities are limited.
9. When submitting artwork on a disk, all screen fonts, printer fonts, and graphic source files must be furnished with the layout.
 
Instruction for the graphic artist
 
We see that most of the artists and designers preparing work for a shopping bag have a background in offset lithography or gravure, not flexography. If there is some flexo experience, it is in narrow web for labels, and not the wide web used for packaging. Wide web flexo is a world apart from offset litho and narrow web flexo. These Art Guidelines are designed to function as a very basic "how to" primer for designers and artists working on new flexographically printed shopping bag projects. The Guidelines should help to get the art done correctly the first time, minimizing the prep time and costs to get shopping bag art ready to run. Please do not hesitate to call or write Aplasticbag.com if there are any questions before starting a new shopping bag design.
 
In line flexographic printing
 
Flexographic printing is a relief printing process that uses photopolymer plates .112 thick. In many respects, flexo is like printing with big rubber stamps. At Aplasticbag.com, printing is done in line with bag making. Rolls of paper are unwound into the bag machine, printed up to three colors, handles applied, side folds formed and seam glued, bottom folded & glued, and then individual bags are cut away from the web and packaged for shipment. The ability to reproduce fine lines, screens and halftones is limited compared to litho, gravure and narrow web flexo.
 
Ink color matching and proofing
 
We can custom match submitted materials, or use PMS color specifications. When using PMS, please specify colors from the Uncoated "U" section of the book or Coated "C" section of the book as appropriate. If we are reproducing a PMS color on uncoated paper that has been reproduced on coated paper previously, we suggest the end user and/or artist specify a PMSU shade that best matches the coated paper version when submitting the art and order. Aplasticbag.com prints on Natural Kraft, White Kraft, Oatmeal and Claycoated papers. All inks are water based.
We send ink drawdowns for PMS colors on White Kraft and Claycoated only when requested on P.O., or when there are traps and/or overprints that in our judgment should be approved prior to production. Note that due to our production process, there is no trapping or overprinting on Claycoated paper. We send ink drawdowns for PMSU matches on Natural Kraft and Oatmeal, as well as for all custom matches to colors other than PMSU numbers. Approval is required before bags can be produced.
 
Design templates and logo positioning, bag proofing
 
Unless the design is no more than a spot imprint, the designer should have a template before starting artwork. A tool enabling artists to quickly construct their own templates appears on the back side of this sheet. Templates can also be requested from Tulsa Customer Service, or found as downloadable, executable files in Freehand and Illustrator at this site. See link below, or in Site Directory at left, but please finish reading these Art Guidelines first. Orders for spot imprints not on a template must include logo positioning instructions on the P.O., e.g., center left to right, 3" up from bottom. All bags must be proofed, usually as folded bluelines. Color keys may be furnished when tight register and complicated trapping is involved. Bag proofs must be approved before bags can be produced.
 
Line width
 
Minimum positive printing line width is two (2) point. The minimum reverse printing line width is (3) point.
 
Type size
 
Minimum positive printing type size is ten (10) point. The minimum reverse printing type size is twelve (12) point bold. These guidelines are subject to review with serif type faces, and with designs including heavy areas of broad solid along with small type in the same color. In these circumstances the type may need to be larger and/or bolder.
 
Register tolerance and trap
 
Wherever two colors meet, a 4.5 point trap - 1/16" - is required to trap the colors. Where two colors are adjacent and the designer does not want them to touch, there should be a minimum of 4.5 points of space between the two colors. As a general rule this register tolerance precludes the use of two overprinting colors to create a third color, whether with solids or screens; and when attempted would need a third color such as black to outline the shape. Note that due to our production process, there is no trapping or overprinting on Claycoated paper
 
Screens and halftones
 
The line screen rulings used at Aplasticbag.com are 50 line and 45 line. Maximum Photoshop resolution needed is 125 - save space. Due to the differences between how wide web flexo and offset litho reproduce screens and halftones, we request the opportunity to review the design elements to provide specific production art direction as early in the planning process as possible. Halftones must have strong contrast, as must steps between manually selected screen values of the same color. Subtle tone variations will not reproduce.

Paper Grocery Bags, Paper Merchandise Bags, Gourmet Bags, Eco-Shipper, Dura-Bag
Artwork Specifications
 
 All artwork, including changes and conversions, are charged at cost. Artwork submitted is preferred in Adobe Illustrator programs (digital ready). Finished artwork requires a master file. Please supply all support files and fonts used, along with a black & white hard copy. Camera-ready art (point & shoot hard copy) may have rough edges and may require extra charges for clean-up. Please do not fold artwork. Scanned images will have to be redrawn by an outside graphic house. Unclean art will require extra clean-up charges. Please note: PDF files are not readily altered.
 
If art is on disk, you MUST provide a completely black & white or colored printout of the exact copy. If there is more than one color copy, color separations will be required. One black & white copy per color (no composites). We will supply contact information for outside graphic houses for artwork questions. Proofs submitted for customer approval. Any art deviations will cause delays in quoting and order processing.
 
Negative Specifications
 
(1) Emulsion side UP (matte finish)
(2) Right Reading
(3) 7 mil thickness
(4) Centerlines scripted into negatives (on the outside of the flashing, 1/4")
(5) Distortion to size to allow for offset print of the cylinder.
(6) Negatives cannot be used if they are creased. Send in an unbendable package.
 
In-line Printing for Paper Coffee Bags, Popcorn Bags, Bread Bags
 
Software:
If your software package is not listed, please call us before sending the file.
 
• Adobe Illustrator 10.0
• Adobe Pagemaker 6.5
• Adobe Photoshop 7.0
• Corel Draw 10.0
• Freehand 10.0 (Mac only)
• QuarkXPress 6.0 Earlier versions are also usually acceptable.
 
Media:
We can accept your files if they are saved on these formats:
 
• CD Rom
• Floppy disk: Mac or PC
• Zip Disk 100MB or 250MB
 
Fonts & Graphics Required:
 
Include all screen and printer fonts (Suitcase and Postscript fonts) or convert type to outlines. Include all placed files, e.g. EPS files and their originals, TIFFs, PICTs, and Photoshop documents. Scanned images of 4 color process printing must be at a resolution of 300 dpi. Scanned line art must be at 1200 dpi. Use POSTSCRIPT fonts whenever possible.
 
Camera-Ready Art:
 
Send only when electronic art is not available.
• Mechanicals with crops-to-size.
 
E-Mail / Modem:
 
Prior to sending us artwork via e-mail, contact our Customer Service Department and notify us what files you will be sending. Our Customer Service Department will then initiate the paperwork necessary for our Art Department. Please specify in your e-mail whether you are using Mac or PC files. The files must be sent to us compressed by WinZip Compression on PC and Stuffit on Mac. Also, please make sure the files are self- extracting. E-mail: [email protected]
 
Templates:
 
Templates are available upon request from the Art Department and recommended to insure proper layout and to avoid costly re-works. They are available electronically in Illustrator and/or in die vinyl format.
 
Laser Separations:
 
If you know that the job is going to be Pantone or spot colors, make sure there are no other colors in your file other than the colors that you are using. Always supply us with b/w laser separations when submitting art. This will insure that the file is prepared properly and will avoid costly re-works. Remember: If you are unable to print laser separations, we will encounter the same problems.
 
Levels of printing:
 
Zenith offers a wide variety of printing due to our vast product line. The levels of printing that we offer are primarily broken down by product line. Separate sheets of specifications are available for the 4 levels of printing.
 
Level A: High-end small multi-wall square-bottom bags for coffee, cookies, mixes, pet food, etc.
 
Level B: Large multi-wall square-bottom bags for tortilla chips, fertilizer, etc.
 
Level C: All single-wall square-bottom bags and all pinch-bottom bags for sandwiches and bread.
 
Level D: All sheets for sandwich wrap and basket liners.
 
Trapping, Distortion, Screens:
 
Since we will output the negatives, we will trap the file, set the screens and compensations for dot gains, and distort the file to compensate for "plate gain" or stretch. We do not recommend that you supply negatives. If you are, please contact our Art Department for specifications.

Post Ink Printing

Full Color Process Printing

Full Color Art Specifications
 
For process printing, Raster type files (such as Photoshop) are preferred. The file must be 300 dpi resolution or higher and must be color separated.
 
Computer monitors use RGB (Red Green Blue), so type of color is not an issue. Our printing methods use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black), also known as Four Color Process printing (or simply Four Color). In the CMYK method of printing, the 4 base ink colors create the design using varying sizes and densities of dots.
 
Unlike spot color logos in which the color tones are premixed, this method is actually creating the colors as the machine prints your logo, resulting in a series of dots rather than solid colors

Digital Printing

For process printing, Raster type files (such as Photoshop) are preferred. The file must be 300 dpi resolution or higher and must be color separated.

Hot Stamped Imprinting

For best results, VECTOR ART created in Adobe Illustrator is required. Vector images are created in a drawing program and use geometrical properties such as points, lines, curves, and shapes which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics. "Vector" art implies more than a straight line. These graphics are sharper clearer, with smooth lines that cannot be attained with other formats.
 
Important Note: A scanned image (e.g, .jpg, .gif, .bmp, .tiff, .psd, .pdf) or art created in a photo/paint/word program is not vector art. In addition, simply embedding or copying your image into a drawing program, such as Adobe Illustrator, will not convert the image into Vector art format and will not be acceptable to produce a high-quality imprint. Convert all fonts to paths, curves, or outlines.
 
TWO COLOR REQUIREMENTS: Colors must be separated by at least 1/4" to allow for color movement. Some color movement will still occur. Minimum requirements for fonts are 10 pt. and 1 pt. lines.
 
HALFTONES/SCREENS: Not Available
 
Hot Stamping Restrictions
 
Our hot stamped bags are imprinted one at a time using foil. Heat is applied using a stamping plate, therefore bags will show some puckering around the copy. Two-sided stamping will show the metal plate impression through the copy. Samples are recommended before ordering to see if this slight imperfection is acceptable to you. No returns will be accepted as a result of this.

Heat Transfer 4-Color Printing

For process printing, Raster type files (such as Photoshop) are preferred. The file must be 300 dpi resolution or higher.
 
Color Vista Print Technology
Color Vista is the best options for designs requiring close registration. For Color Vista, please submit artwork in CMYK color. For best results, some minor adjustments may be required and you will be contacted for approval prior to any changes. Minimum requirements for fonts are 16 pt. and 2 pt. lines.

Upload Your Artwork

Instructions to Upload Your Artwork to our Ftp Site:
 
1. Name your file the same as your order number so we can match them and avoid delays.
2. Confirm that your artwork has one of these compatible extensions (.eps .ai .cdr).
3. Click the Browse button to find your file on your computer.
4. Click the Upload File button. You will be notified when the file has been successfully uploaded.

Templates

A template can be found on each product under the Imprint Information tab.