Artwork Setup Guide
How can you ensure the best printing results for your key card holder design? Follow our simple guide for advice on creating high-quality, print-ready artwork! Need help with any of the steps listed below? Simply get in touch with our friendly team!
Standard artwork setup guidelines
It’s always best to use one of our free key card templates if you’re ordering one of our in-house card holder styles, as these come with the measurements already set up for you.
- All artwork (including any imported images) should be designed and saved in CMYK mode within your design software; this helps to ensure the colours you see on screen are the same colours you’ll get when your key card holders are printed.
- The resolution of your artwork should be set to 300dpi; again including any images you’ve imported.
- Don’t forget to include a bleed area which extends at least 3mm out from the outline of your key card holder design. Any images, block colours etc which are intended to be printed up to the edge of your finished key card holders should be extended into the bleed area; this prevents any gaps between the edge of the ink and the edge of the paper caused by the natural tolerances of our trimming equipment.
- You should also set up a safe zone 3mm in from the key card design outline. Keep all important text, images, icons etc. within this safe zone or they may end up getting cut off when trimming your finished card holders.
- A typical folded card holder features four ‘pages’ (outer front cover, outer back cover, inner front cover and inner back cover). For key card holders, we recommend setting up your artwork as two double-page spreads (one for the inner covers and one for the outer covers – see our templates for examples).
- When saving, make sure any fonts are either embedded or converted to outlines. This preserves your font choices, even if we don’t have your chosen fonts installed on our computers.
- Remember to include crop marks when saving your artwork.
- High-resolution PDFs are the preferred format when saving your artwork, but Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator project files are also accepted. Please note that interactive PDFs are not suitable for printing.
- Don’t forget to review and proofread your key card holder artwork before saving!
How to setup your artwork for custom shapes
- All key card holders with custom shapes will need a cutter guide. This is simply a stroke outline in your artwork file which matches the shape and dimensions you’re looking to print. Use magenta or a similarly bright colour to keep the cutter guide distinct from your artwork.
- After designing the front and back outer covers, don’t forget to flip your cutter guide horizontally when designing your inner covers.
- If you’ve chosen one of our in-house shape options, don’t worry about setting up a cutter guide – just download the corresponding template from our site and get stuck in with artwork creation!
How to set up your artwork for foiling, spot UV, scratch-off latex and/or embossing
Keep all elements to be foiled, varnished or embossed/debossed on a separate layer in your design software, and label the layer appropriately to ensure it won’t get mixed up with the rest of your artwork.
For scratch-off latex, set up the size, shape and placement of the scratch-off panels on a separate layer to the rest of your artwork; again with an appropriate name.
Any overprinting can either be added straight onto the scratch-off panels layer, or added onto another layer on top of the panels layer.
How to set up your artwork for variable data printing
Set up a spreadsheet file of all the variable data you’re looking to print.
Each column should represent one of the variable types you want to print. For example, if you’re running a scratch-off giveaway, you might have one column for ‘Prizes’ and another for ‘Verification Codes’.
The first row in your spreadsheet should be reserved for the title of each column (eg ‘Prizes’, ‘Verification Codes’ etc) and each row after the first should represent one card holder/sleeve in your print run.
Type the variable elements for each key car holder/sleeve into each row. If you’re printing variable images or graphics, save each of them as a separate image file and type in the file names of each one into your spreadsheet.
Set up a ‘base’ artwork file. This artwork file should include all the elements which will be shared by every single card holder/sleeve in your print run.
It’s a good idea to set up placeholders for each variable element in your artwork file, so our team can see where you want the items to be placed and the styling/font etc you want for each one. Place these on a separate layer (again, renamed appropriately) and label each one with the names of your variable type columns.
Collect your spreadsheet file and saved artwork file in a single folder, and send the whole folder over to us! If you’re printing variable graphics, make sure all the image files are in this folder too; avoid using subfolders if possible.
Artwork FAQs
Artwork is preferred in PDF file format, but our team can also work with InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop source files, like JPEGs and TIFFs. Microsoft file formats such as Word, Publisher and PowerPoint are also accepted. Please don’t send us an interactive PDF, as these are designed to be used for other media types and won’t be suitable for printing.
It’s best to design your artwork in the same dimensions as your product, if possible. You can download templates for the most commonly available sizes on our templates page.
Be sure to include at least 3mm of bleed in your design. (For more information on bleed and safe zones, please see the below.)
All artwork is checked by our team before going to print, and we’ll contact you if there is a problem.
A cutter guide is a stroke outline around your print artwork which matches the shape of the finished product. If you’re looking to order custom-shaped die-cut printed products, your artwork will need to include a cutter guide.
The cutter guide is sent off to our die-cutters, who then assemble a cutter block with a bespoke-shaped blade which enables us to cut your printed products to the desired shape.
When creating the cutter guide outline in your artwork file, please use a 1pt stroke in a separate spot colour to your artwork and rename the layer to ‘cutter’. Use magenta, red or green for the stroke colour, as these will be clearly visible on the final PDF.
Our team also has an ever-growing library of ready-made cutter blocks in a range of versatile shapes. To find out which shapes are available, simply get in touch!
A cutter guide is a stroke outline around your print artwork which matches the shape of the finished product. If you’re looking to order custom-shaped die-cut printed products, your artwork will need to include a cutter guide.
The cutter guide is sent off to our die-cutters, who then assemble a cutter block with a bespoke-shaped blade which enables us to cut your printed products to the desired shape.
When creating the cutter guide outline in your artwork file, please use a 1pt stroke in a separate spot colour to your artwork and rename the layer to ‘cutter’. Use magenta, red or green for the stroke colour, as these will be clearly visible on the final PDF.
Our team also has an ever-growing library of ready-made cutter blocks in a range of versatile shapes. To find out which shapes are available, simply get in touch!
Variable data printing enables you to personalise each individual product in your order, by printing data entries ‘on top’ of your artwork.
To set up a variable data print run, you’ll need to supply a ‘base’ artwork file (featuring all the design elements which will be shared across the whole print run) and a spreadsheet file listing all the variable elements you want to print.
When creating your artwork file, be sure to indicate the areas where you’d like your variable elements to be printed. It’s best to put any placeholder elements on a separate layer to the rest of your artwork, and don’t forget to rename the layer with a clear title (e.g. ‘variable print elements’) to prevent it getting confused with the rest of your design.
Your spreadsheet file can be created in programs such as Microsoft Excel or Open Office. Place each variable word, phrase, number or image/graphic filename in a separate row. (If you’re looking to print variable images/graphics, same each one as a separate file and send them to us in a folder along with your artwork and spreadsheet files.)
If you’re looking to print multiple variable elements, create columns for each element and give them relevant names (e.g. ‘Names’, ‘Addresses’, ‘Barcodes’ etc.). Each row should contain all the elements to be printed on any given product in their appropriate columns.
Need help with your variable print order? Our team is always happy to assist – simply drop us a line!
If you’re looking to add finishing extras (such as foil stamping, Spot UV varnish, embossing/debossing etc.) or variable-printed elements to your design, you’ll likely want to indicate the areas where these elements will be located in the finished print.
Copy the relevant elements onto a separate layer in your design software and give the layer a relevant name or contact us directly with your requirements.
Call 02380 878030 or email us to speak to our sales team today.
Here’s a handy checklist for ensuring your artwork is ready to print. (If you’re unsure about any of these, contact us for help!)
- Check that all spelling and grammar is correct
- Check that you’re 100% happy with the layout, style and content of your design
- Check that you’ve saved your artwork in the correct file type. High resolution (press quality) 300dpi PDFs are preferred, but our team can work with other file types if necessary
- Check that all images used in your artwork are in 300dpi resolution at actual print size
- Check that all fonts are embedded, converted to outlines or supplied as font files with your artwork
- If you’re supplying your artwork as a project file tied to a particular design software (such as Adobe Indesign or Illustrator), check that all fonts and images are included and embedded
- To prevent inaccurate colour reproduction, check that your artwork is saved in CMYK mode and all images have been converted to CMYK
- Check that you’ve included at least 3mm of bleed in your design (see Bleed Area section above for more details)
- Check that any spot colours have been set up correctly
- If you’re designing a product with multiple pages and you’re submitting your artwork as a PDF, check that the artwork is arranged in single pages rather than side-by-side page spreads
- If you’re ordering custom-shaped products, check that you’ve included a cutter guide (see above for more details)
If you’re ordering online, you’ll be prompted with a section to upload your artwork before submitting your order. Alternatively, if you’re ordering via phone or our contact form, you can email your artwork to our friendly team. Check out our Contact Page for details.
If you’re having trouble uploading or emailing your artwork due to file size limitations, our team can also accept artwork via WeTransfer or FTP. Contact us for more details.
We carry out a free artwork check on every order, and we’ll send you a free digital PDF proof for you to inspect before going to print.
Please check the proof carefully before sending us your approval, as we cannot be held responsible for any errors that occur after the proof has been approved.
Don’t worry, these lines will not appear on your final print! These lines indicate the safe zone (as explained above). Make sure no important elements of your print appear outside the safe zone (such as text or icons) to ensure they won’t be cut off during trimming.
We’ve got you covered! We offer three different design services, ranging from basic edits to a full, complete, bespoke design. Take a look at our Artwork Design Services page for more information.
Need help with preparing your design?
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