The artwork on your bags is much more than just a pretty picture. It's the start of a story about who you are and why you are the perfect choice for your customers. It's your calling card on the shelf and a key expression of your brand. Artwork is probably the most critical part of the custom bag printing process and a place where details really matter. Don't worry, though. Whether it's your first time through, or you're a seasoned pro, we're here to help. Our artwork templates make it easy to get your custom printed packaging project started.
Which fits you best?
You know what you like when you see it, but aren't sure how to get there. Now's not the time for a do-it-yourself approach. Working with a qualified graphic designer on your artwork is critical to a smooth, easy and fast bag printing process. We can help you find one, and give you all the resources they'll need to get setup for success..
Get help with your designThis isn't a hobby, this is what we do. You're a print designer who can push pixels in your sleep. Our pre-press team couldn't throw any design jargon at you that you couldn't handle. Come get the templates, specs and nitty-gritty guidelines you'll need to get that bag artwork right the first time.
You and your designer may have a beautiful shorthand, and he or she may be excellent at taking your bag design ideas and turning them into something amazing. Even when the creativity is flowing, successfully configuring and submitting artwork doesn’t happen by accident. You and your designer will likely have some questions along the way. Good news is, we’ve been through this a few times, and likely have answers. If not, you can always contact us or fire up a chat with one of our customer service reps.
How do I save a file as a PDF?
Generally, from whatever program you are working in, you should be able to go to ‘File’ and choose ‘Save As’. From that window you can than choose the PDF file format to save it as. For more detailed instructions, see below.
How do I save each SKU's artwork separately?
You can either Export each page from your InDesign file separately, or export your multi-page PDF from InDesign, open that file in Acrobat, and Extract each page individually from there.
If you have built each SKU on a separate artboard in Illustrator:
How do I set my artwork color profile?
Any color swatches you use should be set up in CMYK by selecting Process in the Color Type dropdown and CMYK in the Color Mode dropdown of the Swatch Options menu.
Go to File > Document Color Mode and select CMYK Color.
Go to Image > Mode and select CMYK Color.
All Spot colors need to be converted to Process before submitting any artwork files. From InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, you can convert a Spot color to Process by selecting Process in the Color Type dropdown.
How do I convert text to outlines?
If you’ve properly converted all the text in the document to outlines, there should no longer be any font information in the file. In Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, you can confirm this by going to the Type menu and selecting Find Font…
You should see a resulting window that says there are zero (0) fonts in your document. If you get a list of one or more fonts, there is un-outlined text that needs to be addressed.
INCORRECT:
This document still shows there are fonts in use.
CORRECT:
This document still shows there are NO fonts in use.
Bleed is the area outside of the trim line that will get cut off. While it ultimately gets removed, it plays a critical role in the final presentation of your product. Designing for bleed makes sure your design, whether photo, graphic, or solid color, reaches all the way to the edge of your bag when it’s trimmed, avoiding unintended white edges.
A minimum of .0625” (1/16”) of bleed is required. We require you use our templates for your artwork, as they already include the required amount of bleed.