Artwork is defined as the original physical materials, including photos, graphic images, text and other components needed to produce a printed piece. Can also now refer to the electronic or digital components needed for preparing a printed piece for production on a press or copier.
Clients who like to design their own publications use various media to create their product.
Graphics files can be particularly problematic. File types are identified by their extensions which are abbreviations of their names and where they originated:
- JPG – Joint Photographic Experts Group
- PNG – Portable Network Graphics
- GIF – Graphics Interchange Format
- PSD – Photoshop Document
- Tiff – Tagged Image File Format
- PDF – Portable Document Format
- AI – Adobe Illustrator Artwork
- EPS – Encapsulated PostScript
- SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics
Basically, there are two terms to keep in mind:
- Raster Graphics – for a complete definition click here
- Vector Graphics – for a complete definition click here
Another source for information about graphic files can be found at THE FILE GUIDE: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JPG, PNG, EPS, PDF, PSD, AI, GIF, TIFF By Ben Butler, APR
Some snippets from this post: “Vector files are an absolute must.”
PDF – This is the file format most often requested by print shops. The PDF reigns king as a vector file format.
Note: the PDF has to be saved from a vector program to be a true vector PDF. If you save a PDF from Photoshop (and they aren’t vector shapes), it will still get pixelated when it hits the print shop.
Understanding the difference between vector files and raster or bitmap files will help enormously in creating superior art work to be sent to the print shop.
At DuMond Printing, we will be happy to assist you in your project, no matter at what point in development. Call or come in and let us help.
We practice social distancing.
Remember, at DuMond Printing, business is personal.
214 West Commercial
Lyons, KS 67554
620-257-5138
sales@dumondprinting.com
http://www.dumondprinting.comA prior version of this post was published on February 23, 2017.
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