What Artwork Do You Need to Supply for a Sign?

"Can you send us your artwork?" is a question that stops a lot of jobs dead, because most business owners have a logo saved somewhere and no idea whether it is the right sort of file. Here is what actually matters.

Vector files, the ones we want

A vector file describes your logo as shapes and curves, so it can be scaled to the size of a building with no loss of quality. It is also what drives our cutting and routing machines. The formats are AI, EPS, PDF (vector) and SVG. If you have any of these, send them.

Pixel files, the ones with limits

JPG, PNG, GIF and most things saved from a website or a phone are made of pixels. Blow them up and they go soft and blocky. They are fine for a printed photographic panel at the right resolution, but they cannot be used to cut letters and they rarely enlarge well to fascia size.

What good print artwork looks like

For printed graphics, supply at 100 per cent of final size at 150 dpi, or at a scale like 25 per cent with the resolution multiplied to match. Use CMYK colour, include 5mm bleed, and outline or supply your fonts.

Colour matching

If your brand has specific colours, send the Pantone references. Screens lie, and a colour that looks right on your laptop can print noticeably differently. With a Pantone reference we can match paint, vinyl and print to the same standard across every item.

If you only have a logo from your website

That is very common and it is not a disaster. Ask whoever designed it for the original vector files, they will usually still have them. If nobody has them, we can redraw the logo as a clean vector so it is usable at any size, and you then own a proper master file for everything else you ever print.

What to send with a signage enquiry

• Your logo, vector if you have it
• Any brand guidelines or Pantone references
• Photographs of the shopfront or vehicle, straight on and from an angle
• Rough dimensions, even a tape measure figure helps
• Examples of signs you like

In house design

Our designers work on every job, so if your artwork is not usable we will tell you straight away and sort it rather than sending it back. Email us what you have or call 0800 454 613 and we will take it from there.