EMBROIDERY
Q: What kind of art file will need to be provided to Embroidery Central?
Modern commercial embroidery machines are computer driven and require a file to be loaded into the machine with the instructions of what to sew . The process of taking an art file and converting it to a file the machine can use is called "setup". We digitize your artwork and customize to embroider for the optimum quality specifically for our machine.
Once the design has been digitized, we submit an embroidery proof to our customer to review and approved. This is a key step in ensuring that our customers get the logo exactly how they want it. When we are ready for production we load the the embroidery file to the embroidery machine and complete the setup process by testing the embroidery and making all adjustments to get a clean logo.
In order to get the best embroidery on a garment we need to start with the best art. The art provided must be high quality, ideally in a vector (non-raster) format. This allows us to stretch/shrink it to the size desired with out any loss of clarity. This will allow the digitizer to faithfully reproduce the art.
Electronic Art
Embroidery Central accepts artwork created in most professional graphic applications on either the PC or Macintosh platforms. For Logos, vector art created in Adobe Illustrator (.ai, CS3 version) is preferred.
Customers will be contacted with an email address to send art to. Include all image files and any fonts used. Camera-ready-art have a resolution is at least 300 pixels per inch at actual imprint size.
If artwork supplied requires typesetting, changes, touch-ups, rasterization, or does not meet our requirements, we reserve the right to modify the artwork (with your permission) and charge accordingly. We will notify customer of estimated art charges prior to doing the artwork. Artwork will be sized to your specifications.
All proofs must be approved in order to avoid production delays.
Embroidery
Please note that colors seen on screens (your phone/PC, our phone/PC may differ. We usually specify thread color using the pantone measuring system (PMS#). It is suggested that the artwork provided specifies the color in PMS#s. If color tone is critical it is suggested the customer come to our shop to look at the thread colors we stock. As you can imagine not every PMS color is available from every thread supplier, and we certainly don't stock every color. We will work closely with you to ensure the colors are what are specified or necessary to provide you with a quality reproduction of you logo that is compatible with the colors of the apparel to be embroidered.
Another is that needs to be addressed in embroider to the ability to reproduce small details and text. We work with thread that will be embroidered on apparel that is made with thread. Point being made is that we are not able to reproduce all the detail that can be seen on a computer screen with tiny little pixels. Small text (less than 1/4") becomes less clear and satisfactory results may be impossible to obtain in regards to exact reproduction of art file provided. We will work closely with our customers to discuss and present alternatives that will provide a great embroidery that will ultimately meet your desire to promote your logo. Consider that at ten feet can you really read small text on polo shirt?
SCREEN PRINTING
Q: What kind of art file do we need?
A: Depends on type of printing but, universally, the answer is: art files created in Adobe Illustrator version CS 3 (AI CS 3) or lower or CorelDraw version 12 (CD 12) or lower ("Vector Art"), because:
1.) Most screen printing is produced using spot color separations. The graphic software programs Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw add-ons perform these spot color separation tasks. These are the software programs we most commonly use in day-to-day color separations.
2.) Art generated in these programs are true "Vector" art files. They will not pixelate should the file size need to be increased for printing on a shirt. Vector art files will have clean and clear detail, gradients (half tones), lines, curves, etc, when viewed in these programs. And, they will register and print clean and clear.
NOTE: GOOD ART + GOOD COLORS + GOOD APPAREL(substrate) + GOOD PRINT TECHNIQUES (i.e.; equipment/supplies/experience) = GOOD PRINTED PRODUCTS
For SPOT COLOR printing: AI CS 3 or lower or CD 12 or lower. Art files created in these formats will normally have an .eps, .ai, or .cdr extension. The fonts/text should be converted to outlines (.ai) or curves (.cdr), or the font file(s) sent. A hard copy (.pdf, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff, etc.), should also be sent with the vector art file.
NOTE: Bitmap files (.jpeg, gif, tiff, etc.) embedded in an .ai or .cdr file and then saved do not convert to vector and are not True Vector art.
For SIMULATED PROCESS printing: AI CS 3 or lower, CD 12 or lower, OR a High Resolution bitmap file (300 dpi (dots per inch) at print size). Preferrably .tif or .jpg files saved in RGB (red, green, blue) colors.
For 4-Color (CMYK) Process/Full Color printing: AI CS 3 or lower, CD 12 or lower, OR a High Resolution bitmap file (300 dpi) at print size. Preferrably .tif or .jpg files saved in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, & black) colors.
Q: How many colors can you print?
Depends on type of printing and the art to print, we have up to six print stations to use.
SPOT COLOR printing: WHITE tees: up to 6 colors; COLORED tees: up to 6 colors w/1 color being white.
SIMULATED PROCESS printing: up to 6 colors and using the 6 colors to "simulate" other colors in the art to achieve photorealistic prints with a finite set of colors. Recommended for printing on colored tees including white tees.
4-COLOR PROCESS printing: using 4 process inks (cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K)) and up to 2 spot color inks in some cases to achieve photorealistic prints with infinite colors and shades (e.g.; flower gardens, landscapes, etc.). Recommended for printing on white, 100% cotton, 6.1 oz type apparel.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RASTER IMAGE ART (e.g.; .jpeg, .psd, .tiff) AND VECTOR IMAGE ART (e.g.; .ai, .cdr)?
All electronic art images are divided into one of two core types: RASTER images (also known as 'bitmaps') and VECTOR images. In a nutshell, raster images are composed of connected dots and vectors are images composed of connected lines. Raster images are pixel oriented while vector images are object-oriented. These two formats are quite different from one another, yet they contrast and complement one another when used appropriately for the desired final output method.
A RASTER image is a collection of dots called pixels. Each pixel is a tiny colored square. When an image is scanned, the image is converted to a collection of pixels called a raster image. Scanned graphics and web graphics (.jpeg and .gif) are the most common forms of raster images. Web graphics, including .jpeg .gif files, are always low-resolution raster images. For this reason, web graphics are always a poor choice for imprinting and editing. Production-ready clip art is an essential tool for creating high quality imprints.
Common raster image formats include: BMP (Windows Bitmap), PCX (Paintbrush), TIFF(Tag Interleave Format), JPEG (Joint Photographics Expert Group), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) , PNG (Portable Network Graphic), PSD (Adobe PhotoShop) and CPT(Corel PhotoPAINT).
The resolution of a raster image or scanned image is expressed in terms of the dots per inch or dpi. The output quality of a printing device is dependent upon the resolution (dpi) of a bitmap or scan. Take a 300 dpi bitmap and increase the size in a graphics program, and presto - you have created a bad case of pixelation or jaggered edges. The only thing that happened is that the tiny pixel squares got bigger and created jaggered edges on the image. Decrease the size of the image and the these squares get smaller. The image retains its original edge definition without producing these jaggered edges. In other words, raster images do not scale up very well. The quality of an imprint produced from a raster image is dependant upon the resolution dpi of the raster image, the capabilities of the printing technology and whether or not the image has been scaled up.
A VECTOR image is a collection of connected lines and curves that produce objects. When creating a vector image in a vector illustration program, node or drawing points are inserted and lines and curves connect notes together. This is the same principle as "connect the dots". Each node, line and curve is defined in the drawing by the graphics software by a mathematical description. Every aspect of a vector object is defined by math included node position, node location, line length and on down the line. Text objects are created by connecting nodes, lines and curves. Every letter in a font starts out as a vector object.
Vector images are object-oriented, so a vector object will have a "wireframe" underneath the color(s) in the object. In a vector object, colors are like clothes over the top of a skeleton. CorelDRAW and Illustrator create text and objects using vectors that can be easily manipulated.
Common vector formats include: EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), WMF (Windows Metafile),AI (Adobe Illustrator), CDR (CorelDraw), DXF (AutoCAD), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and PLT (Hewlett Packard Graphics Language Plot File). One must know each of the above software to work/revise the art. We use Adobe Illustrator version CS 3 for AI, EPS, and WMF files, and CorelDraw version 12 for CDR, EPS, and WMF files.
Vector images are defined by math, not pixels. They can be scaled up or down without any loss of quality. When an illustration (drawing) program sizes a vector image up or down, it simply multiplies the mathematical description of the object by a scaling factor. For example a 1" square object would need to be multiplied by a factor of 2 in order to double in size. The math is simply recalculated to produce an object twice the size of the original. Because vector images scale up or down without the loss of image quality, they can be output at any resolution that a printer is capable of producing. Unlike raster images, quality is not limited by dots per inch or scanning resolution. This is a big reason that vector graphics are so popular for clip art.
For More Information on Raster and Vector images, we suggest GOOGLE.
Formula for Great Looking Printed Apparel (in order of importance):
True VECTOR art + Correct Art Separation of Colors + Correct Printing Method/Techniques + Good Quality Inks + Good Ink Color/Tonal Choices + Correct Type of Apparel = GREAT LOOKING PRINTED APPAREL. All of these have an effect on outcome.
Q: What kind of art file will need to be provided to Embroidery Central?
Modern commercial embroidery machines are computer driven and require a file to be loaded into the machine with the instructions of what to sew . The process of taking an art file and converting it to a file the machine can use is called "setup". We digitize your artwork and customize to embroider for the optimum quality specifically for our machine.
Once the design has been digitized, we submit an embroidery proof to our customer to review and approved. This is a key step in ensuring that our customers get the logo exactly how they want it. When we are ready for production we load the the embroidery file to the embroidery machine and complete the setup process by testing the embroidery and making all adjustments to get a clean logo.
In order to get the best embroidery on a garment we need to start with the best art. The art provided must be high quality, ideally in a vector (non-raster) format. This allows us to stretch/shrink it to the size desired with out any loss of clarity. This will allow the digitizer to faithfully reproduce the art.
Electronic Art
Embroidery Central accepts artwork created in most professional graphic applications on either the PC or Macintosh platforms. For Logos, vector art created in Adobe Illustrator (.ai, CS3 version) is preferred.
Customers will be contacted with an email address to send art to. Include all image files and any fonts used. Camera-ready-art have a resolution is at least 300 pixels per inch at actual imprint size.
If artwork supplied requires typesetting, changes, touch-ups, rasterization, or does not meet our requirements, we reserve the right to modify the artwork (with your permission) and charge accordingly. We will notify customer of estimated art charges prior to doing the artwork. Artwork will be sized to your specifications.
All proofs must be approved in order to avoid production delays.
Embroidery
Please note that colors seen on screens (your phone/PC, our phone/PC may differ. We usually specify thread color using the pantone measuring system (PMS#). It is suggested that the artwork provided specifies the color in PMS#s. If color tone is critical it is suggested the customer come to our shop to look at the thread colors we stock. As you can imagine not every PMS color is available from every thread supplier, and we certainly don't stock every color. We will work closely with you to ensure the colors are what are specified or necessary to provide you with a quality reproduction of you logo that is compatible with the colors of the apparel to be embroidered.
Another is that needs to be addressed in embroider to the ability to reproduce small details and text. We work with thread that will be embroidered on apparel that is made with thread. Point being made is that we are not able to reproduce all the detail that can be seen on a computer screen with tiny little pixels. Small text (less than 1/4") becomes less clear and satisfactory results may be impossible to obtain in regards to exact reproduction of art file provided. We will work closely with our customers to discuss and present alternatives that will provide a great embroidery that will ultimately meet your desire to promote your logo. Consider that at ten feet can you really read small text on polo shirt?
SCREEN PRINTING
Q: What kind of art file do we need?
A: Depends on type of printing but, universally, the answer is: art files created in Adobe Illustrator version CS 3 (AI CS 3) or lower or CorelDraw version 12 (CD 12) or lower ("Vector Art"), because:
1.) Most screen printing is produced using spot color separations. The graphic software programs Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw add-ons perform these spot color separation tasks. These are the software programs we most commonly use in day-to-day color separations.
2.) Art generated in these programs are true "Vector" art files. They will not pixelate should the file size need to be increased for printing on a shirt. Vector art files will have clean and clear detail, gradients (half tones), lines, curves, etc, when viewed in these programs. And, they will register and print clean and clear.
NOTE: GOOD ART + GOOD COLORS + GOOD APPAREL(substrate) + GOOD PRINT TECHNIQUES (i.e.; equipment/supplies/experience) = GOOD PRINTED PRODUCTS
For SPOT COLOR printing: AI CS 3 or lower or CD 12 or lower. Art files created in these formats will normally have an .eps, .ai, or .cdr extension. The fonts/text should be converted to outlines (.ai) or curves (.cdr), or the font file(s) sent. A hard copy (.pdf, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff, etc.), should also be sent with the vector art file.
NOTE: Bitmap files (.jpeg, gif, tiff, etc.) embedded in an .ai or .cdr file and then saved do not convert to vector and are not True Vector art.
For SIMULATED PROCESS printing: AI CS 3 or lower, CD 12 or lower, OR a High Resolution bitmap file (300 dpi (dots per inch) at print size). Preferrably .tif or .jpg files saved in RGB (red, green, blue) colors.
For 4-Color (CMYK) Process/Full Color printing: AI CS 3 or lower, CD 12 or lower, OR a High Resolution bitmap file (300 dpi) at print size. Preferrably .tif or .jpg files saved in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, & black) colors.
Q: How many colors can you print?
Depends on type of printing and the art to print, we have up to six print stations to use.
SPOT COLOR printing: WHITE tees: up to 6 colors; COLORED tees: up to 6 colors w/1 color being white.
SIMULATED PROCESS printing: up to 6 colors and using the 6 colors to "simulate" other colors in the art to achieve photorealistic prints with a finite set of colors. Recommended for printing on colored tees including white tees.
4-COLOR PROCESS printing: using 4 process inks (cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K)) and up to 2 spot color inks in some cases to achieve photorealistic prints with infinite colors and shades (e.g.; flower gardens, landscapes, etc.). Recommended for printing on white, 100% cotton, 6.1 oz type apparel.
Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RASTER IMAGE ART (e.g.; .jpeg, .psd, .tiff) AND VECTOR IMAGE ART (e.g.; .ai, .cdr)?
All electronic art images are divided into one of two core types: RASTER images (also known as 'bitmaps') and VECTOR images. In a nutshell, raster images are composed of connected dots and vectors are images composed of connected lines. Raster images are pixel oriented while vector images are object-oriented. These two formats are quite different from one another, yet they contrast and complement one another when used appropriately for the desired final output method.
A RASTER image is a collection of dots called pixels. Each pixel is a tiny colored square. When an image is scanned, the image is converted to a collection of pixels called a raster image. Scanned graphics and web graphics (.jpeg and .gif) are the most common forms of raster images. Web graphics, including .jpeg .gif files, are always low-resolution raster images. For this reason, web graphics are always a poor choice for imprinting and editing. Production-ready clip art is an essential tool for creating high quality imprints.
Common raster image formats include: BMP (Windows Bitmap), PCX (Paintbrush), TIFF(Tag Interleave Format), JPEG (Joint Photographics Expert Group), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) , PNG (Portable Network Graphic), PSD (Adobe PhotoShop) and CPT(Corel PhotoPAINT).
The resolution of a raster image or scanned image is expressed in terms of the dots per inch or dpi. The output quality of a printing device is dependent upon the resolution (dpi) of a bitmap or scan. Take a 300 dpi bitmap and increase the size in a graphics program, and presto - you have created a bad case of pixelation or jaggered edges. The only thing that happened is that the tiny pixel squares got bigger and created jaggered edges on the image. Decrease the size of the image and the these squares get smaller. The image retains its original edge definition without producing these jaggered edges. In other words, raster images do not scale up very well. The quality of an imprint produced from a raster image is dependant upon the resolution dpi of the raster image, the capabilities of the printing technology and whether or not the image has been scaled up.
A VECTOR image is a collection of connected lines and curves that produce objects. When creating a vector image in a vector illustration program, node or drawing points are inserted and lines and curves connect notes together. This is the same principle as "connect the dots". Each node, line and curve is defined in the drawing by the graphics software by a mathematical description. Every aspect of a vector object is defined by math included node position, node location, line length and on down the line. Text objects are created by connecting nodes, lines and curves. Every letter in a font starts out as a vector object.
Vector images are object-oriented, so a vector object will have a "wireframe" underneath the color(s) in the object. In a vector object, colors are like clothes over the top of a skeleton. CorelDRAW and Illustrator create text and objects using vectors that can be easily manipulated.
Common vector formats include: EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), WMF (Windows Metafile),AI (Adobe Illustrator), CDR (CorelDraw), DXF (AutoCAD), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and PLT (Hewlett Packard Graphics Language Plot File). One must know each of the above software to work/revise the art. We use Adobe Illustrator version CS 3 for AI, EPS, and WMF files, and CorelDraw version 12 for CDR, EPS, and WMF files.
Vector images are defined by math, not pixels. They can be scaled up or down without any loss of quality. When an illustration (drawing) program sizes a vector image up or down, it simply multiplies the mathematical description of the object by a scaling factor. For example a 1" square object would need to be multiplied by a factor of 2 in order to double in size. The math is simply recalculated to produce an object twice the size of the original. Because vector images scale up or down without the loss of image quality, they can be output at any resolution that a printer is capable of producing. Unlike raster images, quality is not limited by dots per inch or scanning resolution. This is a big reason that vector graphics are so popular for clip art.
For More Information on Raster and Vector images, we suggest GOOGLE.
Formula for Great Looking Printed Apparel (in order of importance):
True VECTOR art + Correct Art Separation of Colors + Correct Printing Method/Techniques + Good Quality Inks + Good Ink Color/Tonal Choices + Correct Type of Apparel = GREAT LOOKING PRINTED APPAREL. All of these have an effect on outcome.