Adobe Photoshop Application Guidelines

Download the template for your desired product.

Unzip or unstuff the template file.

Open the template in Photoshop ( File > Open ).

Photoshop will ask you for Rasterize settings. Make sure that the resolution is set to 300 or more ppi (pixels per inch) and the mode is set to CMYK Color.

If your artwork has bleeds, we require a .125" bleeds on all four sides of your artwork (For example, a 4" x 6" postcard image with bleeds would have dimensions of 4.25" x 6.25" in your artwork file.) If your image has a white border on all four sides, bleeds are not required. If your image is not white on all four sides, you MUST include bleeds in your files.

If your artwork has borders, please note that our cutting machines have a variance of about .0625 or 1/16 of an inch. When using a border in your artwork, you should design with at least .25 or 1/4 of an inch of white space from your border to the cut line to help ensure a symmetrical appearance.

Show rulers ( View > Rulers ).

Click on the rulers and drag guidelines to the specified marks. This will help you line up your text/images to our template guides.

Note the instructions included in the template.

Create a new layer for your artwork ( Layer > New > Layer ).

If you are adding existing raster artwork (such as a GIF, JPG, BMP, or TIFF), open the file in Photoshop, then copy and paste it into the document in a separate layer.

If you are adding existing vector artwork (such as an AI, PDF, or EPS), open the file in Photoshop, making sure the Rasterize settings are correct (see Step 1), then copy and paste it into the document in a separate layer.

If your file was not created as a CMYK file, convert it now ( Image > Mode > CMYK color ).

Photoshop will ask you if you wish to Flatten Layers. At this point, Do Not Flatten the Layers.

After your file has been converted to CMYK color, you may want to adjust color values (such as Hue and Saturation) for some of the artwork layers. Remember that CMYK reds and blues often will not appear the same as RGB reds and blues.

If you have any layers which use black, note the difference between solid black and rich black. Solid black will print as a somewhat flat color, whereas rich black will appear darker and more glossy. Avoid using a rich black for any text below 10 pt or 14 pixels in height, as the printing process may cause the text to blur. Common color values for rich black are C:60% / M:40% / Y:20% / K:100%.

Select the Template Layer on the Layers Palette.

Click the Trash Icon on the Layers Palette or use the Menu ( Layer > Delete > Layer ).

Some templates will ask you to leave the crop marks, but delete the template. If so, select the Template Layer, then use the Marquee tool to draw a bounding box around everything you wish to remove and click Delete.

Once you have made all of the necessary adjustments, you can now flatten the layers ( Layer > Flatten Image ).

Please note that, once flattened, you cannot edit layers individually. So you'll want to save a copy of your file before flattening if you think future changes may be needed.

Save your file as one of the following .TIF, .EPS or .PSD ( File > Save As ).

Use the High or Maximum Quality setting if asked to ensure the best image quality.