Help Page for Submitting your artwork - graphic - logo |
E-mail offers a fast and easy way to send artwork and graphic files.
However, there are some guidelines you must follow: |
The basics:
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Send the artwork as a graphic file and as an attachment, not as a graphic file in
the body of the message. And, not as a picture in an attached PDF or document file
such as MS-Word.
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We can open and use the more common bit map graphic file types such as: BMP, TIFF, PCX, GIF and
JPEG (JPG) files. Please do not send your files in any other format. We can not open vector format files.
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Do not send the graphics file in a compressed or ZIP file format.
Compressed files tend to be difficult
to work with. Many mail servers have a 5 mb limit on the file size you can send. If you have more than one graphics file
and they add up to more than 5 mb, just send each one with a seperate e-mail.
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All graphic files need to be in black & white with no gray or halftones.
Now that can get a little confusing if you are not familiar with graphic file formats. Just because a picture
is in black & white does not mean the file format is black & white. A black & white picture can be in a color
format (RGB color, CMYK color or Palette color). This often results in a file to large to send by e-mail. A 300
ppi 5" x 5" B&W picture in RBG color format would be around 6.4 mb in size. That exact same picture in
Grayscale (black & white) format would be about 2.1 mb in size. Most graphics programs can easily convert
your files from color to grayscale. Grayscale will give us a better picture than the line art format.
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300 ppi is the minimum useable file resolution, with 600 ppi being preferable.
In the printing industry this is expressed as dots of ink per inch
(DPI). With digital files it is expressed as pixels per inch (PPI). To prevent jagged edges on copy and your
picture, the graphics file should be created or scanned at 1200 ppi or higher. This often will result in a huge
file size, but that is okay. As long as the file is created at a high enough resolution to prevent jagged edges,
it can be converted to 300 ppi to 600 ppi to reduce the file size for e-mailing and still keep the edges smooth.
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If you are using a MAC you will need to send your graphics in a format a PC can read.
BMP (.bmp file extension)
or TIFF (.tif file extention) are cross platform formats that can be read by both PC's and MAC's. GIF (.gif file
extension) and JPEG (.jpg file extension) files are Internet standard formats that can also be read by both
Mac's and PC's. This only applies to files send by e-mail attachment. A PC can not open Diskettes or CD's
formatted for a MAC.
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Challenges:
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GIF files -
All gif files are at 75 ppi resolution which is too coarse to allow a good imprint. The work around for
this is to send the file 4 to 8 times larger than the actual imprint will be. We can convert the large file at 75 ppi
to a smaller file 1/4 the size at 300 ppi without any loss of quality.
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Getting rid of jagged edges -
Just as enlarging a picture on a copier will magnify the defects in the original and
reducing on a copier will reduce the defects, the same principal applies to graphic files. If you take a low
resolution file (75 ppi) and attempt to convert (enlarge) it to a 300 ppi resolution file the jagged edges will be
magnified. But if you create/scan a file at 1200 ppi or better then convert (reduce) it to 300 ppi the jagged
edges will be smoothed out.
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Selecting your fonts for text copy -
We have all of the standard Windows2000 fonts available, just tell us
which one you would like to use. If you would like a font that is not available in Windows2000 there are two
options:
- You can print out your text copy, in the size and layout you would like it to be, and have it scannered
into a graphics file. Or, just create the text copy with a graphic program. Then send us the file by e-mail
attachment, the same as any other graphic file.
- As long as the font is a True Type File (.ttf file extension) you could send us the actual font file by e-mail
attachment. We could then typeset your text copy for you.
Special Note: On some products, such as match book standard designs, you are limited to the fonts offered
on that order page. We can use other fonts by setting the copy up as a graphics file. This would then
require a logo or artwork charge.
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If you are not really into scanning, creating and converting graphics you could take
your picture to a local graphics service company, or local printing shop.
Just print out this page and ask
them to scan your picture into one of the formats discribed here. They should not charge more
than $10 - $15 to put your picture/logo on a diskette. You could then e-mail us the file as an attachment.
Or you could snail mail the diskette to us at.
Armsco Company
6407 W. Mescal Street
Glendale, AZ 85304
Be sure the diskette or CD is PC formatted, we can not open a MAC
formatted diskette. |
When we receive your artwork we will put a proof on-line, for your approval before we print. |
We will e-mail you the address (URL) for your proof within 48 hours of receiving your artwork. Occassionally
we are unable to send the e-mail notification because of a bad e-mail address entered on the order form. If
you do not receive a proof notification within 48 hours,
please e-mail us here. |
IMPORTANT NOTICE: |
We have been serving the Internet market since way back when the net first allowed commercial use. As a
result our primary e-mail address is on every spam list in the world. We were getting over 1,000 spams a
day. To combat this we have created a special e-mail address for our customers that is not listed
anywhere on our web site. All e-mail communications are through a form-to-mail script that does not allow
spamer's spiders to find the new e-mail address. This has worked out well, except you can not send an
attachment with the form-to-mail script.
The work around for this is to send any message to our old e-mail
address by clicking here. You will get an automatic reply
with our private customer service e-mail address to which you can attach your files.
We are sorry for the
inconvenience, but over 1,000 spams a day were degrading our customer serve capabilities.
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