Artwork Specifications - Duplicated CD & DVD
Printing options:
On-disc Print:
- Mono titling or Black & White (text/logo print)
- Label - digital full colour print
- Inkjet print
- Microdry thermal print
Paper parts
- Digital full colour print
ProCopy Glossary of print terminology
Mono 'titling' is simply black text/logo print on a white or silver background disc (CD-R). It may include a mono logo. It is simple and inexpensive, and minimises the cost of graphic design.
Instructions: Supply a rough layout with details of the text and logo graphic (if required). Procopy will setup the artwork. The Logo should be a Black and White image saved as a hi-resolution PC readable .tif (ideally) or .jpg file (results will vary).
Labeling is done with self adhesive digitally printed stickers. Digital printing is hi-resolution and can handle complex graphics and results are impressive. Exact colour matching cannot be guaranteed. A fast, high quality and inexpensive option.
Instructions: Allow a 3mm bleed around the outer edge of the label artwork and leave the centre hole intact. The image should be saved as a hi-resolution PC readable .tif (ideally) or .jpg (results will vary). While CYMK is ideal, RGB may produce fairly good results (this cannot be guaranteed).
Inkjet printing is a direct-to-disc print process on special (usually white base but sometimes silver) disc stock. The process is relatively slow and expensive. It is best suited to text + logo rather then full graphics. The print surface is prone to wear over time compared to other options.
Instructions: As labeling (above)
MicroDry CD & DVD Thermal Printing is a premium high quality heat transfer printing process. It produces discs that are comparable in quality to an offset (manufactured) print process. Complex graphics are reproduced to an excellent standard at around 200LPI.
Instructions: Allow a 3mm bleed on the inner circle only (do NOT cut out the centre hole). The process uses RGB as a default, but CYMK can be converted. The image should be saved as a hi-resolution PC readable .tif (ideally) or .jpg (results will vary).
Artwork checklist
1. Colour
Created and saved as CMYK or RGB. There may be limitations to the reproduction quality acheived with an RGB image.
2. Resolution
Images should be a minimum of 300dpi
3. Fonts
All fonts must be supplied complete ie: Printer Font AND Screen Font
4. Images should be flatterned
5. Include all linked or embedded files
5. Provide a Hard Copy Proof
6. Ensure all images are supplied
Acceptable graphic formats are:
- PDF - in print optimised format (the preferred format)
- EPS
- TIF
- JPEG (not recommended but we accept they may be the only format available - results will vary)
- BMP (mono linework only)
We may be able to accept other formats, but they will incur a conversion charge.
Quark Xpress and Indesign both have commands to 'collect' all elements of a job and bundle them into one place ready for output or sending. These commands should be used wherever possible for sending to us.
Sending files
Files can be received electronically via email or FTP, or on CD or DVD. We no longer accept ZIP disks.
Preferred applications and file types
We prefer to receive files as a print-optimised PDF. We also accept files in other pro design formats:
- Adobe Indesign (a $30 to $50 conversion fee applies)
- Quark Xpress (a $30 to $50 conversion fee applies)
- Freehand (a $30 to $50 conversion fee applies)
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Acrobat
- Adobe Distiller
- Adobe CS3
Please consult us first before providing Corel Draw or Microsoft Publisher artwork files.
We occasionally accept documents created in word processing or domestic design programs, however the time taken to adjust these files can often be better spent in recreating the artwork in a professional graphics programme. If you are supplying Adobe Illustrator files, make sure you Create Outlines before saving down. Supply all fonts anyway and all link / embedded images.
General print specifications
- All graphics and press-ready (aka 'print optimised') PDFs must be at least 300 dpi resolution (Dpi stands for Dots Per Inch). Images supplied at lower resolution will look pixelated and will not display proper colours.
- JPEG files are generally of poor resolution and are not suitable for commercial printing.
- Computer fonts come in two parts: the Screen Font and the Printer Font. One part without the other is useless. Both parts must be supplied with the document except for single-file Truetype Fonts.
- Web based image files (typically logos) are usually saved at 72dpi. This will produce grainy & blurry printed images and should be avoided
- A 'print-ready' (aka 'press-optimised') PDF means a resolution of at least 300 dpi, CMYK colour (NOT RGB colour), with no embedded ICC colour profiles.