Design, Images and File Types

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How do you translate my ideas into a design? Do I need to provide a picture of what I want my sign to look like?
We will work with any materials you have, whether it's a professional logo, a drawing, or an image in your head. Our design team will take your ideas and turn them into a professional product while ensuring that you have final approval of all graphics before printing. 

How do I send you my designs?
Any file under 5mb can be sent via email. For files ranging from 5mb to 100mb you can use the upload tool found on every page of our website. Just click on the "Send Us A File" found on all the pages of our site or go here http://www.signsofseattle.com/send.php 

What types of files do you accept?
Ideally, we prefer images in an EPS or PDF file, actual size, with a resolution of at least 100 dpi, but we will work with any images or files you can provide.

Can I preview my lettering or sign before production? What is a "proof"?
We want you to preview your design before production! Once the order is place, our designers will create a "proof" or a digital preview of what your design will look like. Proofs are usually emailed within twenty-four hours of receiving your information and require your approval before your order is sent to print.

Do I need to look at a proof if I've already told you everything that I want?
We want to ensure that your finished product is exactly what you envision. A proof allows us to show you what to expect, lets you make any necessary changes and avoids the added cost that would be required to make alterations after we have produced quality materials.   

Do I still need to approve a proof if I bring my work in on disk?
If you provide a design file that is 100% ready to go and we aren't required to make any changes, we can send it to print straight away. The one disadvantage is that this leaves no room for final proofreading.

How does color matching work?
If you can encode a file with Pantone values, our system will match them with a high level of accuracy. We can also provide color proofs for your approval before printing. If you have any printed materials with a color that you like, such as a business card or letterhead with a logo, we can match that as closely as possible. You can also view a color chart and select a color here in our offices.

What is the difference between "printed vinyl" and "cut vinyl"?
"Printed vinyl" is printed directly onto the material, the same way that your desktop printer would print out a page. The graphics on a "cut vinyl" sign are literally cut out of colored material using our digital plotter and adhered directly to the sign. Cut vinyl is better suited towards simple graphics or text in fewer colors while printed vinyl can produce full color images. 

What is Vector art? More info on Raster verse Vector click here
Vector art is like line art. If you placed a pen onto a piece of paper and drew continuously, the lines would be vector shapes. Circles and squares are simple vector images. Our "knife" blade plotter cuts vinyl film by following the trace of the vector images.

What is a Raster image?
Raster is more of a photograph, with gradients, soft meshes, textures, etc. as opposed to spot color shapes as described above (vector art). You could not cut a Raster image out of vinyl. Raster images are usually printed as four color process prints.

Which programs will let me save in Vector formats?
Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, and Corel Draw are the most common software programs that can save in a vector format. Photoshop can export illustrator paths, and some other programs are also able to export their paths to illustrator file formats.

When do I save as a Raster Image, and when do I save as Vector?
Vector is the file format that you would use when the image is made with paths and fills, It's the only format you can cut vinyl from. Raster would be used for photos, complex images, gradation colors and all other images containing more than two or three colors. Raster images can only be printed. Vector images can be printed or computer cut.
More info on Raster verse Vector click here

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or call us at (206) 292-7446
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Frequently Asked Questions Design, Images and File Types