blog

NYBS FAQ 12

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
Contour Cut
Two separate files are required for contour cut graphics. One file containing artwork, the other containing cut mask file. Cut file must be completely vector and in PDF format. Both artwork and mask files must be uploaded at the same time to be processed. Cut mask les that are made using raster based programs will not be accepted.

Guidelines to follow when creating artwork and cut file:

Artwork must have 1″ bleed on all sides and a .5″ safety margin for the contour cut. To ensure over cut will not occur, please keep everything you do want cut inside of the .5″ safety margin.

Your document size must be 2″ away from all contour cut lines.

Cut mask line must be a vector path (line that has a 1pt black stroke with no fill.)

Please avoid using small or thin contour cut areas. Allow at least .5″ for separation between cut lines. New York Banner Stands will not reprint any order with perimeter cut lines that are too close to one another.

Smooth contour cut lines are preferred. Any contour cut lines with ragged edges will show up on print. All contour cut lines must be fully enclosed paths, open lines will not cut.

Try to keep sharp angles to a minimum to avoid unwanted cuts. New York Banner Stands will not reprint any order that is improperly setup.

When submitting both artwork and cut mask les, make sure both les are isolated from each other.

Tolerance for the perimeter cut line is .5″.

It is recommended that you keep your perimeter cut line slightly inside the border of the image you are cutting. Here is an example of how to trace an image. The RED color of the contour cut line is for demonstration only. Your cut line should be a black 1 point stroke.

Here is the image we are going to trace. We will trace around the design, making sure to leave enough room between perimeter cut lines.

<< Back

NYBS FAQ 11

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
What settings should I create my PDF in Adobe Illustrator?
For Illustrator CS2 and above it is recommended to use the “High Quality Print” preset.
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 10

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
What is overprint, and how can it ruin my file?
Overprint is used to intentionally overlap inks for a number of reasons. We suggest that you turn all overprint objects off before submitting, for it may cause unexpected results.
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 9

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
Rich Black Values
We recommend using C-15 M-0 Y-0 K-100
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 8

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
Does New York Banner Stands print borders?
You may include borders in your artwork, but New York Banner Stands does not recommend it. Borders may vary from batch to batch making exact cuts very difficult. We will not reprint an order with borders of varying widths.
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 7

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
What is the difference between raster and vector?
Raster-based artwork such as photos or flattened artwork (from Adobe Photoshop) are made up of tiny squares (pixels), and depending on your resolution and/or final output size desired, the file could have a low quality end result. Any raster elements you wish to use should have a high enough resolution (DPI) before considering them for your large format product.

Vector-based artwork such as illustrations or clip-art style elements (from Adobe Illustrator) is made with mathematical calculations, and can be scaled up to any size without losing quality. Keep in mind that any effects used in Adobe Illustrator are raster-based and have transparency: this greatly adds to file size and you must have correct settings in your “Document Raster Effects Settings” to ensure best output for these effects. If you are doing a photo-quality print on a 36″ x 48″ poster, and leave the raster effects settings at default 72 DPI – you may see tiny squares in your drop shadows, as opposed to a smooth shadow.

<< Back

NYBS FAQ 6

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
My artwork file contains transparency, will it print ok?
No, it is always best to flatten any file you send to New York Banner Stands. New York Banner Stands considers flattening transparency part of basic file setup and will not check for this issue.
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 5

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
Do I need bleed or crop marks for my files?
No bleed or crop marks. Make your artwork match the size requested on the order. We are not responsible for crop marks or registration printed.
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 4

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
Should I include any fonts with my files?
NO. Instead, please ensure that all fonts are outlined prior to file upload. If you are using Photoshop, please provide flattened file only.
<< Back

NYBS FAQ 3

Help Center
New York Banner Stands FAQ – Artwork Knowledge
What file specifications does New York Banner Stands recommend for fast processing?
While we accept most formats, .pdf usually processes faster than most file types. We also suggest 150 dpi resolution at 100% of the final print size.
<< Back