FILES / PROGRAMS WE USE

PREFERRED...
Adobe Illustrator 12 (CS2) or less: AI files, EPS files
Corel Draw 10 or less: CDR files

OTHER PROGRAMS...
Photoshop 12 (CS2): -- See "Resolution Requirements" -- TIFF, JPEG, Photoshop EPS, BMP, PSD.
QuarkXPress 6.0

     OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS (RASTER)...
Solid Line Art (BMP): 1200dpi
Continuous Tone (TIFF, JPEG, PSD, PSD EPS): 300dpi

Artwork Colour Requirements...
If the promo piece is to be printed in 1 PMS colour, the file must be:
1. Vector Based Art (AI, EPS) or Line Art (BMP)
2. Saved as Black/PMS Colour
If the promo piece is to be printed in 2+ PMS colours, the file must be:
1. Vector Based Artwork (AI, EPS)
2. The PMS#'s must be indicated in the file

If you are printing in 4 Colour Process, the file must be saved in CMYK.

     UNACCEPTABLE FILE FORMATS

Web quality graphics are 72dpi and are in RGB colour, unacceptable for final art submission.
Non-Graphic Applications: Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
Faxes, photocopies and business cards will more than likely involve recreation of your artwork to meet industry standards. This procedure is done by the artists on staff at minimal costs.

     BITMAP VS. VECTOR

The difference between these two file types is what they're made up of. Vector graphics are made up of lines and curves. Bitmap graphics are made up of little squares called pixels.

The above graphic is a bitmap (JPEG, GIF, TIF, BMP). You can see how it's made up of a series of pixels. When you enlarge the graphic, the software must guess where to put the extra pixels necessary to make it larger. At a high resolution the pixels are so numerous and small it creates the illusion of a smooth line.

The bottom graphic is vector (AI, EPS, CDR). It can be scaled up or down to any size without losing quality. This is very important because the same graphic can be used for both a pen, and a billboard (while also maintaining the same file size).

The lines and curves in a vectored file naturally go from point A to point B. These points are described as anchor points. A good way to tell if your artwork is vectorized (besides zooming in to look for pixels) is to look for the anchor points. You can see a series of points surrounding all of the edges by clicking on the artwork. If all you see is a box surrounding your entire artwork, it is more than likely a bitmap.

     METHODS OF SENDING ARTWORK

Email: art@brymark.com (Under 8 MB)

Writable CD

FTP Server: To access our FTP server go to the following address through Internet Explorer:

     HELPFUL TIPS

"Create Outlines" (Illustrator - AI) or Save to Curves (Corel Draw - CDR) when working with type to avoid font conflicts. Creating outlines turns the font object to a graphic. Send the fonts along with the file only if there is a need to change the text upon receipt.

In Illustrator do the following to create outlines: (on a mac) Hold Command + A or (on a PC) Ctrl + A to select all, then from the TYPE menu (at the top) select Create Outlines.
In Corel Draw do the following to create outlines: From the FILE menu 'Save As' or 'Export' as an Adobe Illustrator (AI) file. A message box will appear, Check the box that says (Convert text) -> to curves

- Our Art Department operates on MACINTOSH systems, yet we accept both WINDOWS and MACINTOSH files.
- Please compress your artwork using StuffIt (MACINTOSH) or WinZip (WINDOWS) whenever possible.

NOTE: Artwork requirements vary between certain promotional pieces, therefore different specifications not mentioned here might be required. In this event, you will be notified in advance.