Setting up your artwork

Are you supplying your own artwork to us and not sure how to set it up? Here are a few important points and steps!

important
COLOUR

One: Please ensure you convert all RGB colours to CMYK

Two: Please expect difference in colour between what you can see on your screen and what will print. This is because your monitor has a backlight, and so colours will appear brighter/more vibrant than how they will print.

Three: Colours will also print differently on each printer, and each material. A specific colour printed on textured stock, foiled stock and matte/gloss stock will look different on all.

Four: If it is important to you to achieve a specific colour, please let our team know it is a colour sensitive job when you place your order and we can provide options to help you achieve a colour match. Colour inconsistency is not grounds for a reprint, however there are lots of things we can do in the processing of your files to minimise this, however we do need to be made aware ahead of time. 

If you need to match a colour for consistency please make sure you provide us with the CMYK Pantone colour. Without this we cannot guarantee colours printed will match other printed collateral you may have. If you are not able to provide a Pantone, you are welcome to send us a colour sample (like a sample label) and we can look up the closest Pantone for you.

SETTING UP YOUR ARTWORK CORRECTLY

Please read through the checklist for providing design files. Remember: If your files do not meet our
specifications, your product may be printed incorrectly. If you do not supply artwork which matches our
requirements, we will ask you to resupply it or charge you for the time it takes to adjust. When supplying your
labels to Long Story Short to print, you must make sure the following requirements have been met.

Label Size & Bleed

Artwork MUST have a 3mm bleed. This is to ensure there is no white space printed around your artwork. If you are unsure of how to do this, simply make sure no text or crucial elements are within 3mm of the edge of your design as they may be cut off. If using Canva to design, save as a 'PRINT PDF' then select 'ADD BLEED AND CROP MARKS'

Please make sure your design is set up to the correct size. We can scale your design up or down, but if it does not fit in your measurements we will charge a layout fee to edit. As an example, a rectangle label will not print square and vice versa.

Saving your files for foil

Make sure all elements of your design are vector and all fonts are outlined (including your logo). Please use a bright colour (not already in your artwork) and let us know that colour is to be foil. Please avoid any small or thin fonts and smaller detailed artwork as foil may fill in those areas.

Please note: Foil stock is notorious for affecting the colour, so for foil labels we always recommend you provide us with a Pantone colour to ensure it prints as per expectation. If you don't have access to this information, you can also mail us a sample of the colour you would like to achieve.

Foil also washes out colour slightly, so if you have a light coloured background please darken it by 20%

saving your files

We accept PNG or PDF. However, we do prefer PDF. Please make sure all fonts are embedded (outlined) if sending a PDF design or it will not open correctly on our end. If downloading from Canva there is no need to do this, please download as PDF print. Please save your files at a mini of 300 dpi.

Naming your files: Please name each file with the below included

1. Name of your product
2. size of the label
3. quantity you would like us to print of that particular design

For example:
Exfoliating Salts 60x40mm x 100

DESIGN TIPS TO GET THE BEST PRINT
DESIGN TIPS TO GET THE BEST PRINT

FONT SIZE

As a general rule we recommend not going below a size 6, this includes the size of text in any of your icons. For textured stock we recommend NO small font, especially on linen and monument. We can still print food or skincare labels with the ingredients etc, however make text as large as you are able within the parameters of the design.

FINE DETAILS

We recommend not using small text or small details on textured labels. Any fine detail will not print well on texture. If using line art again, make sure it is in a contrasting colour to the background.

COLOUR

Colours tend to wash out on textured stock. Please ensure you do not use lighter colours. Colours will wash out on texture labels by about 30% so always darken your colours by about 50%.  Always consider contrast. Light text on a dark background. Or dark text on a light background.

We do not proofread your labels, we will simply print what
you have supplied so please make sure your labels have no
spelling or grammar mistakes, and are saved in a high resolution.

Setting up cards / swing tags

Please avoid any borders on swing tags, business and thank you cards

SET UP

Please ensure you supply your artwork to us with front and back combined into a single PDF file.

2 Sided Business Cards

Page 1 will print as Front

Page 2 will print as Back

NOTE – Gloss and Matte Lamination on 1 side will always be treated to Page 1 of your document.

When ordering Spot UV, we require a 3 Page PDF.

Page 1 will be the Business Card side which requires the Spot UV to be applied.

Page 2 will be the Reverse side of the Business Card.

Page 3 should be Spot UV to be applied to Page 1 ONLY (using a spot colour marked Spot UV).