Artwork and Logos for Promotional Items

Artwork and Logos for Promotional Items

After shopping for the merchandise that will project your company image in a positive light, your next step will be to decide what will appear on the promotional item, and then supply the vendor with the necessary logo or other business information. Be sure the logo size fits well with the item so that it is easy for others to read. You can probably send the logo information, perhaps as a separate attachment, by email. But you first must be sure that you have the right file for transmitting the logo. After you do this the first time, subsequent orders will get easier.

Be careful about shipping your Website logo to the vendor by email. It might not be the correct format or size for the merchandise you have selected. Shipping the wrong size image can slow the process and may even cost more due to the possible need for a file conversion. Check with the vendor ahead of time to be sure you are able to send the type of graphic that he or she can use. Chances are, the vendor can explain your options and help you choose and then submit the appropriate logo style.

While you may not have the time or inclination to learn a great deal about digital graphics, and prefer leaving that part to the experts, you should at least understand the distinction between "raster" and "vector" files. Raster art does not tend to enlarge very well. Formats such as JPEG and GIF, while commonly used on the Internet, aren't often used for printing. On the other hand, vector images can be shrunk or expanded while preserving the image's integrity. Vector-based EPS files seem to work better for many kinds of promotional imaging, but find out your vendor's preferences. He or she will explain what is needed for your order, or perhaps provide some options for your consideration.

Don't forget to indicate the color type details for your printing order. This could be RGB, CMYK, or spot color, and your vendor will tell you how to determine this. Resolution clarity is another consideration to keep in mind. Although Web graphics may have just 72 DPI (dots per inch), imprinted merchandise generally requires at least 300 DPI. The vendor may have samples to show you that will help you decide which resolution is suitable for your merchandise.

Learning more about imprinting artwork will help to put you in charge of future orders. Instead of taking someone else's word all the time, you will have a better idea of the differences among various types of imprinting artwork. Specialty graphics applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, along with Macromedia Freehand or CorelDraw, can provide top-notch graphics for your promotional merchandise. Don't take shortcuts by copying images from the Web or another source that will not duplicate clearly onto imprinted merchandise. Since the overall goal is to get a quality promotional item that will make others aware of your business, it pays to find out something about the best use of graphics for your products. After all, these items will represent your business in the community, so why not get quality results?