Artwork Requirements

Electronic artwork guidelines

West Coast Labels Ltd. accepts artwork supplied on disk or as an email attachment. Similar to other companies working in the graphic arts industry, our art department uses Macintosh prepress computers and software. This means that artwork created on other computer systems will most likely be compatible if your artist uses postscript-based programs.

To ensure that the process of creating labels for your existing artwork goes as smoothly as possible, please have your artist review the following before submitting any artwork:

• Disks are to be accompanied by a hardcopy of the artwork. When submitting by email, please fax or mail a proof copy. When describing colours, use Pantone spot colour numbers. Whenever possible, we prefer that you specify three-digit colours not four-digit colours (e.g. red Pantone 192 not red Pantone 1925).
• Only photographs or “paintings” should be in bitmap (Photoshop) format. When “placed” in your layout, they can be either TIFF or EPS. Include a copy of the original source file with your submission. Do not link to files not supplied.
• We are proud to provide our customers with a full range of label options and price points, and a line of thermal printers for your own office.
• In Photoshop, when converting from RGB to CMYK, use the SWOP Coated settings at 35% dot gain. All other artwork (e.g. text or line art) should be vectored, as created by Adobe Illustrator, Macromedia Freehand, or Corel Draw. Whenever possible, do the final assembly of your artwork in Adobe Illustrator, as other programs do not readily allow the flexographic distortion we must perform on every file.
• All Pantone spot colours should be converted to Pantone process colours before saving the file (unless additional spot colours have been purchased). Also, please provide documentation of the original Pantone spot colours used in the file before converting to CMYK.
• Do not trap your artwork. Our art department will trap to our specifications.
• Flexographic Screen values must not be below 3% or above 95% (this applies to graduations and scanned images).
• All line weights are to be a minimum of 1/16″ away from the edge of the label. It can be set to bleed of the edge of die-cut labels only. Bleeds must have artwork extending at least 1/8″ beyond the die-line on each side that bleeds.
• Keep files clean and eliminate unused objects.
• We have an extensive Macintosh font library but, if we don’t have the exact version used in your file, it may display and print differently. If in doubt, call for our advice and remember that Type One fonts have two components: minimum type size for positive copy is 4pt and for reverse copy the minimum is 7pt. Avoid using serif fonts in reverses and for small copy. Use Adobe Type One fonts whenever possible, as other font languages can create compatibility issues when imaging your artwork. An alternative to supplying fonts is to convert your text to outlines; however, please keep in mind that outline text is extremely time consuming to edit.
• Unformatted text copy can be in any popular word processing program.
• Acceptable programs include Adobe Illustrator 2021 Creative Cloud, Adobe Photoshop 2021 Creative Cloud
• Preferred program: Adobe Illustrator 2021 Creative Cloud.

If you have any questions, please contact our graphics department at 1-888-674-4412 or graphics@westcoastlabels.ca