Logo mat artwork specifications

Achieving high definition logo printing

Resolution

Artwork should be created at a resolution of 76.2 dpi in the dimensions of the print area of the selected mat. Although high resolution offers the possibility to print sharper lines and text, the surface of the mat determines the ultimate level of definition that you can achieve. The surface ranges from a smooth velour, open velour or frieze finishing of tufted yarns.

Colour mode/colour profile

The design in working spaces must be assigned to Adobe RGB (1998). If the design is in CMYK, LAB or greyscale, it must be converted to Adobe RGB (1998). Consider when saving, that Adobe RGB (1998) profile is embedded.

Logo printing using vector graphics

Vector data can be easily scaled infinitely. This means that you can make a vector graphic as small or large as you like and they will never lose any quality. For this reason, logos are often stored in a vector format as they can then be scaled to any size to be printed on larger mat sizes without losing any quality.

Accepted vector file formats:

• EPS - Adobe’s EPS format (Encapsulated PostScript) is perhaps the most common vector image format. It is the standard interchange format in the print industry.
• AI - The native format of Adobe Illustrator is the AI format (Adobe Illustrator Artwork). To avoid losing details all font lines and shapes must be converted to outlines.
• PDF - Adobe’s PDF format (Portable Document Format) is very widely used as a general-purpose platform-independent document format.

Photo printing using raster graphics

Photographs are raster graphics that use pixels. The amount of pixels is a reference to the amount of dots that make up the image. The more dots there are the higher quality your image will be as the dots are smaller. Vector files cannot easily be used to store these extremely complex images since the colour information is paramount and may vary on a pixel-by-pixel basis. The quality and detail of raster graphics are extremely high.

Enlargement is one of the most common issues with raster graphics as when they’re enlarged, they lose quality and become ‘pixelated’. The more dots/pixels there are, the more an image can be enlarged, but every image can only be enlarged by so much.

Accepted raster file formats:

• JPEG/JPG - One of the most widely used image formats is the JPEG format (Joint Photographers’ Expert Group). This format has smaller file sizes but does not store a perfect copy of the image. A high resolution of 300 dpi or the exact dimensions of the mat is imperative to print well on a large mat. We do not recommend using JPEG files for rasterized vector art, as the compression artefacts substantially degrade the quality of the image near the edges.
• BMP - There are actually several BMP formats (BitMaP). Windows and Macintosh have their own formats, both of which are called BMP. A high resolution is imperative to print well on a large mat.
• TIFF/TIF - This format (Tagged Image File Format) is used to store raw bitmap data. A high resolution is imperative to print well on a large mat.

Not recommended:

• PNG - (Portable Network Graphics) is a web-based file that does not lose quality when compressed are best used for the web.

Converting to a print-ready file

When converting a vector file to a TIFF file or PCX file, please uncheck the “anti-alias” box. Anti-alias “creates” similar coloured pixels to make the colour transition smoother in a photo; however, this will not make a clear print.

Design Considerations

Logo design

Designs or logos that use solid colours will print very well on a mat. We advise having the background in a darker colour to maintain the appearance of the mat. Lighter areas will appear dirty faster. Gradients should be used selectively, creatively, and only when they enhance the design.

Photos

Photos should be adjusted to high contrast to ensure brilliant colours on the mat. Adjust the black to (RGB 0 – 0 – 0) and whites (where possible) to off-white (RGB 236-236-236) to prevent the mat from dirtying too quickly.

Keeping text and fine lines legible

Text and fine lines should be the minimum pixel width to keep text and images legible. Many small shapes and fine lines should be avoided as they could disappear or print very broken and rough on smaller mat sizes. This is also applicable for the white spaces, or negative spaces between shapes or they may fill in causing a loss in the definition.

Bleeds, borders and overprint

Make sure the design is not too close to the borders due to possible overprint. The minimum space around the design (bleed) should be at least 1 cm. We don't recommend designing a border around the design. The backing of the mat is black and extends approximately two centimetres on each side, the mat could shift slightly during printing and a designed border may not align precisely with the backing. If you require a border or would like to print all the way to the edges, we advise taking a larger size mat. It will then be cut to size and there will be no risk of an overprint and missing or uneven borders.

Choosing or matching colours

As a starting point, Notrax® has a full palette of 100 standard colours, pictured here on the right, to select from with enough choice to create any new artwork or logo design where there is no established colour scheme.

The colour swatches and RGB values are for visual design purposes only and do not correspond to the actual printed colours. Each colour will print differently on each mat due to the differences in texture and surface quality. Please refer to the colour swatches provided in the approval form sent to you for a true representation of your chosen colours on
your chosen matting product.

PMS colour matching

For designs where a corporate identity has been established and needs to be followed, the accuracy of colour is critical in design. We try our best to meet our customers colour expectations, but artwork designed on an RGB computer screen may look different than what is printed. What you see on your monitor is not what will appear on a printed mat, our designers use a standardized colour matching system, such as the Pantone Matching System.

Pantone offers chip books to see how colours look on coated, uncoated, and matte paper. Due to the surface of the logo mat, the closest match of the Pantone colours is the Uncoated (U) colour line. To ensure the best colour representation on the selected mat, our design team will select the closest match in ideal lighting circumstances. Some spot colours lend themselves perfectly to being reproduced using the extended process colours, whereas others can cause slight problems in that the match is not perfect. If a colour is out of the gamut of the colour range, the closest match or substitution will occur and a photo will be sent of the nearest colour match for approval.

Choosing standard sizes or custom sizes

Logo matting is manufactured as standard size mats with vinyl borders on all sides or on rolls with vinyl borders
along the length of the roll. Special sizes are available in linear lengths and custom sizes up to a maximum of the width of the roll. For special sizes, the Notrax® production team tailor ensures each mat will be printed to order and cut to the exact dimensions of the client.

Design Considerations

• Make sure the design is not too close to the border due to possible overprint. The minimum space around the design (bleed) should be at least 1 cm.
• We advise designing the background in a dark colour to maintain the appearance of the mat. Lighter areas will appear dirty faster.
• It is not advised to design a border around the logo or image. The backing of the mat is black and extends approximately two centimetres on each side, the mat could shift slightly during printing and a designed border may not align precisely with the backing.
• If you require a border or would like to print all the way to the edges, we advise taking a larger size mat. It will then be cut to size and there will be no risk of an overprint and missing borders.

Submitting print-ready artwork

To submit a print-ready file for the custom printed mats please follow the steps below to ensure the design file conforms to the requirements. In the event that any corrections or changes need to be made, the design cost will apply.

• Artwork should be created at a resolution of 76.2 dpi.
• Make sure that the Adobe RGB (1998) profile is embedded.
• Accepted vector file formats: EPS, AI, PDF. A TIFF file is preferred.
• We advise selecting colours from our 100 colour palette.
• Text and fine lines should be the minimum pixel width to keep text and images legible. We advise having a minimum pixel width of 10. (1 pixel is enough when using a black colour).

Creating a Print Ready Artwork

This document provides the information needed to create a print-ready file for the BrilliantStep custom printed mats.

Logo Mat Design Specification.PDF

Logo Mat Inquiry