3 Things Before Talking To Your Print Shop

The inspiration and excitement from getting some custom printed graphics or signage can be illuminating, but it's important to have a few things prepared before you speak to someone at your local print shop in Logan or the Cache Valley.

While experienced professionals in the printing industry can certainly help guide you through the process and provide the right solution, these are some things that will be brought up in conversation and can either slow down or speed up the turnaround time to bringing your vision to life.

Location! Location! Location!

Just like real estate, the location of your sign or graphic is the most important aspect to have in mind before speaking to your local print shop. Not only because it needs to be visible to have the proper effect you're looking for, but it really scopes in the material needed and any accessories or additional features to mount, hang, or install the sign or graphics.

Of course you know exactly where you're looking to have your sign, but it's common to leave this information out when reaching out to the sign shops near you.

Is this sign going to be for internal or external use? Is it being mounted onto a surface (eg. drywall, concrete, brick, fence, etc.) or will it be free-standing needing additional features like wood or metal posts, sign stakes, or a sign frame?

There may be plenty of questions that you'll need to have an answer to, so sometimes it's best to have a sign expert come out and do a site survey. RJW Graphics currently offers FREE site surveys to provide the best options and pricing for your place of business.

Colors

While many potential sign buyers may not be picky and a simple red, black, or blue color description will do, if you're looking to remain consistent to your company's branding, often a specific color code will need to be called out.

Businesses spend a considerable amount of time, money, and resources to craft their brand appearance and it'd be a mistake not to utilize it. In larger companies, these branding specifics can often be found in a "Brand Guidelines" document. This document will contain everything from logos, fonts, color, and even particular signage requirements throughout a business facility.

The 4 basic types of color codes you often see are CMYK, PMS, RGB and HEX. The former two (CMYK & PMS) are what's used in printing, while the latter (RGB & HEX) are typically for viewing on a digital screen. However, this does not mean that they do not translate.

Most printer inks come in CMYK, which is an acronym for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Printers with these inks can hit Pantone (PMS) colors with extreme accuracy.

Even if your business does not have a Brand Guidelines document, they may have something as simple as a color code that came with the logo. Below is an example for us here at RJW Graphics.

Ideally, you'll also be sharing a file of your logo, in which case, experienced graphic designers and sign shops can sample the color or color match from the file shared. However, that is dependent on the file shared.

We've all Googled a logo and seen variations of the same logo but with slightly different blues or different orientations, so it's important to refer to your branding book and share the most up-to-date logo.

Logo Files

Logo files get submitted in all types of formats and if it's not the proper file type, size, or color schema, it can add onto the turnaround time of your sign or graphic. Many sign shops have full-time graphic designers on staff that can work with most of these, but sometimes the files just don't work.

When it comes to sharing logos, using a "vector" image is highly recommended due to its scalability and versatility. Vector images are resolution-independent, meaning they can be resized without losing quality, making them perfect for various applications such as printing on small business cards or scaling up for a billboard.

Commonly used formats for vector files include SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), PDF (Portable Document Format), and AI (Adobe Illustrator). Each of these formats has its own advantages and is widely supported by graphic design software and web browsers.

SVG files are ideal for web use as they can be easily embedded in websites and are compatible with modern browsers. EPS files are commonly used in print design and are preferred by many professional printers. PDF files are versatile and can be easily shared and viewed across different platforms. AI files are native to Adobe Illustrator and are great for editing and manipulating complex vector graphics.

By choosing a vector file format for sharing logos, you ensure that the integrity of the design is preserved regardless of where and how it is used, making it a reliable and practical choice for branding and marketing purposes.

Let RJW Graphics Help!

Ordering signage or display graphics can seem simple at first, then quickly become a daunting task due to graphic design, file sharing, and all the additional information needed.

Here at RJW Graphics we love to share our knowledge and are always willing to help with any needs at any levels. Do not hesitate to reach out with even the most basic questions!