Tag: Design Wizard

Uploading your own artwork

24 Oct 2017

We offer you a number of different ways to place your order, including uploading your own artwork. Our thinking here, is that not everybody has the same design experience and skills. We also felt that it was important to cater for those wanting a self service option(s) to those wanting more of a helping hand.

Uploading your own artwork

For those going the self service route, it is extremely quick and easy to upload your artwork. There are however a few things you should bear in mind:

  • You should allow a bleed of at least 2mm for all images that extend to the trim / cut line.
  • The safe area for text is about 2mm inside of the trim / cut line of the sticker/label/decal.
  • The specifications for the trim / cut line are as follows –
  • All text should ideally be converted to curves (we have a vast library of fonts, but may need the font name/file if is rare or obscure and we are required to edit your design).
  • We print in CMYK. If Pantone® colours have been used in your design we will try our best to match them when we print using our CMYK inks. If you are printing on a vinyl other than white, or a different material altogether, the final printed colour may vary slightly.
  • Images should be no less than 300dpi at the actual size
  • File types – if you have used a vector based design program, it is always best if you submit the original file and don’t rasterise. We accept .pdf / .ai / .eps / .cdr files. You can also submit a .jpg file, but we may not be able to edit the file
  • Lastly, we do not print using white ink yet. This is important if you have artwork that has white in it and wanted to print on clear vinyl.

Other Self Service Options

On our site, you can also use one of our templates to start off with. This is ideal if you are looking for inspiration and are happy to use a template and simply customise the relevant text. We have already created loads of sticker and label templates in many categories and we are sure you will find one that you like.

If you would rather start with a blank canvas, why not use our design wizard. It is very easy to use without any design knowledge, although you may want to read up on the guide to using the Design Wizard here. We have deliberately tried to keep the design wizard simple, which means there is always some tradeoff in terms of functionality. Having said that, all the templates that you see on this site were put together using the very same Design Wizard 🙂

If you need a little bit more design power and don’t have access to a fully fledged design program, why not have a look at Canva – it is feature rich, has an awesome library of images and elements and is magically easy to use.

 

Guide to using the Design Wizard

20 Oct 2017

Based on our experience processing orders on our other three e-commerce sites, we have tried to offer you a number of different options to make your order journey as seamless as possible. You can upload your own artwork if you have the design skills. You can also start by choosing from a wide range of templates that we have made for you, or you can start with a completely blank canvas using our design wizard.

We have tried to strike a delicate balance here between simplicity and functionality. The Sticker and Label design wizard is ideally aimed at people who don’t have access to, or experience with, a fully functional software design package like Corel Draw or Illustrator / Photoshop.

Design Wizard Step 1 – Setup

The first thing you want to look for is the green arrow on the bottom left of the screen. This shows you your starting point, which involves putting in the dimensions of your Sticker/Label/Decal. If you have started your order on the Home Page, then simply confirm that the dimensions are correct. Similarly, you can then either enter or confirm that the quantity is correct.

Moving across from left to right, you can then check if you want 3D doming as an option, select the background colour for your order and choose the shape of your Sticker, Label or Decal. The options for the latter are a square or rectangle with square / round corners, a sphere (circle or oval) and a custom shaped option (in this case we will place a cut line to cut around the contours on the edge of your design).

Design Wizard Step 2 – Design

Right, now that we have set everything up, you can jump straight into designing your order. If you are including an image or logo, it is a good idea to start with that first by clicking on New Image Layer and selecting your image/logo from your PC or Laptop. Once you have uploaded the image, you will see buttons on the right hand side (under Layer Properties) to Rotate, Fit, Centre, Adjust and Reposition the image. It is also possible to click on the image itself and move it around.

Next, you can add text to your Sticker/Label/Decal. At this stage, we don’t yet have a paragraph option, so you would need to add each line as a separate text box. You can then edit the Font, Size and Colour of the text and move it around by clicking on the text.

To move a text or image layer up/down, simply click on the small arrows to the right of the respective Layer Line in the Layer Box.

Design Wizard Step 3 – Finishing Touches

You are almost done! We have preset the three finishing options to the most common ones but you are welcome to change any of these. You are now finished 🙂 – add the order to your cart and then either proceed straight to the checkout or add another sticker/label/decal order to your basket. If you get stuck at any stage, remember you can chat to us instantly (during working hours) on Live Chat or contact us by phone or using our contact form.