When you upload your artwork to our servers, we run an automated test that checks for several different types of errors and returns a warning based on what kind of error it encounters. Here are the most common artwork messages you’ll encounter, as well as how to fix them.
Resolution Errors
Minimum Resolution Error
Warning Message: Provided artwork, or elements in the artwork, fall below our minimum suggested resolution for digital chemical dye printing, but can still be printed. Prints may appear blurry or pixelated so for higher print-quality please upload artwork with at least 360 DPI. If your original image falls below the required 360 DPI, changing it to 360 DPI in Photoshop® will not improve the print quality. Complaints based on this warning will not be accepted.
How To Fix: Re-upload artwork with a DPI above 360. In order to do this, you can either recreate the image at a resolution above 360 DPI or resample the pixels. Please be aware that resampling the pixels to increase the DPI may lead to a decrease in overall image quality depending on how high the pixels need to be upsampled to.
Warning Message: Provided artwork, or elements in the artwork, fall below our minimum suggested resolution for UV printing, but can still be printed. Prints may appear blurry or pixelated so for higher print-quality please upload artwork with at least 800 dpi. If your original image falls below the required 800 dpi, changing it to 800 dpi in Photoshop® will not improve the print quality. Complaints based on this warning will not be accepted.
How To Fix: Please upload your artwork with a DPI above 800. Either recreate the artwork with a minimum DPI of 800 or resample the image to 800 DPI. Please be aware that resampling the pixels to increase the DPI may lead to a decrease in overall image quality depending on how high the pixels need to be upsampled to.
Unknown Resolution Error
Warning Message: The resolution of your artwork is in question. Please review what your artwork will look like in full size.
How To Fix: Review your artwork sizing and sign off on it. Complaints based on this warning after having signed off will not be accepted.
Pantone Color Errors
Warning Message: PANTONE® color(s) were detected. An attempt to match these colors will be made. Due to the limitations of digital printing, some PANTONE® colors cannot be matched with 100% accuracy.
Warning Message: Your artwork contains PANTONE® color(s) that cannot be accurately color matched. We only attempt to match PANTONE®colors with the suffix C (Coated), U (Uncoated), CP (Coated Process), or UP (Uncoated Process). Please ensure all PANTONE® colors match above types if you would like them color matched. When designating PANTONES, please be sure to use the following naming convention: PANTONE (PANTONE® Number) (Suffix). Examples: PANTONE 185 C, PANTONE Red 032 C.
How To Fix: Ensure that your PANTONE colors have one of the following four suffixes: C (Coated), U (Uncoated), CP (Coated Process), or UP (Uncoated Process). While we still cannot match these colors with 100% accuracy, it will be a much closer match than when trying to use PANTONE colors from another color book.
Warning Message: The PANTONE® color(s) referenced in your artwork cannot accurately be reproduced. Due to the limitations of CMYK color space, we cannot guarantee a close match to the color(s) that you defined in your artwork. For CMYK color simulation, please reference a PANTONE® Color Bridge book. Color deviations as a reason for complaint will not be accepted.
How To Fix: Reference the PANTONE Color Bridge book that contains the PANTONE colors you’re using and provide us with the CMYK color simulations in order to provide as close a match as possible. For more information on how to convert PANTONE colors to their CMYK equivalents, see here.
Type Errors
Warning Message: Some of your type was not within the safety area and may get cut off. Please position all important design elements and text within the gray image safety line. Complaints based on this warning will not be accepted.
Artwork Quality Errors
Warning Message: Elements in the artwork are low quality for the current resolution. This may cause these elements to print blurry or pixelated. Note: Simply raising the resolution of a low quality image in Photoshop® will not improve the print quality.
How To Fix: Please review proof closely to check for blurry or pixelated elements.
Transparencies/Gradient Errors
Warning Message: Transparencies have been detected within your artwork. Colors that have transparencies applied to them may no print as expected and cannot be color matched using Pantone Colors.
How To Fix: We cannot guarantee color matching on colors with transparency values/gradients. Please flatten all transparencies before sending us your art file.
Area Imprint
Warning Message: Your artwork was adjusted to fit within the Area Imprint allowable area.
How To Fix: Please review proof closely because a prepress specialist adjusted your artwork to fit within the allowable area.
Help Video: Artwork Warning: Area Imprint
Template Colors
Warning Message: Please do not use any of our template spot colors in your artwork.
Help Video: Artwork Warning: Template Color
Un-Outlined Fonts
Warning Message: The submitted artwork contains fonts that are not outlined.
How To Fix: Select all text elements in your design, and convert them into vector shapes.
Help Video: Artwork Warning: Un-Outlined Fonts
Double-sided Template
Warning Message: Artwork was not on correct template.
How To Fix: Use the provided double-sided template to design on.