Welcome back to Digital Art 101! So far in this series, we’ve learned the difference between Vector and Raster files, and we’ve shown you the 5-second test to figure out which one you have.
But what happens when you have a true Vector file, but the factory still replies with: "We need you to outline your fonts and embed your links"?
Today, we are popping the hood on Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to show you exactly how to prep your art for production so your order never gets delayed.
📐 Prepping VECTOR Art (Adobe Illustrator)
Even a perfect vector file can cause production headaches if two very common issues aren't fixed: Live Fonts and Missing Links.
To check your file, open it in Adobe Illustrator and switch to Outline Mode by navigating to View > Outline (or pressing Cmd+Y on Mac / Ctrl+Y on PC).
If your artwork looks like a skeleton of white shapes and solid black outlines, you are in great shape! But keep an eye out for these two errors:
Error 1: The "Missing Font" Fiasco
The Problem: If your logo includes text that is still "editable" (meaning you can click on it and retype a word), you might run into trouble. If the production artist at our factory doesn't have your specific brand font installed on their computer, Illustrator will replace it with a standard font and highlight the missing text in bright pink. The Fix (Creating Outlines): You need to turn your text into un-editable shapes!
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Select all the text in your design.
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Go to the top menu and click
Type > Create Outlines(orCmd+Shift+O/Ctrl+Shift+O). -
Now, your text is locked in as a vector shape and will print perfectly on any computer in the world!
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Error 2: Un-Embedded Links
The Problem: Sometimes designers place other images inside their Illustrator files by "linking" them to a folder on their own computer. When you email that file to us, those linked images don't travel with it! The Fix (Embedding): If you view your art in Outline Mode and see a giant rectangular box with an "X" through it, you have a missing link.
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When the missing link warning box pops up, you must locate the original image and click Embed on your links panel to ensure the image becomes a permanent part of the file.
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🖼️ Prepping RASTER Art (Adobe Photoshop)
Remember our golden rule from Lesson 1: Raster art (pixelated images) is ONLY good for full-color digital printing, like stickers, plastic cards, or offset-printed paper.
If you are using Raster art, you must ensure it meets the minimum industry standard for print quality: 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch) at the actual size it will be printed.
The 4-Inch Sticker Test
Let’s pretend you are ordering a 4-inch full-color sticker. We need art that is at least 4 inches wide and 300 DPI. Here is how to check it:
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Open your artwork in Adobe Photoshop.
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Navigate the top menu to
Image > Image Size. -
Look at the Resolution box. Make sure it says 300 (or higher).
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Look at the Width/Height boxes. Make sure the dropdown is set to "Inches" (not pixels) and that it matches the size of the product you are ordering.
The "Giant File" Exception
What if your artwork is huge (like 12 inches wide) but the resolution only says 72 DPI? Don't panic! Because the physical size is three times larger than the 4-inch sticker you need, those pixels can usually be compressed down to hit that 300 DPI target without losing quality.
Still sound like a foreign language? 🤠
We completely understand! You shouldn't need an art degree to order great corporate swag.
If you don't have Adobe software or just don't want to mess with outlines and embedded links, send your artwork straight to the Cowgirl Promos team. We will review it, move the pixels around, and ensure it's production-ready before anything goes to print!
Thank you for sticking around for Lesson 3 of our Digital Art Series. Check back next time for Lesson 4, where we will tackle the wild world of "Differences in Color" (CMYK vs. RGB vs. Pantone)!