Graphic Specifications

For U.S. Label and The Darcy Group

We Can Help

(330) 633-4700

Ext. 3008

The Darcy Group and U.S. Label are equal opportunity employers.

Our in-house design and production capabilities deliver completely integrated and comprehensive design and production solutions to clients internationally.

As a full service company, we overcome typical operational and vendor communication problems by providing a "Turn-Key" approach to our clients' marketing and branding needs.


	We will determine your goals to guarantee the quality that will improve the market position of your organization. By completing proper planning and drafting, we will ensure your product is professional.

From Conception to Plate:

Our Macintosh-based graphic department can develop label art for you or prepare supplied electronic art for print. We can assure you of quality control and fast response using our in-house film development and plate making systems. Do you have an emergency change in the specifications for a job? It won't be a problem. We can change your art, process the film, make the plates and have your job back on press in a matter of hours.

Design and Duplication Services

We have complete in-house capabilities. In our electronic prepress department, graphic professionals are ready to work one-on-one with you to create a new design or bring your existing design to fruition.

Do you need a simple typesetting job or a complicated art layout? We have an experienced, efficient staff to provide you with complete graphic services. Our art department is pleased to work directly with you or your staff to assist in meeting your exact specifications.

Need a design? We can provide it. Our artists have created all sorts of designs for different applications in various shapes and sizes. Just bring us your ideas and our artists will create a design for you. Do you have an old label but no original artwork? Our artists can recreate your original label and provide new original artwork with any updates and changes you may need.

Your design is finished, but can it be printed? Our artists can adapt your art to the flexographic printing process.

Our artists excel in providing quality artwork, which results in a high quality label for you.

Our technicians are versed in standards.

If you wish, we can correct spelling errors and flaws in your information.

We will help you maintain accuracy and consistency in your product claims.

If you have an existing label, we can duplicate it.

If an artist has created a design for you, we can get it ready for press.

If you have a basic concept, we can help you make it a reality.

If you have no idea where to start, we can guide you through the process.


v

Your company's interests

are in our best interest.

Our success is linked with your ability to sell your product.

Ultimately, our goal is to make your U.S. Label/Darcy Experience satisfying and profitable.

That's the way we earn our living.

This Is What We Prefer

(Results in the least delay and highest quality)

This Is What We Can Use

(If you don't mind delay or reduced quality)

Macintosh File Format

PC File Format

Macromedia Freehand (up to version 10)

We have found this to be the most practical software for quickly generating vector print images, manual trapping and stepping (when applicable).

Adobe Illustrator (up to version 10)

We know this to be the best software when a job includes complex gradients and transparencies.

Adobe Photoshop (up to version 7)

This is the best all-around software for generating and manipulating raster images.

Other Authoring Software

If you must use software not listed above, please export your files to a format we can use directly. See the list to the right.

	CorelDraw (and other vector tools) - Export to Illustrator (up to version 10) format with an ".ai" extension.
	Raster graphics authoring tools such as Paint Shop Pro - Save the files in Photoshop format with a ".psd" extension.
	Please do not send art created with Microsoft Publisher or other desktop publishing programs that use the MS Word Art standards. This will result in a substantial conversion delay.

Disks

Disk Types Not Shown

Always send a copy of your files, do not send us your original files.

We can deal with practically any disk type on an "emergency" basis. Naturally, art sent on any other media will result in conversion and processing delays.

CD-ROM - Macintosh format

The following non-Macintosh formats result in the shortest delays:

DVD - Macintosh format

CD-ROM - PC format

100mb Zip Disk - Macintosh format

3.5" Diskette - PC format

Our Art Department is Macintosh based. Although the rest of our network is Windows based, it is best to send files on media with formats native to Macintosh.

Images

Photoshop images should be sent at full size with a minimum resolution of 300 pixels/inch (no scaling or cropping).

Don't send low resolution (72 dpi) scans or photos (such as the images found on internet pages).

It is relatively easy to lower an image's resolution, scale it it a smaller size or crop the image. it is much more difficult to increase the quality of a low-quality image or restore a scaled or cropped image to its original size and quality.

These are not intended for high-quality flexographic printing.

Images should be CMYK (not RGB)

RGB is ideal for the Internet or simple display on computer monitors. It doesn't translate easily or accurately to the CMYK format required for printing. Sending your images in CMYK format will avoid a time-consuming (and error-prone) conversion process.

No embedded images.

Embedding your images will make it difficult for us to optimize them for press. Also, embedded images do not always translate well across software versions and system platforms.

Fonts

Fonts should be 5 pt. or larger.

Larger fonts print better and are easier for consumers to read.

Avoid fine reverse type. If type is reversed, it should be bold. The print quality will be better.

Fine reversed type and lines tend to "fill in" during the plate making and printing processes. We can adjust for this, but it may be at the expense of other areas of the label - such as the fine solid areas.

Avoid process builds on type smaller than 12 pt.

Type built from a combination of colors is composed of a pattern of dots. Small type may become illegible when there aren't enough dots in the text area to represent the curves and straight lines in the text letters.

If revisions are to be made (it is rare when they aren't), fonts should be included with the images on disk. Include all fonts (both printer and screen fonts) used in your artwork.

If your art is sent with outlined text, you can expect a delay when we re-set your type to allow changes.

Outlined text (text converted to paths to avoid the need for the correct fonts) is not editable. If even one of the words is misspelled or you wish to change the wording, we must find the correct font and recreate the text in order to make the required changes.

Lines / Rules

Minimum .5 point. For reverse lines/rules, .75 point minimum is recommended.

See the note on type size recommendations, listed above.

Image Area

Maintain 1/16 inch margins from the dieline for all art, unless it is intentional bleed.

Colors

Five color maximum.

Six color maximum plus varnish.

Specify required PMS colors on spot color artwork.

Screens / Tints / Gradients

Screens may range from 100% to a minimum of 4%.

Values below 4% may not reproduce correctly and will deteriorate the quality of your print job.

Image Area

Maintain 1/16” margin from die line for all art, unless it is an intentional bleed.

Trapping

We prefer to do our own trapping. If you must trap, follow these guidelines:

	Black: set to overprint all other colors.
	Colors: All traps should be set to a minimum of .5 pt. Please spread the lighter color into the darker color. When in doubt, let us do the trapping!

Bleed

Standard: 1/16 inch beyond the dieline or crop marks.

Original Art / Scans / Text

Please include placed graphics and photographs on your disk. Scan resolution should be a minimum of 250 dpi at final scale.
When supplying paragraphs of text converted to curves or rasterized into a bitmap format, please include original text (.txt) files on your disk.

Nutrition Facts

Please contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the requirements of your particular product. (Or visit fda.gov).

Barcodes / UPCs

We prefer to create our own barcodes. They have a proven track record for scanability. Just indicate their position and size with an area marked "UPC FPO" (For Position Only). We will take it from there.

If you insist on us using your supplied barcodes, remember that bar width reduction should be at .002 inch when created at 80% and .003 inch at 100%. We cannot guarantee scanability of barcodes smaller than 80%.

Dies

Please ask a Sales or Customer Service representative about the available in-house die shapes and sizes. If you have additional requirements, custom dies will be created for you (prices vary).