F.A.Q.

Yes. Our team can take your project from concept and design through printing, sign installation, and mailing or fulfillment, so you have one partner and one point of contact instead of juggling multiple vendors.

A print-ready file is artwork that has been properly prepared for commercial printing and can move into production without significant changes or adjustments. A properly prepared file helps make sure your project is produced accurately, efficiently, and with the quality you expect.

We use a PDF-based workflow. A high-quality PDF created with the right print settings is the preferred way to submit artwork.

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. It is the standard for reliably sharing electronic documents. When created correctly, a PDF preserves the fonts, images, graphics, and layout of your original file, no matter what program or computer was used to create it.

Exact requirements can vary by product, but a print-ready file generally includes:

• The correct finished size
• High-resolution images and graphics suitable for the final printed size
• Bleed, if artwork or color extends to the edge
• A safe area that keeps important text and logos away from the trim edge
• Proper color setup for commercial printing
• Fonts and artwork prepared correctly
• A high-quality PDF created with print settings

Contact our team and we’ll help you.

• Finished size: Your document, page, or artboard is set to the finished size of the piece.
• Bleed: If anything prints to the edge, you’ve added 0.125" bleed on all sides and extended the artwork into it.
• Safe area: Important text and logos are at least 0.125" inside the trim edge.
• Images and color: Images are high-resolution for the final size, and you’re using CMYK color when available.
• Fonts and links: All fonts are active, and all linked images and graphics are present and up to date.

Open the PDF and verify the page size, page count, crop marks, bleed, and overall image and text quality before you submit it.

Submit the front and back as a two-page PDF, or as two separate PDF files that are clearly named and grouped together.

Bleed is extra color, usually 0.125", that extends beyond the finished size of your piece. We print the piece oversized and trim it down, so the color runs right off the edge instead of leaving white borders.

Set bleed to 0.125" (1/8") on all sides, unless our team tells you otherwise for your project.

No. Turning on bleed at export doesn’t create missing artwork. Your backgrounds, images, or colors must actually extend into the bleed area in your design file.

The safe area is the zone at least 0.125" inside the finished edge of your piece. Trimming can vary slightly, so keep all important text, logos, and design elements inside this area.

Crop marks are small marks at the corners of a page that show where it will be trimmed. They should be offset from the finished trim area so they don’t appear on the finished piece.

Yes, crop marks are still helpful. They allow us to cut your piece to its final size.

There will be some differences. Screens display color using red, green, and blue (RGB). Most full-color commercial printing uses cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK). Monitor settings and calibration can also affect how colors appear on your screen.

Use CMYK whenever it’s available. RGB is intended for screens.

RGB artwork can usually be printed, but it may be converted to CMYK during production. Some colors may shift because CMYK can’t reproduce the full range of colors you see on a screen.

Very bright or saturated colors, especially bright blues, reds, and greens, as well as dark colors.

Design with CMYK values when possible and review a proof before printing.

A spot color is a specially mixed ink applied on the press, rather than a mix of the four process colors. Spot colors can be more vibrant and can include special inks, such as neon or metallic, that process inks can’t match. AlphaGraphics uses the Pantone Matching System (PMS), where each color has a unique number and mixing formula.

Some color shifting will occur. Check the Pantone Bridge color books to make sure your chosen spot colors will reproduce closely in CMYK.

For most printed pieces, images should be at least 300 DPI at the final printed size. Larger projects viewed from a distance may have different requirements, but the file still needs to be reviewed before production.

Website images are often too small or too compressed for quality printing. Low-resolution images can print blurry or pixelated.

Scan at least 300 DPI at 100% of the finished size.

Screens use pixels that emit light, while printers use ink on paper. Print quality depends on how many pixels the file has compared to the final printed size. An image that looks great as a small graphic may become blurry, soft, or pixelated when enlarged for a poster, banner, or sign.

A raster image, also called a bitmap, is made of pixels. Common formats include .jpg, .png, and .gif. Raster images work well for photographs, but when enlarged too far, the individual pixels become visible.

A vector image uses mathematical points and paths instead of pixels, so it can be enlarged and still keep smooth edges. Vectors work best for typography, line art, logos, and illustrations.

Use vector artwork for logos, icons, and type whenever possible. A raster image is usually the better choice for photos or shaded drawings.

Make sure all fonts are active before exporting. In Adobe Illustrator, convert all text to outlines before saving your PDF.

Yes. Once text is outlined, it can no longer be edited. Save a copy under a new name first, so you keep an editable version with live text.

1. Confirm the document is at the finished size, bleed is set to 0.125" on all sides, fonts are active, and links are up to date.
2. Go to File > Export and choose Adobe PDF (Print).
3. Start with the High Quality Print preset.
4. In the Marks and Bleeds tab, turn on crop marks and set bleed to 0.125" on all sides.
5. Leave Output, Advanced, and Security at their defaults.
6. Click Export.

Yes. Once your settings are selected, save them as a preset, for example “Print Ready PDF with Bleeds.” Next time, just select that preset.

1. Confirm the artboard is the finished size, bleed is set to 0.125", and important elements are at least 0.125" inside the trim.
2. Convert text to outlines with Select > All, then Type > Create Outlines. Save an editable copy first.
3. Go to File > Save As and choose Adobe PDF.
4. Start with the High Quality Print preset.
5. In the Marks and Bleeds tab, turn on trim marks and set bleed to 0.125" on all sides.
6. Leave Output, Advanced, and Security at their defaults.
7. Click Save PDF.

Photoshop doesn’t handle bleed or crop marks the way InDesign and Illustrator do, so you build the bleed into the canvas. Extend the canvas 0.125" beyond each finished edge, making it 0.25" wider and 0.25" taller than the finished size. Keep text and essential elements out of the bleed area.

1. Build the bleed into the canvas as described above.
2. Set the file to CMYK with Image > Mode > CMYK Color.
3. Flatten the design from the Layers panel menu with Flatten Image.
4. Go to File > Save As and choose Photoshop PDF.
5. Start with the High Quality Print preset.
6. Leave Output and Security at their defaults.
7. Click Save PDF.

Go to File and select Show Print Bleed. Extend any background, photo, or color that should print to the edge all the way to the bleed line, so there are no white gaps. Turning on crop marks and bleed when downloading won’t create bleed if the artwork hasn’t been extended.

1. Confirm your design was created at the finished size, with important elements at least 0.125" inside the trim edge.
2. Click Share or the Download icon in the upper right.
3. Under File Type, choose PDF and select the Print preset.
4. Under Color Profile, choose CMYK if it’s available.
5. Check Crop Marks and Bleed.
6. For multi-page designs, use Select Pages to choose the pages you want.
7. Click Download.

Yes, but it isn’t always ready for commercial printing. Most AI images are created for digital viewing, not professional print production. A file may look sharp on screen and still lack the resolution, color setup, bleed, transparency, or editable structure needed for print.

Not always. What matters is how many pixels the file has compared to its final printed size.

• Low actual resolution at the final print size
• RGB color instead of CMYK
• No bleed, trim area, or safe zone
• Blurry details or soft edges when enlarged
• Text built into the image instead of editable text
• Artificially upscaled images without true detail
• Flattened backgrounds instead of transparent ones
• Small distortions or artifacts that are more noticeable in print

Review it very carefully. AI can create letters, numbers, or words that look right on screen but aren’t actually readable or accurate. Text generated as part of the image usually can’t be edited and may need to be recreated before printing.

• Create or export at the largest size available, and avoid screenshots, thumbnails, previews, or compressed downloads.
• Check that the image is at least 300 DPI at the final print size.
• Use CMYK color whenever it’s available.
• Add at least 0.125" bleed if the artwork goes to the edge, and keep important details inside the safe zone.
• Use vector artwork for logos, icons, and type.
• Ask for a transparent background if the artwork will be placed over another color or image.
• Zoom in on faces, hands, text, patterns, and edges before submitting.

You can try this one:
“I am sending this artwork to AlphaGraphics for commercial printing. Create it at the largest available dimensions and highest available quality. Avoid placing text in the image unless necessary, and use a transparent background where appropriate.”

A prompt can’t guarantee a print-ready file, so always check the resolution at print size, the color, the bleed, and the overall quality before submitting.

• Finished size: 3.5" x 2"
• With bleed: 3.75" x 2.25"
• Safe area: 3.25" x 1.75"

• With bleed: 8.75" x 11.25"
• Safe area: 8.25" x 10.75"

• With bleed: 5.75" x 8.75"
• Safe area: 5.25" x 8.25"

The finished size is 11" x 8.5" flat, or 11.25" x 8.75" with bleed. The panels aren’t all the same width, because the inside flap folds in.

• Outside, from left to right: Inside Flap 3.625", Back 3.6875", Front 3.6875"
• Inside, from left to right: Inside Left 3.6875", Inside Center 3.6875", Inside Right 3.625"

Keep important text and design elements at least 0.125" away from both sides of each fold.

• 6" x 4": 6.25" x 4.25" with bleed, safe area 5.75" x 3.75"
• 8.5" x 5.5": 8.75" x 5.75" with bleed, safe area 8.25" x 5.25"

The artwork must meet current USPS requirements, including a clear area for the address and barcode. Our templates show a 4" x 2.5" area in the lower right that must be left blank. Check current USPS guidelines for mailing specifications.

Yes. We install all types of sign projects, both indoor and outdoor. AlphaGraphics Las Vegas Central holds a State of Nevada contractor’s license for outdoor signage installation. Our team handles your project from production through professional installation, so you work with one company from start to finish.

Yes, and site surveys are free. For signage and installed projects, we’ll visit your site to take measurements before design begins. This makes sure everything we produce fits your space exactly.

Once you approve your quote, we require a 50% deposit before production begins. Your proof approval and deposit together set your production timeline in motion.

Yes, for established clients. A charge account requires a regular history of work with us and a completed credit application, including a personal guarantee. Clients with an approved charge account aren’t required to pay a deposit.