Both Mac and PC file formats are acceptable.

Supported Programs:
Adobe Illustrator (must be created in Illustrator)
Adobe Photoshop
Corel Draw

Submitting Artwork:
You can submit artwork to Jolliffe Signs by either emailing us or by sending us a CD (mac or pc format) with the artwork and all supporting files to:

Jolliffe Signs
50 Atlantic Court,
London, Ontario Canada N5V 5H7
Attn: Sign Graphics Department

Supported Formats:
vector or line art (*.ai, *.eps, *.wmf, *.cdr)
image file (jpeg, tiff, bmp), 200 dpi or greater

Scanned Images:
Scan in as 300dpi at desired size

Fonts:
Convert all fonts to outlines, or provide font(s)
associated with file (PC ONLY). Please supply font names.

Color Visibility Chart - Ranked from most visible to least visible from a distance. 

Letter Visibility Chart

 

File formats Jolliffe Signs can accept

JPEG and TIFF are the best formats for photos, while PDF files are the best for images with a lot of text. AI or EPS files, created in a drawing program, are recommended for logos that will be enlarged a lot for banners or posters. (If you only have access to a small web image, we may be able to recreate an enlargeable version of your logo for a modest design charge.) We also accept Adobe Photoshop PSD, PNG and digital camera RAW files.

Once submitted, images for photos and posters will be brought to full size and the resolution increased to 300 dpi before printing. Banner images are sized and generally set to 150 dpi.

Raster images (TIFF, JPEG, PNG) print with the highest quality if they are submitted at a size that is 1/3 of the final size or larger. Vector images (AI, EPS) are able to enlarge cleanly at least six times. When evaluating the size you need to submit, keep both resolution and final print size in mind.

Use and Preparation of File Types

Preferred File Types:

TIFF (TIF) files are excellent for any kind of photo or image because they maintain quality. Save them with LZW compression, which minimizes file size but does not degrade image quality.

If you have manipulated an image, or have many layers, you can print with maximum quality and minimize file size this way:

1. Bring the file to 1/3 final size or larger (including resolution). There is no reason to save TIFF files for printing at more than 300 dpi, as it takes up more file space, but does not have a visible effect on the printed product.
2. Flatten the layers (i.e, save with without layers)
3. Save with LZW compression.

JPEG (JPG) files, especially files directly from your camera, can produce excellent prints.

• Set your camera to produce its best quality image (largest file size), saved with best quality ("fine" or "superfine" or equivalent).
• If you manipulate or crop an image in any way, be sure to save it at print resolution (300 dpi) with maximum quality (large file size), or save it as a TIFF.

Default settings on many image or email programs assume that you are saving a JPEG for email or web pages. These programs shrink the picture, and make the file size smaller for quick download. It looks good on your computer screen, but this process permanently removes detail, and introduces noise (compression artifacts) that cannot be removed. Small web and email images generally do not enlarge well as a result of this process.

PDF files work very well for images that mix text and graphics, or are just text. The text retains its ability to enlarge very cleanly, and we do not need to have the font on our system.

• When saving as a PDF from a drawing program (especially CorelDraw), be sure to save text as lines, not as a font.
• Make sure that the print boundaries are marked in some way so that we know what you intend to print. We normally will cut to the color, or obvious design. Please include special instructions or crop lines if this is not the case.
• PDF format is not recommended for images that contain only photos, as the photos may lose quality. Submit photos as JPEGs or TIFFs.

Vector files created with a drawing program--Adobe Illustrator AI or EPS, Photoshop EPS files--enlarge cleanly at least six times and are an excellent way to submit logos for banners or large posters.

• Embed fonts and photos used in the file, or send us the font files and photos separately.
• Use high-resolution photos.
• When using Adobe Illustrator, be sure that the art board box contains your entire image. Also, be sure to save the image as PDF compatible.
• Low-resolution JPEG (raster) images saved as EPS (or any other vector type) files still will not enlarge well because the image does not have any more information than it did before. The file must be created as a drawing to benefit from the vector file type.
• Vector files can be very large for complex, high-resolution designs, and may exceed the Jolliffe Signs upload size limits. If you run into this problem, consider converting the design to a TIFF for printing purposes.

Other formats we accept:

PNG files can produce excellent prints if the image was created at high resolution. They are best for images with large areas of the same color, such as clip art. PNG is not recommended for photos or images with color gradients because color gradients will be converted to bands of similar colors. The images are compressed with no loss of quality.

Photoshop PSD files can enlarge well.

• Make sure photos in the file are high resolution.
• Be sure to send along any font files that are unique to your design, or save the file as a PDF.
• If the file size is too large to conveniently upload, bring it to 1/3 final size, flatten it, and save as a TIF with LZW compression. It should be considerably smaller.

Digital Camera RAW files are saved by the camera in 12- to 16-bit pixel images without any camera adjustments applied. Raw files have much more pixel data than 8 bit JPEG files. Adobe Photoshop Bridge, which we use, can import RAW files from most cameras and convert the files to high-resolution TIFF & JPEG formats. Jolliffe Signs will adjust the raw files to give you the best color and brightness possible.

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Basic File Types

There are two basic types of image files: raster and vector. The type of file you have will determine the degree to which it can be enlarged. If you just need to know how to prepare the image you have, go to Use and Preparation of File Types.

Raster files are the most common. Images are composed of dots, or pixels, of different colors and intensity--you'll see this kind of image all the time in the newspaper. Andy Warhol made it popular in art. Camera files are made this way, as are most internet images. The number of dots, or pixels, and the number per inch (dpi) determine the amount of detail and the total amount of information in the image. If there is a lot of information, we can enlarge a lot. If there isn't much, or if it's been lost when saving for the web or email, we can't put the information back, even if we increase the number of dots per inch.

Common file extensions: TIFF, TIF, JPEG, JPG, PNG, BMP

Vector files are mathematical descriptions of an image created by a drawing program. If you see them in the drawing program, they look like a bunch of dots connected by lines. Because these are basically a collection of mathematical equations, they can be enlarged many times over and remain sharp.

Common file extensions: AI, EPS, CDR

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Proofs

Jolliffe Signs can provide proofs when needed. These are the basic types:

Quality Proof
Sent when there are concerns about the ability of an image to enlarge.

Description and Use: The image is enlarged electronically to final size and resolution. An an 8 x 10 section is cropped out of the image and saved as a PDF. Print on letter-sized paper. Stand back to your anticipated viewing distance to evaluate the quality.

Crop (or Stretch) Proof
Sent when the ordered dimensions do not match the natural size of the image, and cropping or stretching will significantly change its appearance. Jolliffe Signs does not normally send crop proofs if a crop is minor and obvious.

Description and Use: The image is brought to size and cropped (or stretched). A small version is saved as a JPEG View on a monitor.

Design Proof
Sent when we are changing your image--adding text, changing the layout, putting several elements together, or designing your print from scratch.

Description and Use: This proof is meant to show layout, and will not be full size or final resolution. View on a monitor.

Physical Proof
Rarely sent. If you need one, your order may take extra time, and there may be a charge.
If you need to see an example of a product or media type, please ask for a free sample.

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Sending pictures by mail
Customers with very slow Internet connections or files that exceed the upload file size limitations can send their files to Jolliffe Signs by Mail or any other common carrier. You may send as many files as you like.

Copy your files to a single folder on a CD, CDRW, DVD or DVDRW disk.
Jolliffe Signs will not begin to process your order until we receive your files. Your media will not be returned unless requested.

You may also send prints to be scanned. Mark the back of each print with a name and address and protect them from damage during shipment. Always place prints or slides between two heavy pieces of cardboard to protect them from bending or damage. Be sure to send your files and prints by a traceable common carrier. Your prints will be returned to you upon request.

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Posters
Posters are often created on software programs like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, Corel Draw, Microsoft Publisher or other software tools. Your selection of the size of the poster in the poster Customize tool is dependent on your image size.

To make a 24” x30” poster then you will need to upload a 24”x30” image or an image that can be scaled to match the poster size. I.e. An image that is 8” x 10” can be scaled to fit a 24” x 30” poster. If the scaling is slightly off in one-dimension then Jolliffe Signs graphics technicians can either stretch to fit or crop to fit the poster size.

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Mega poster
A picture can be printed to any size you want, even as large as a wall. Jolliffe Signs technicians can enlarge a high resolution image into panels that will be seamed together to form a mega-poster. Each panel is printed as a part of the whole image with an overlap to seam the image together. Panels are limited to the width of the media and, if mounted, to the size of the mounting board (approximately 48”x96”). Mounted panels can be seamless and pressed together to form a single picture or treated as independent elements in a collage.

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Mounting and laminating
Posters are printed on water resistant media using UV pigmented inks. Protecting the poster from the abuse of constant handling, water, light and fingerprints requires lamination. Lamination is a clear thin plastic coating applied to the image by using pressure and heat. We offer satin, gloss, or pebble-finish lamination. Gloss is considered to bring out colors best, while satin looks great with somewhat less glare. The pebble-finish lamination is preferred when a non-glare surface is needed (such as posters with a lot of text).

Mounting is the process of bonding the poster to a backing board, which provides rigidity to the image and is a simple way to hang a poster on the wall without framing. You have a choice of foam core or the more rigid gator board. Choose black or white board which ever looks best with your Poster. Gator board is a good choice for posters that will be hung on the wall. The poster is less likely to warp.

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Printing Banners

Choose a standard banner size.
Standard banners are based on our most popular sizes of banners. The actual printed width is 0.5” less than the media width. A 24” x 48” banner has a printable area of 23.5” x 48". 
Jolliffe Signs leaves a 0.25” border on the print unless you request full bleed in the special instructions.

Or, Choose a custom banner size by entering the size in inches.
Jolliffe Signs can print banners on most media up to 50" wide by many feet long. We can also create larger banners by seaming panels together to meet your specifications. A seam charge will be added to your order based on the length of the seam and material requirements.
Standard banner media widths are 24”, 36", 42”, 50" and 60”. Not all media types are available in all sizes.

Banner orientation( portrait or landscape) is based on the image or the design not the print size.
A 24x48 print can be either a horizontal or vertical hanging banner.
The image determines the orientation, however you can choose how you want to hang the banner in the finishing options.

Banner Media
Choose the media that best fits your application. Economy TR Matte & Economy Scrim Vinyl are the cheapest and best choice for short-term outdoor banners. Scrim Vinyl is the best choice for long-term outdoor applications and those requiring the best image quality. Laminate the banner for longer outdoor protection from fading due to UV light or to keep it clean while handling. Lamination also makes the media more durable in windy areas. Tyvek, Canvas Matte, Fabric Polyester & Economy Satin Cloth are excellent indoor  hanging banners. They may be used outdoors for short periods of time.

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Banner Finishing options

Finishing options include banner ups, Holdons, grommets, hemming and pole pockets. Fabric Polyester should be hemmed to prevent the fibers from unraveling. Grommets are brass rings inserted into the media at intervals every 24” to hang the banner. Grommet spacing depends on media weight and banner length; however grommets are in all corners and no more than 36” apart along the top of the banner. Grommets come in brass, nickel and black.
Grommets and hemming are recommended for banners hung outdoors for long periods of time.
Pole pockets are used to hang banners from fixed positions such as lamp posts or over entryways where the banner is to be permanently hung on support poles. The standard pole pocket is designed to fit a 2” diameter pole. Choose the position of the pole pockets and add any special instructions if you want larger pockets.

Banners are typically larger than a poster and often stretched over a building or backdrop and supported by ropes, fasteners or pole pockets to a frame. Hemming a banner prevents the material from fraying and provides additional strength to reinforce the grommets. Pole pockets are used to support the banner on a frame with support rods. The pocket is a 2” fold that will fit a 1” diameter rod.

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Mega banner
A banner can be printed to any size you want, even as long as 100'. Jolliffe Signs technicians can enlarge a high resolution image into panels that will be seamed together to form a mega banner. Each panel is printed as a part of the whole image with an overlap to seam the image together. Panels are limited to the width of the media and distance the panel is to be stretched.

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Tips & Tricks

Digital camera tips
The resolution of your digital camera is determined by its pixel rating. I.e. 1.2 MB, 2.1 MB, 3.2 MB pixels etc. A digital camera rated at 2.1 mega pixel has a maximum resolution of 1600 by 1200 Pixels. Printing the picture at a resolution of 100 dpi, the print size would be 16”x 12”. A 5 Mb pixel camera will produce an image resolution of 2600 x 1950 which again translates to a print size of 26” x 19.5” when printed at 100 DPI.

Higher resolution images, 5 MB or more can produce large prints without the loss of clarity. The more pixels Jolliffe Signs has to work with the better the results.

Jolliffe Signs uses advanced Photoshop tools to enlarge your images and increase the resolution. A 1600 by 1200 pixels at 72dpi can be converted to a 1600 by 1200 300 dpi thus improving the image quality and allowing larger print sizes.

Most Cameras have a selectable resolution mode, such as Good, Better and Best. Newer cameras state the resolution in terms of size file. Some even have a very high quality mode using RAW files or Tiff files. Be sure you know what image quality setting is on your camera before you take those unforgettable prints.

You can usually tell from the number of shots available on the storage card what image size you have selected. If you have very few shots available on a blank card, chances are you are in the highest quality mode.

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Scanning tips

When scanning an image for the internet or for email, or even to make small prints, your scanner’s default settings are usually sufficient. When scanning to make a large print, though, you will probably need to figure out how to change the resolution and the file type and quality for saving.

There are three important considerations when scanning an original print, negative or slide for enlargement.

• Make sure the scanner glass and your original material are clean. Use glass cleaner on the scanner glass, and remove the dust from the glass and original print, slide or negative. Use a spray can with compressed air or a lint-free cloth.
• Match the scanning resolution to the material and enlargement. Most prints should be scanned at 600 dpi,
  and most slides or negatives at 1200 dpi or 2400 dpi. Using these resolutions, you will usually be able to
  produce a good quality 24 x 36 (possibly larger) print out of a good quality 4 x 6 original, or 35 mm negative.
• Save the scan as a TIFF image with LZW compression, or as a maximum quality JPEG (large file size, or no compression). Using those file types and conditions will maintain the quality of your scan.

A good scan will produce a large file. If your file is much larger than expected, or you run out of memory when saving the file, check your scan settings. You may have scanned the entire scanner bed rather than the small area of the 4 x 6 photo you wanted. Your scanner help files can help you limit the scan area.

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How to check your image for enlargement quality

Jolliffe Signs will check every image for its ability to make a satisfactory enlargement at the dimensions you've requested. You can do some of these tests before you send the image.

If you have Photoshop or a similar program, bring the image to final size and print resolution. Photos and posters are printed at 300 dpi, and banners at 150 dpi. Set rulers to inches, and zoom into your image until the inch marks on the rulers are about 1" apart. This is quite close to real size, and what you see is what the print will look like.

Look for:

• Correct dimensions. Does your image need cropping, stretching or borders to reach the size you need? Please make those adjustments, or let us know what you would like to do.
• Sharpness. Are your edges sharp or fuzzy? Is the subject of your photo in focus? Is text sharp, or does it
  have jagged edges?
  (If the image is sharp when zoomed out a little, and also sharp when zoomed in a little more, you may have a rendering error, not a bad image. The monitor screen has trouble showing certain resolutions.)
• Noise. Are solid areas very speckly, or divided into little squares? Do edges have squiggly lines around them?
  If so, you probably have camera noise, or artifacting from JPEG compression. Those are difficult to remove.
  You may want to print at a smaller size where these problems are less apparent.

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