Design Guide
Download The Run Digital Design Guide as a PDF
If you have any questions about how to properly build a file for large format output, please get in touch with us. If your project is being produced on specialized materials, please ask us how the material may impact your design. Clarifying a small detail at the start of a project can often prevent production headaches that may be encountered as your project moves through our shop.
RESOLUTION Guidelines
- Long viewing distances (billboards, etc.) - 35 DPI @ Final Size.
- Medium viewing distances (vehicle graphics, large banners, etc.) - 100 DPI @ Final Size.
- Short viewing distances (posters, trade show graphics, etc.) - 150 DPI @ Final Size.
- As a general rule of thumb, a flattened, properly built print file should rarely be over 150 Mb.
ACCEPTABLE File Types
- Adobe Illustrator CS5 (.ai or .eps)
- Adobe InDesign CS5 (.indd)
- Adobe Photoshop CS5 (.tif, .psb or .psd)
- Adobe Acrobat (.pdf - press quality)
- Quark 7.2 (.qxd)
UNACCEPTABLE File Types
- Microsoft Word (.doc)
- Microsoft Excel (.xls)
- Microsoft Power Point (.ppt)
- Microsoft Publisher (.pub)
- Other Formats (.cdr, .bmp, .png, .pict, .exe, .cad, etc.)
ACCEPTABLE Compression
- Stuffit (.sit)
- Self Extracting Archive (.sea)
- Winzip (.zip)
Additional Suggestions and Reminders
- Please include ALL of your fonts or convert fonts to curves / outlines wherever possible.
- Be sure to send us all fonts used or convert fonts to outlines.
- If possible, create files at final size with appropriate resolution.
- If file is too large to create at final size, let us know what scale you've used (1:4, 1:8, etc.).
- Spec all critical colors to appropriate Pantone values (pantone solid coated).
- Please note that not all Pantone colors can be accurately matched when printing CMYK.
- Clients are responsible for proofing their jobs prior to printing.
- RUN Digital is not responsible for clients' spelling or creative mistakes.
Prepress Contact: Shaun Lawton (403) 291-9786 | shaun@rundigital.ca