File Preparation

Download our file preparation package and make preparing your business cards for print easy:

Vermillion Silk File Prep Package Download: Includes PSD and AI templates, PDF export preset, and file prep guide

Vermillion Silk File Prep Package Vermillion Silk File Prep Package (932 KB)


Current as of: 03/18/2024
luxury business card file preparation guide

1. What type of files can I upload to Vermillion Silk when placing an order?

We recommend your final artwork saving as a .PDF file for best quality. You may also send the file in .JPG format. Remember to flatten files and convert fonts to outlines/curves before uploading. Make sure that all colors used are CMYK (no RGB or Pantone "spot" colors). Download our file preparation package above and this will be preconfigured for you, or take a look at our interactive checklist for file preparation.

2. What resolution should my file be?

Vermillion Silk accepts only high resolution files. Please ensure that any bitmaps, images or raster effects are at least 300dpi. We print at a resolution many times higher than 300dpi, and if you provide images below our required standards it will show in the final product.

3. How should I set up my bleed and file dimensions?

We make file setup easy. Download our file prep package and you won't need to setup anything, just start designing. If you do want to setup a file yourself, simply set your document size to 3.625"x2.125" (for standard cut cards) or to 3.5"x2" with 0.125" of bleed. Cards will be cut to a finished size of 3.5"x2". We recommend using our preparation template because it will provide you with guidelines for bleed, cut, and a safe area. If you want to print using one of our custom sizes (2.5"x2.5", 3.5"x1.5"), these are included in our preparation templates as well.

print bleed setup guide

Download our file preparation package to ensure your file matches these guidelines. 

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4. How should I set up a Foil Stamping or Spot UV order?

When creating a Foil or Spot UV order, You must include an additional mask file(s) along with the regular full color ink files. This mask template file is used to show our presses where foil or UV will be placed. Use exactly 100% K (C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:100) to indicate where you would like the foil or uv added. White will indicate no UV. Spot UV or foil mask files are always uploaded as a separate file. 

Raised Spot UV has the same setup as flat Spot UV, with two important exceptions: Raised Spot UV mask files should be setup as vector shapes for best quality and Raised Spot UV should not fill more than 30% of the business card surface or there is potential for your cards to stick together.

spot uv preparation guide

To setup a foil stamp or raised foil mask on your cards you can use the same technique shown in the image above, except that foil silver and gold foil stamping elements should be present in the mask file only since they aren't necessary to be added in ink under the foil. Using the example image above, if we wanted to stamp the "Optic" logo in silver, gold or copper foil we would leave the logo off of the front ink file shown in the image, and include the logo as C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:100 in the mask file on the right (Note: CMYK foil orders would leave the logo on the ink file, just like the setup for spot UV). The image below shows how a foil mask file and ink file would be combined to create either a foil or raised foil business card.

foil business card preparation guide

5. What kind of Foil cards can I order?

We offer 3 types of foil, traditional foil stamped silk cards, CMYK foil cards and raised foil suede cards. Each order can only have one type of foil, flat foil, raised foil, or CMYK foil. You cannot order a Foil card with raised gold foil on the front and CMYK foil on the back. Foil mask files are set up just like the Spot UV mask files. The file can only be black (C:0 M:0 Y:0 K:100) and white. Black in the areas you want the foil and white in the areas you do not want the foil. If you order a Foil job with Spot UV, you must provide separate mask files for the Foil (foil mask) and UV (spot uv mask), in that case up to 4-6 files will need to be provided. Foil and UV can't overlap so keep them at least 1/16" away from each other in your design.

Please be careful using extremely small / fine text or fonts for foil objects. Foil elements must be at least 2 pixels wide/tall to successfully imprint on your card. For best results, please make sure that foil coverage is less than 50% of the artwork area. Also, be aware that there may be up to 1/16" shift on the placement of the foil. Keep this in mind if you are trying to align foil with other printed artwork on the card. For examples of detailed foil work take a look at our gallery.

CMYK foil is a process different than our foil stamping. CMYK foil files should be setup similar to spot uv since the foil will be placed under the ink areas to pick up the colors in the ink (as opposed to foil and raised foil which should not have foil elements appearing in the ink files). To learn more about it read our FAQ.

6. Can my final artwork have ink, foil or spot UV borders?

Yes, but it is not recommended. If the border is too close to our cutline, it may be cut off-center slightly. Straight borders around a card exaggerate the effect of normal cutting inconsistencies. 

7. What is rich black and how can I get it?

Rich black is an ink mixture of solid black, 100% K, with additional ink values. This results in a darker tone than black ink alone. If you print black alone as 100% K, the resulting black may not be as dark as you might like. To make sure you're using rich black in your design, use the following CMYK values: or C: 60% M: 40% Y:40% K:100%.

8. Can I submit a front, back and masks in the same file?

No, you must upload each side and mask as a separate file for our system to correctly match up what artwork goes on which side.

9. Can a proof or sample file from my designer be used for printing?

A low resolution proof is not a print-ready file and should not be sent in addition to the file you want printed. Unless requested by one of our team members, DO NOT upload files that you do not want printed.

10. What is overprint, and how can it ruin a file?

Primarily used to intentionally overlap inks for a number of reasons, overprint can cause unexpected results. We suggest that all overprint objects are turned off before submitting the files. Always check artwork included in the file before submitting.

11. How can I make sure my blues do not come out purple?

When using a blue in your design, always make sure to leave at least a 30% difference in your Cyan and Magenta values. This is an important trick to remember for any printer. Even properly calibrated computer displays will render blues differently than the mixture cyan and magenta in print. 

12. I'm ready, where do I upload my files?

After placing your order through our site you will be directed to your account page where you can upload files. If you aren't ready immediately after finishing your order, you can return later to upload your files.

Vermillion Silk File Prep Package Download: Includes PSD and AI templates, PDF export preset, and file prep guide

Vermillion Silk File Prep Package Vermillion Silk File Prep Package (932 KB)


Current as of: 03/18/2024

Don't need our file prep package, but want a checklist? See our Business Card Preparation Checklist.

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