What Is the Best File Type of Tshirt Design Downloads
One of the biggest obstacles to a successful, high-quality print comes early in the process when a client submits a low-resolution fine art file. This is the number one issue that our Fine art Department deals with, followed past copyright issues and what to accept for lunch.
In this post, I'thousand going to talk most the two principal file types you should be aware of and their characteristics, with examples of each and brief descriptions. And I'll go over the reasons why some are meliorate than others, plus a brusk list of file types you should avert if possible.
This is not the virtually heady topic, so I'll try to make it interesting and you try not to autumn asleep. Deal?
What's the all-time file type for printing?
There are 2 chief types of image files: vectors and bitmaps (or rasters). A vector file is past far the better file type. It will e'er produce the best possible consequence, with very few exceptions. Bitmap files tin exist nifty– and necessary in some cases, especially photographic images– but they should be high-resolution with minimal compression to get the all-time results. So the important point with bitmaps is that information technology's not as much the file type that makes the difference, but the quality of the file.
Here's a graphic showing the ii main file types and examples of their formats:
The files that tend to be the most problematic are depression-resolution and/or highly-compressed bitmap images. They volition crave more work to prepare them for printing and will sometimes need to be recreated entirely. I'chiliad going to explicate how to evaluate your files for quality. Get-go, let's define the departure between the 2 primary file types. Still with me?
What'south the deviation between a vector file and a bitmap file?
A vector graphic is defined past mathematical points, rather than a bitmap graphic, which is fabricated up of a grid of pixels. Each of the points and the way they relate to each other define the lines and shape of graphic elements. Other data points include colors, gradients, type, and effects. The key feature of vector files, and what makes them so valuable for printing, is that they are infinitely scalable. In other words, you can resize the file as big every bit you like without losing any image quality– which is not true of bitmap files.
Another nice feature of vector graphics is they tend to exist much smaller in file size than bitmap graphics. The reason for that is simple: bitmap files must store the information for each individual pixel, while vector files only need to shop the points that define objects. For instance, let'south take a look at the RushOrderTees logo.
On the left is a close-upwards of the bitmap version. On the right is the vector version, shown in "outline" view. The bitmap file needs to shop the data for each of those pixels you see; whether they are black, white, or diverse shades of gray which depict the edges. The vector file, on the other hand, but needs to store the data for each of those points, how they relate to their next points and the fill color. One is similar memorizing a whole book word for word, the other is but memorizing the summary and the number of pages.
Equally you increase the size of the bitmap epitome, the edges of the graphic volition go more and more blurry, or pixelated. On top of that, the file size itself will increase, considering the number of pixel data it needs to store will abound exponentially with the size of the prototype. That single book to memorize tin get a whole gear up of encyclopedias. The vector file, no matter how big you make it, will keep those clean lines y'all seeand keep the same exact file size because the mathematical formula that stays the same– independent of image size.
A bitmap is like memorizing a whole volume give-and-take for word,
while a vector is just memorizing the summary and number of pages.
Both vector and bitmap files tin accept many forms. Most graphics programs will allow yous to relieve out your image as whatsoever number of file types. I'm going to give you lot the chief ones nosotros see on a solar day to day basis and tell y'all a little virtually them– simply plenty for yous to know what you take, or what to save your file as.
Vector Files
Vector file types can be chemical compound files: that is, they can contain bitmap files within them. If this sounds confusing, let me put it this way: a vector file tin comprise bitmap files, only non vice-versa. It'south adequately common for a vector file to have photographic elements or gradients, simply the layout, shapes, and type are all in vector form.
Here are the iii most common vector files used for printing (and our favorite file types to receive fine art):
PDF (.pdf), which stands for Portable Document Format, is one of the most popular file types, and for skillful reason. It was designed to be standardized, meaning it can be opened or viewed on just about any operating organisation, without needing the app that created it, and will retain its original fonts and layout. PDFs can also contain "rich media" such every bit GIFs, three-dimensional objects and video clips. Only don't enquire to print those on a T-shirt. (We tried, it doesn't piece of work).
EPS (.eps), which stands for Encapsulated PostScript, is one of the standard vector file types. Information technology's a reliable format that tends to be cocky-contained, so it's ready for activeness. In that location are lots of programs that can salvage out EPS files, such equally Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign, even CorelDRAW. Ane big programme that will not allow y'all to save out as EPS is Microsoft Office. Simply that'south ok, because please don't use Office to make designs.
AI (.ai) is Adobe Illustrator's native file type. We love these because information technology's the premier vector graphic program, so the person who made it is most likely a professional. If you're in the market place for a decent vector editor but don't accept the budget for Adobe Illustrator, at that place a free program called Inkscape that people seem to like. In fact, we use it only for converting CorelDRAW files (.cdr) to something we can open in Illustrator (.eps).
Bottom line: If you lot're non sure which one of these you should save your file as don't stress about information technology. Whatever of them will work. If you want to use the virtually versatile format, that would be a PDF.
VECTOR FILE PRO TIPS
Creating "Outlines" of Your Fonts
When you lot work in vector format, the fonts you use are from your own calculator and do non automatically send along with the file. This tin can be a problem if your printer doesn't have the same font. The default land of the text is "live" which means editable. If you need to go on your fonts "live" in the file for whatever reason, you will need to ship your printer the font file along with the vector file. If you lot are washed editing the text, yous can avoid missing font problems by creating "outlines" of your type. In Illustrator, select all your type, and under the "Blazon" card, select "Create Outlines". This will convert all your fonts into text shapes and make them fix to exist printed.
Placed Files vs Linked Files
When placing a bitmap file into a vector document, some people volition accidentally "link" the file rather than place information technology. This creates a reference image that appears in the preview, but whuump whuump… is not at that place when you open the document. If the linked file is non included along with the primary file, it's not going to work. So be sure to uncheck the "link to" box when you're placing a file. And that's… one to abound on.
Bitmap Pinch Settings for PDFs
If you have bitmap images placed within your vector file, PDF will try to "compress" those images (we don't desire that). So when you're saving out, check those settings: Click on "compression" and it will ask what ppi (points per inch) you want to downsample. In the pull-down menu, choose "Do Not Downsample". (I'll explain compression in the next section). Or, if you need to reduce the file size, yous can set it to 300 ppi, which is a high resolution for press. And so if you placed an image that is 8″ x ten″ at 300 ppi, but changed it'due south size in the certificate to be ii″ 10 5″, the resampling role will rasterize that graphic with 300 ppi at its new size. By the manner, congrats if you understand this and have not fallen asleep yet.
Bitmap / Raster Files
Bitmaps, as well known equally raster files, are the about mutual category of image files out there. The vast bulk of files you lot run into on the spider web are bitmaps. The name alone should tell y'all something about it: it's a map of bits. In other words, it's a grid of pixels with information stored for each one of them, related to their position, their brightness, and color.
What's the difference between bitmap and raster?
Not much. The difference is largely semantic so the terms tend to be used interchangeably. To get technical, a bitmap represents an epitome that has been rasterized: that is, generated by a scanning pattern of parallel lines. So if you have a vector graphic, and y'all desire to display it on the web, you would rasterize that image to catechumen it to pixels. The word bitmap can be traced dorsum to its origins as an early on Microsoft image file format called BMP (short for bitmap). This format is rarely ever used since there accept been and then many advances since so. If you see one, it may exist leftover from the '90s.
Here are the 3 of the superlative bitmap/raster file types for printing:
JPEG (.jpg), short for Joint Photographic Experts Group, is designed to encode photographs. It'due south the most pop format used on the web and has become the defacto standard image format. It'southward ideal for rich colors and gradients. JPEG does use compression, so one drawback is y'all have some data loss every time you save information technology. More on pinch coming up. When working with a large file in Photoshop, it'due south all-time to salvage information technology every bit a PSD or a TIFF to avoid the loss. Realistically, you just need to save as a JPEG as the concluding footstep.
TIFF (.tiff) stands for Targeted Epitome File Format (no, information technology's non short for Tiffany) and was originally designed as an interchange format betwixt scanners and printers. It's become wildly pop over the years amid photographers and graphic designers because it's first-class compression. Image files tend to be larger than JPEGs, but the tradeoff is worth information technology for retaining the quality. Then if you lot have a TIFF and also a JPEG, now you know which one we prefer. TIFF files can back up layers and vector paths (outlines, clipping masks, fonts, etc).
PSD is simply a Photoshop document. It'due south Adobe'due south native format for their industry-standard graphics program. It's hard to overstate how popular this product is. I'll just point how it'south become a verb: to "photoshop" something means to digitally alter an image. Although at that place are competitors in this infinite, Photoshop has stood head and shoulders above the rest for decades now. (If you lot want something similar for gratis, in that location's a great tool available online called Photopea which does much of what Photoshop tin do.)
If your file has layers, transparencies and other information, that can exist very useful for a graphic designer or your printer– only it can weigh down the file size. So but Zip it for sending.
Bitmap/Raster Files with Transparent Background
At present lets a look at a couple file formats that support transparent backgrounds. This doesn't employ to vector formats because in their files, an object is either at that place or non (no need to remove a groundwork that's non there). Objects tin can take partial transparency and can exist stacked on tiptop of each other infinitely because the image is not flattened into a bitmap.
Hither are the two well-nigh mutual bitmap/raster files used for press that support transparency.
GIF, brusk for Graphics Interchange Format, is one of the oldest image files, going way dorsum to the '80s at a company called CompuServe, which everyone forgot about. Although information technology's still widely used, it'south features are rather limited compared to the other file types. It can only support 256 colors, which makes it one of the worst choices for image files to exist printed. At that place is typically significant work to be done and limitations to the print quality. Stay away! Only if you want to make an blithe image for the spider web, the GIF would be your get-to.
PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics, and was adult to exist an improved, non-patented replacement for GIF. Unlike GIFs, PNGs tin can support millions of colors along with an blastoff channel (transparency). The other prissy thing is there is no pinch, and so we're not losing whatsoever important image data when we save the file. This format was designed peculiarly for images on the internet, and at this indicate, information technology's second just to JPEGs as far as popularity. Fun fact: According to Wikipedia, the original acronym was PING which stood for PING Is Not GIF.
Honorable mentions: Both PSD and TIFF file formats also support transparent backgrounds.
What's so slap-up about a transparent background?
When information technology comes to setting upward a file for press, having a transparent background is platonic. It gives united states a head start on the separation piece of work and leads to much better impress quality. If the artwork is flat, but has nice clean edges and is fabricated of simple solid shapes, there'south a lot less to worry well-nigh. If a flat graphic is on a white background, and we're press on white T-shirts, in that location'due south typically cypher to worry about. The ones to look out for are flat images that fade into a blackness background, nonetheless will be printed on white. These can create all kinds of extra work, and more importantly, could affect the quality of the print.
Let'southward look at an example. Here'southward an hawkeye named Frank over a Usa flag that is fading out into the background.
Above shows what it would look like on black, and below is how it would await on white. In both cases, in that location is no extra piece of work involved in the separation and the print looks like it's naturally fading into the groundwork.
Now permit'south look at what would happen if the file did not accept a transparent background. Below shows what it would look like if we started out with a blackness background but is printing on white, and all the outer blackness pixels are removed. The reason the edges look so bad is that there's no easy way to knock out the background when something in fading out this way. Information technology tin be done simply involves lots of conscientious piece of work with an eraser tool with soft edges. And it nevertheless won't take the quality you see above.
Now here is the opposite: starting with a white groundwork, and knocking out the white outer pixels to print on black. Once more, the designer would need to become in with an eraser tool can carefully fade it. This tin can occasionally crave hours of additional work, as a direct result of not having a transparent background. Frank is not happy near this, you can tell by his face.
Bottom line: whenever possible, use the file with no background.
If you're creating a file from scratch, save as a PSD or PNG with the background set to transparent. Information technology saves lots of work down the line and will preclude the impress from having terrible looking edges. Plus it makes Frank happy.
Resolution and Compression
These 2 factors will determine your image quality more whatsoever file type it'southward saved as. This part gets a bit technical, but information technology'southward of import.If whatsoever of this is confusing, merely send us your epitome files! We'll be happy to evaluate them for yous for complimentary and let you know if they will work or nosotros demand something better.
What is resolution?
Essentially, the resolution of an image is an indication of the amount of detail it can hold, which is very important for printing. The higher the resolution, the more the detail. In more specific terms to graphics files, it's the number of pixels, measured in pixels per inch (ppi) or dots per inch (dpi). And the more pixels, the better. The resolution of web images is typically 72 dpi, which reflects the screen resolution of about computers, but is far less than ideal for printing.
What's the ideal resolution for printing?
Here at RushOrderTees, nosotros ask that submitted image files be at to the lowest degree 200 dpi at full size. The full-size part is key; we often go files that accept a higher resolution, merely the bodily image size is a fraction of the size it's going to be printed. So if your graphic is for a full-size back impress, your file should be at least 200 dpi at 12″w x xiv″h. Popular quiz: how many pixels is that?
So does this mean that 500 dpi is even better? Yes it is, simply it may be unnecessary. There are diminishing returns that occur after 300 dpi. Annihilation more that tin can become overkill. So for ease of storage, uploading and emailing, it doesn't need to be bigger than 300 dpi at total print size. That being said, we won't always boot an oversized file out of bed.
If the resolution is really low, nosotros go back to our customers and ask them for better files, which can delay the process. To avoid this, make sure you submit the highest quality files y'all have. Below is a graph I made to give you an thought of your epitome quality– and if you should kickoff working on getting bigger/better files.
Of import: if you lot have a smaller file, only scaling it up in Photoshop is not going to do the pull a fast one on. While it does assistance a chip by smoothing out some of the rough edges, it doesn't have the boosted prototype data that comes with a larger sized file, which is the departure that makes the deviation.
Compression
This is a factor that gets overlooked fairly oft. Mostly considering information technology's difficult for the average person to see, even if they know what to look for. But if y'all zoom in closely, especially using an image editor, you'll run into something called artifacts. No, not the stone tools they discover on archeological digs. Image artifacts are weird-looking clumps of pixels that are leftover from compression, and they can make or break an image's quality, so let'southward talk nearly compression briefly to assist you lot avert it.
What is compression?
Merely put, compression is how we get file sizes to be smaller, making them easier to store, send, share, and mail service online. There are 2 main types of compression: lossy and lossless. As you might take guessed, lossy will reduce the quality of the image to varying degrees. Lossless will get out the quality intact while still reducing the file size. Typically, you volition want to save your image files with lossless compression such equally TIFF or PNG. But even lossy compression such equally JPEG can practise information technology without much result on the epitome, equally the information it discards is barely noticeable. But when you set up your compression setting too high or resave the file over and over, things can get ugly.
Permit's look at an example. Can I get a volunteer pug from the audience? Here are three levels of JPEG compression, at 72 dpi:
As you can see, the image quality degrades as more compression is used. Hither'due south the part where a lot of people will say "Hey 1000, that doesn't look too bad. I tin still run across the pug and read the blazon." Here's the matter: we're looking at a small paradigm on a screen. While 72 dpi at 2.5″ wide tin can be fine for a small prototype like this on the web, we will need to scale the image mode upwardly to 300 dpi at like 10″ wide for printing. Which is what, similar 10 times the size? Yous can do the math.
And then let'south look at those same verbal images but zoomed in to evidence the actual pixels we're working with. Pay special attention to the blocks and blemishes that appear (artifacts), and how the type degrades. I think you lot'll notice the problem.
Bottom line: Don't let your images be pugly. Utilize a high resolution, low compression, and transparent background.
How to convert a file to vector
And then let's say yous have a low-resolution JPEG and you desire to convert it into a nice clean vector file, is there a fashion to exercise that?
In that location are diverse free online vectorizers but be warned: you get what you pay for. Results may vary. Some restrictions employ. Ok, information technology'south mostly crap. Yous're much better off purchasing a good one like Vector Magic.
If y'all already have Adobe Illustrator, you're in luck: it has a born feature called Alive Trace. It takes a chip of trial and error to go used to. Make sure to expand the advanced features and play around with different settings to attain your desired outcome. And of grade, there are plenty of tutorials and videos online to help you out.
You could also just go out it up to our Art Department. We practise this all solar day every day. And there's no charge for basic paradigm repair. Just let your sales rep know what you're going for, or add a note to your online order, and we'll accept care of it for you.
Happy designing,
-M
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