Frequently Asked Questions - RIPTAW

1-What is vector art?
 - Vector art, also know as “camera ready art”, or “production ready art” is made up of lines and points to create paths or quick simply shapes. In comparison to Raster art, also know as “bitmap” images that are composed of pixels or dots.
Some things to keep in mind about vector art:
 - It’s scalable to any size without the loss of detail, where as raster art will become     pixilated and detail will be lost.
 - Almost all of the elements within the file are independently editable, raster art cannot    accommodate that.
 - It's the ideal format for color separations.
 - Its Resolution independent, DPI is not an issue, raster isn’t so DPI is an issue.

2-Spot Color Vs. CMYK
 - Spot colors: are pre-mixed inks using an exact formula and are usually used as solid colors instead of blending the inks. One advantage of spot colors is that you can select the color you want from a swatch book prior to printing and you can rest assure the printed item will be the same exact color.
 - CMYK: also referred to as 4 color or full color process. Printers using CMYK process print out four different plates from your file. A separate plate for each of these colors; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. The full color spectrum is achieved by combining these four colors. With this process there may be slight color variations.

3-Can you match colors?
 - No, its impossible to match colors based on submitted art. All computer monitors display color differently so what you see may not be exactly what we see. It’s always best to consult a PMS book. Any CMYK or RGB value can be made into a swatch for separation purposes.

4-Does art always have to be vector?
 - No, all imprint methods do not require vector art. It’s always best to consult your vendor on their requirements for art. When vector art is not required DPS or Image Resolution does become a factor. We can check resolution of almost any image for you usually at no charge.