19 Sep How to Prepare Label Artwork for Print using Adobe Illustrator

Preparing label artwork for print can seem daunting, but if you’re using Adobe Illustrator, there are a few simple but important steps you can follow to ensure the highest quality print.

Whether you’re printing your labels in-house or outsourcing to a third-party printer, following these essential steps will ensure that your labels are printed with the highest quality. This guide will walk you through the key processes to prepare your label artwork effectively and efficiently.

1. Outline Your Text

One of the crucial steps in preparing your label artwork is to outline your text. This process converts your text into vector shapes, ensuring that the fonts are preserved exactly as intended when printed. Outlining text eliminates any risk of font substitution issues, especially if you are sending your file to a third-party printer who may not have the same fonts installed.

How to Outline Text:

1. Verify Spelling: Before outlining your text, double-check for any spelling or grammatical errors. Once text is outlined, you won’t be able to edit it.
2. Save a Copy: Make sure to save a copy of your original file with editable text. This allows you to make any future edits without losing the ability to modify your text.
3. Outline Text: Select the text you want to convert and go to Type > Create Outlines. Your text will now be converted into vector shapes, and while you can still adjust the size and color, the font itself will no longer be editable.

2. Embed Images

In Adobe Illustrator, images are often linked rather than embedded. This means that if you move or rename the image file, Illustrator might lose the link, causing issues when printing. To prevent this, you should embed your images directly into the document.

How to Embed Images:

1. Open the Links Panel: Go to Window > Links to open the Links panel.
2. Select Images: Click on the image(s) you want to embed.
3. Embed Images: Click the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the Links panel and select Embed Image(s). This ensures that all linked images are included in your Illustrator file, preventing any loss of images during the printing process.

3. Work in CMYK Color Mode

Colors in digital design are often created in RGB mode, which is suitable for screens but not for print. For the best color accuracy and consistency in your printed labels, it’s essential to work in CMYK color mode, which is designed for color printing.

How to Set CMYK Mode:

1. Set Document Color Mode: Ideally, choose CMYK when you create a new file. However, if your file is already in RGB mode, you can change it by going to File > Document Color Mode > CMYK Color.
2. Convert Colors: Be aware that some colors may shift during the conversion from RGB to CMYK, so it’s a good practice to review and adjust colors as needed.

To learn how to ensure your printed colors match your on-screen colors, head over to this article.

4. Ensure High-Quality Print Settings

To achieve the best print quality, you need to ensure that your file settings are optimized for high resolution. Raster effects and other elements should be set to a high standard to prevent any fuzziness or loss of detail in the final print.

How to Adjust Print Settings:

1. Check Raster Effects Settings: Go to Effect > Document Raster Effects Settings.
2. Set Resolution: Ensure that the Resolution is set to at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). This setting guarantees a crisp and clear print output, minimizing the risk of any image blurriness.

By carefully following these steps, you’ll prepare your label artwork in Adobe Illustrator for a flawless print. Whether handling the print job yourself or working with a third-party printer, these best practices will help you achieve professional and high-quality results. Happy designing!