Art Specs & Color Guide

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Submitting Artwork

We can accept both raster and vector artwork, though vector art is always preferred. Vector artwork is much more flexible than raster and allows for our pre-press team to fine tune your artwork for the best possible print result. Vector artwork is also scalable meaning your art will print at the quality it was submitted regardless of the imprint size.

Vector artwork requires the following preparation to assure a smooth transition from your art department to ours. Please be sure to expand all fonts and outlines, and embed all raster assets. We can accept .eps, .ai, .pdf, or .svg file types for vector art.

Raster artwork must meet minimum requirements to assure a clean conversion to a print-ready file. When submitting raster artwork, please be sure the artwork is at least 300 DPI (original resolution) and submitted to print scale or larger. We can accept .psd, .tif, .png, and .jpg file types for raster art.

Minimum Art Specs

The more detailed your artwork is, the less likely we’ll be able to produce a clean and crisp finished product. Our pre-press team will do their best to assure the best possible imprint with the artwork provided, but we cannot guarantee the integrity of the final print if we cannot meet minimum print specs. Positive (printed) lines below minimum line weight may fall out (disappear) and negative (empty) space below minimum may fill in with ink. You can download a copy of our art specs below.

Trademarks

You must own (or be authorized by way of assignment to use) the intellectual property rights for the artwork/copy submitted for imprint. By submitting artwork or copy, you and your client agree that you are in compliance with all laws related to trademark, copyright, and all other intellectual property rights in the artwork or copy submitted. Odyssey disclaims all liability for noncompliance with these laws and will not be held responsible.

Layout and Placement

Instructions for layout, size, colors, typeface and location of imprint should be clearly specified with all orders. Your order must clearly state if artwork is 1 side, 2 sides or wraparound. If it is an item with a handle, it must state which logo goes on the right hand drinker (X/A) and which logo goes on the left hand drinker (B/X). Also, state if the art is to exact size or should be reduced or enlarged. If instructions are not clearly stated, we will use our best judgment.

Imprints using glass and ceramic enamels must be 5/8″ from the lip of the mug or glass due to FDA guidelines. Please take this into consideration if your art is to be vertically centered as we may be required to reduce its size. If specifications are not given for artwork sizing, no claim will be honored for incorrect sizing. Certain glassware products have a seam opposite the handle. Due to this seam, we do not recommend a wraparound imprint. Artwork on items such as martini glasses and brandy snifters will be altered in appearance due to the taper, shape or radius of the item. 

Submitted artwork will automatically be resized to max size unless otherwise noted. Requested typefaces will be matched as closely as possible, but exact match cannot be guaranteed. Minimal typesetting edits will be billed at $12.50V, but for large type files or extensive edits, the art charges above will apply. All art submitted is subject to review and possible additional art charges.

Art Services & Charges

Art Change Charges

Your order will enter an adjustment period after your initial proofing is completed. At this time, any major adjustments to your artwork will incur an art change charge of $22.50V per modification while all minor adjustments requested will be completed as a one-time courtesy. Once your order has been reproofed with your changes, any additional change requests, major or minor, will incur an art change charge per modification.

Major adjustments are defined as any change request that requires recreating setups for your order. These changes include, but are not limited to: Submitting new artwork, changing the number of print colors, changing the number of print locations, changing items, changing the print process (ie switching from a direct print to a decal application), and adding typesetting to a blank location.

Minor adjustments are defined as any change request that does NOT require recreating setups for your order. These changes include, but are not limited to: Switching the imprint color, adjusting imprint size/positioning, placing your artwork at pour placement, adding typesetting to existing art ($12.50V typeset charge), and adjustments to your existing typesetting.

Art Time Charge

Our art department can help out if any touch-up, redrawing, or design work is required for your order. Art time is charged at $50V per hour, is charged by the quarter hour, and has a minimum charge of $10V. Any order submitted will include 15 minutes of art time at no cost to you. Please note that availability of this service is dependent on the current workload of our art department. Please be sure to reach out to our customer service team or our art desk directly to assure we can take on your request for custom work prior to submitting your order.

Color Separation Charge

Ideally, all multi-color raster artwork for spot color printing should be submitted as a color-separated composite. If a color composite cannot be provided for multi-color raster artwork, our standard $50V color separation charge will be applied to your order to create the composite.

Virtual Samples

All submitted orders come with one (1) virtual sample per item ordered. Prior to order submission, we will provide one (1) virtual sample total at no cost. Each additional virtual or change to your virtual will be charged at $10.00V per virtual/change. Should you need additional virtual samples prior to submitting your order, a standalone order for virtual samples can be submitted. Any virtual sample orders submitted without credit card will be placed on hold until credit card is received. When submitting a final order, please be sure to note if additional virtual samples are needed.

Color Options

NOTICE (Oct 2023): Suppliers for pigments are moving away from leaded enamel colors in favor of lead free enamel and organic colors. Due to this, color options for leaded enamel inks have become limited and soon will be replaced with lead free enamel colors. Customers submitting POs for reorders with inks we no longer carry will be notified of the ink change prior to production.

Below is a list of our currently available stock imprint colors. Pantone colors are shown as their true PMS color. Enamel colors are mixed using a Pantone formula to come as close as possible to the original color prior to firing. Fired enamel inks may vary from their unfired colors. Imprint colors will vary depending on the color of the item printed on.

Specialty Colors

PMS 871 U iridescent gold and PMS 877 U iridescent silver have an upcharge of $0.19V per piece. Metallic colors contain precious metals and are priced based on the current cost of gold/silver and the imprint area of the item printed on. Please reach out to our customer service team for a quote on all metallic prints prior to placing your order.

Color Matching

Color matching can be provided for $67.50V per color desired. Color match pictures are either sent out via e-mail with several pictures for you to approve. They can be sent out via FedEx Ground if requested to do so. Please add one week minimum to your delivery time. A color match sample must be approved prior to full production runs. Due to variations in ink and item lots, an exact color match cannot be guaranteed. Some colors cannot be matched exactly.

Imprint Durability

Our enamel inks combined with our annealing process provide outstanding imprint durability. Leaded enamel and high-temp colors are commercial dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and scratch resistant, providing the best durability. Lead free enamels are dishwasher safe and still provide great durability, but are not recommended for commercial use. Organic inks allow for much better color matching, but are not dishwasher safe or scratch resistant. Iridescent colors are not dishwasher safe or scratch resistant. Metallic colors offer the least durability of all imprint colors.

California Proposition 65

Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, was enacted as a ballot initiative in November 1986. The proposition protects the state’s drinking water sources from being contaminated with chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and requires businesses to inform Californians about exposures to such chemicals. Proposition 65 requires the state to maintain and update a list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

Though all of our inks exceed FDA standards, ware printed with leaded enamel inks and lead free inks containing cadmium may require a warning label to comply with Proposition 65. For any orders shipping to the state of California, please be sure to request lead free and cadmium free inks.

Learn more about CA Proposition 65 here: https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/