Start Wherever Your Artwork Actually Is

Projects arrive in one of three states. All three are normal, and all three start the same way: send us what you have.

You have a press-ready file

A print-ready PDF with bleed, embedded or outlined fonts, and high-resolution images is ideal. We still review it before production. If something will not hold up at the finished size, you hear about it before the job runs, not after.

You have a file that needs work

A logo pulled off a website. A layout built for a screen. A photo that looked fine until someone asked for it four feet wide. We review resolution, proportions, fonts, and vector assets, then either adjust the file or rebuild the parts that will not scale.

You have an idea and a deadline

A logo and a rough idea of what the piece needs to say is enough to start. Tell us the goal, the quantity, and the date. We build the artwork and send a proof before anything prints.

Not sure which one describes your file? Send it through the upload page or describe the project on the quote form. A specialist reviews it within one business day.

What We Check Before Anything Prints

Every file goes through a production review. These are the things that most often send a job back.

• Resolution, judged at the finished size. A logo that looks sharp in a browser can fall apart on a four-foot banner. We check the image at the size it will actually print.
• Bleed and trim. Artwork that runs to the edge has to be built past the edge, or the trim leaves a white line down one side.
• Color. Screen color and printed color are not the same thing. We support PMS color matching and check your brand colors against the stock you picked, because the same ink reads differently on coated and uncoated paper.
• Fonts and linked assets. Fonts embedded or outlined, and images traveling with the file rather than sitting on someone’s desktop.
• Scale and proportion. A file built for a business card rarely maps cleanly onto a van panel or a banner. Some artwork scales directly. Some needs rebuilding.

If you would rather prepare the file yourself, our guide to preparing artwork files for printing walks through the same checks in detail.

Artwork Built for How the Job Is Produced

A design is not finished until it works on the equipment that makes it. Material, trim, decoration method, and postal rules all change what the artwork has to be. Because production is coordinated from the same Wilmington shop, those constraints go into the file at the start instead of surfacing after it is printed.

Print products

Business cards, brochures, booklets, letterhead, and presentation folders. Stock, folds, coatings, and binding all change how a layout has to be built, so we set those before the design is finalized. See Print Products.

Large format and signage

Banners, signs, window graphics, and job site signage. Artwork scaling and resolution are checked before wide-format production, because a file that reads fine at letter size may need rebuilding at eight feet. See Large Format & Signage.

Vehicle wraps

We measure the vehicle, review your brand assets, and decide what the design has to say at forty miles per hour. Artwork is held on file so vehicle eleven matches vehicle one. See Vehicle Wraps.

Apparel and promotional products

Artwork is prepared for the decoration method: screen printing, embroidery, direct-to-garment, or dye sublimation. Decoration itself is done by our trusted production partners. Linprint handles the artwork, the proofs, ordering, and quality checks, so you still deal with one local team. See Apparel & Promotional Products.

Direct mail

The piece has to satisfy the mailing before it satisfies the layout. We can help prepare the creative and make sure it accounts for addressing, postal clear zones, folds, and production requirements. See Direct Mail.

How a Design Job Moves

1. Tell us the project

Send the piece, the quantity, and the deadline, along with whatever artwork exists. On the quote form, choose Design / File Prep under what you need pricing for. A specialist reads the request within one business day and follows up if anything is missing.

2. We build or correct the artwork

You get pricing based on your specs, plus any questions about cost, materials, or turnaround. Production-ready files move faster than files that need correction, resizing, or design work, so the earlier we see the artwork, the more options you have on the date.

3. You approve the proof

Nothing goes on press until you have seen a digital proof and said yes. Low-resolution artwork, missing bleed, a color that will not hold on the stock you picked: if the file has a problem, we catch it before it costs you a reprint. Then we produce, finish, and deliver or install.

Sending Us Your Files

Use the upload page for anything too large to email. A few things make the handoff faster:

• Use the same email address associated with your quote or project whenever possible.
• Give files clear names that identify your company or project.
• If you are starting a new project and have not requested pricing yet, request a quote first.
• Uploading a file does not confirm an order, a production schedule, or a completion date.

Our team will contact you if we have questions about your artwork. If the upload box will not load, email your files to info@linprint.com or call (910) 763-5103 and we will find another way to get them.

Design and File Preparation FAQs

Can you design it for me if I have no artwork?

Yes. Bring a finished file, a rough sketch, or just a logo and a goal. We build print-ready artwork and send a proof before anything prints.

What file should I send?

A print-ready PDF with bleed, embedded or outlined fonts, and high-resolution images is ideal. If that sentence means nothing to you, send what you have. We check every file before production and tell you what needs fixing.

Can you enlarge artwork I already have?

We review resolution, proportions, fonts, and vector assets before production. Some files can be scaled directly. Others need rebuilding or adjustment, and we tell you which before the job is scheduled.

Will design work slow my job down?

It can. Artwork readiness is one of the things that moves a schedule, along with quantity, materials, proofing, finishing, and the current production load. Tell us the real deadline early and we will say what is workable before you commit. Our guide to turnaround times for every service goes through it line by line.

Will you match my brand colors?

We support PMS color matching and check brand colors against the stock you chose. Send your color specifications with the file if you have them. If you do not, send a printed sample you are happy with and we will work from that.

How is design priced?

Design and file preparation are quoted with the rest of the project, so you see the number before you commit. A real person reviews every request, and there is no obligation to place an order.

Get Your Artwork Print-Ready

Send the file, the sketch, or the idea, along with the quantity and the date you need it in hand. A specialist reads it within one business day, and a digital proof comes back before anything runs. Walk-ins are welcome at 3405 Market Street #2, Wilmington, NC 28403, Monday through Thursday 8 AM to 4 PM and Friday 8 AM to 2 PM, and are often the fastest way to work through an unusual project.

Serving Wilmington, Leland, Hampstead, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and businesses across New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. Design and file preparation support all six Linprint service lines.