Thanks for taking a look around. Here you will find all the relevant templates and information that you/your designer may require, along with all the necessary charts and forms required to place an order with us. Underneath the templates below is a wealth of information regarding how best to set up and supply your art files in order to achieve the optimum quality print.
Please note that certain products are incredibly customisable and have countless templates for different combinations of features. In these instances, only popular template options are included below, so please get in touch with our team if you can't see what you're looking for.
Below we have listed the various specifications you will need to follow in order to supply suitable artwork that will produce high-quality print results. Please ensure all artwork for print is supplied in line with these specifications.
DMS cannot accept responsibility for print errors or late deliveries where artwork has been supplied incorrectly.
If you would like help setting up your artwork, our in-house graphic design team would be happy to assist you. Our team are fully trained to degree level and create bespoke and professional artwork for clients around the world on a daily basis. For more information please click here.
Sleeves, Labels, Disco Bags, etc.
Dimensions: All artwork should have accurate dimensions. If you are unsure how to prepare accurate templates in the software you are using please contact a member of our design team who will be happy to assist.
Bleeds and Safety: All artwork should include a bleed of 3mm on all sides, and all text and logos should be at least a further 3mm from the crop guides. Our cutting tolerances are accurate to 1.5mm when chopping smaller items like vinyl booklets. If you are uncertain, just ensure the background image goes right to the edge of the bleed line and that all text, logos or other images aren't within the safety areas (both of which are labelled clearly on our templates).
Resolution: All non-vector artwork should be supplied with a resolution of at least 300dpi, the minimum required to achieve a high-quality print.
Colour: All colour printing is full colour and should be completed and saved in CMYK or PMS (spot colours). If you need to use a colour profile then we advise the closest match to be 'U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2'.
Ink Coverage: The maximum ink coverage must be no more than 320%. Alternatively you can check this yourself in Adobe Acrobat Pro by going to 'View > Tools > Print Production > Output Preview'. Make sure the Preview box has 'Separations' selected, tick the box at the bottom 'Total Area Coverage' and make sure that the box to the right of this is '320%'. Any areas that aren't within the required tolerance will overlay with a colour mask. If you are unsure how to check the ink coverage please contact a member of our design team.
Type: All fonts should be embedded or converted to outlines. Alternatively fonts can be flattened as part of the image pixels, but for the sharpest print, vector text is advised.
Overprint: If you are unsure of how to set overprint correctly, we recommend that you do not do this yourself. Using overprinting incorrectly can produce unexpected print results that our design team will not be able to check for while processing your artwork. For example, overprinting white will make your text disappear when printed. If at all in doubt, please contact us to assist you.
Overprinting is generally used to avoid the need for trapping and to avoid white gaps between colours in case of misalignment of plates during the print process. Normally when two separate colours overlap each other they will knock out, which means they will not print one over the other. Using overprint will ensure that one colour will print over another, black text on a pale background for example.
Trapping: The recommended parameter for colour trapping is 0.05mm.
Formats: Artwork should be supplied as press quality PDFs, if you would prefer to supply in a different format please contact us.
Booklet Pagination: Please supply your booklet artwork as double page spreads correctly paginated. You will find the page numbers near the bottom of each page of the templates. Alternatively you may supply as individual pages, clearly labelled. Please always check your digital proofs very carefully.
Foiling & Special Finishes: When opting for foiling or a special finish, please supply the artwork as a vector-based image and on a separate layer or file to the rest of the artwork. We do not recommend that the areas designated for special finishes are too detailed or together as the inks can become fused or loose definition. If you have any questions please contact a member of our design team who will be happy to advise you.
We check all of your designs very carefully and make every effort to ensure that your final product will be of the highest quality. If you have any concerns regarding the colour or quality of your designs please let us know immediately so we can advise of the best way to improve them.
Due to monitors and printers using different methods to display colours, some variations will occur when the designs are transferred from screen to print. The amount of variation will depend on the brightness and contrast settings of your monitor and also the colour calibration facilities available to you.
In most cases a printed proof of the artwork prior to the final run is not necessary, we have an experienced design team that will check all of your designs very carefully and contact you should they feel that a printed proof is advisable. We can supply printed proofs upon request for an additional charge.
We may be unable to print your designs if they do not meet the requirements listed above. These specifications are in place to guarantee that all of our products are of the highest possible quality.
Our in-house graphic design team are trained to degree-standard at a minimum, and have years of experience working in the music industry and taking care of many of our clients' needs. We offer a full design service from concept to proof, or can assist in more localised ways if needed.
Not what you're looking for? We have a full directory of Info & FAQs at your disposal, please take a look as more often than not, it will tell you exactly what you need to know. If you still have questions, please Get in Touch with our friendly UK and EU based team at any time.