Need help with Die Lines/Dies Cuts

[Annika]

I am going to be tested on my knowledge of Adobe Illustrator (CS) for an upcoming project. One of the requirements is that I know how to create die lines (NOT from a template). I've never done this! Can anyone give me some advice or point me towards a tutorial? Thanks!

[REDeye]

Jeez. In my case, it really depends on how the print shop wants it. My main vendor asks for the die lines as a seperation—or a seperate file altogether with crops and registration marks.

Are you in school? Because there is a big difference between what school teaches you and how the real world really works.

Good luck.

Die lines are where the cutter hits. It's not the same are registration crop marks cause those are used to align color but die lines are to aling the cut or a custom shape. Does that help?

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/benjobanner.jpg
Graphic Design Heroes! Call me Captain Type Caster. I’ve fought off “The Evil Cosmic Sans” for year but it seems “Dr. Extreme Untalent” keeps bringing him back. I must find a way to defeat this evil creature.

Capt. Creative bring me those comps…

[PrintDriver]

We use em different. Rather than a separation we want them unstroked and unfilled on a separate layer.
You are going to get multiple answers cuz the real answer is to ask your printer how he wants them done.

Also, you may be asking how to draw them. Hope you are fast with a pen tool. They are just solid closed shapes. Emphasis on the 'closed' part. Don't cross lines and don't create loops by twisting your bezier handles around in circles.

PrintDriver is a large format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[Annika]

Wow - thanks everyone. In fact, I'm not in school, but work as a freelance designer. I've applied for work with a company called Aquent (http://www.aquent.com) who offer marketing creative services worldwide. Basically a glorified temp agency. If any of you need extra work, maybe consider checking them out?

Anyhow, Aquent put you through a portfolio review and assesment. This week I did my Quark assesment, which went fine and I 'got the job'. But Illustrator is my strong point and I want to be assessed on that as well. Only thing is, I know nothing of die lines and that is on the test.... SO - I was wanting to know, one, how to draw dies lines and two, how to set them up for print. I am very good at the pen tool so... what I gather from your input is:

- Draw the die lines with no stroke and no fill on a separate layer
OR
- Create a separate file with die lines, crop marks and registration marks (perhaps any fold marks too?)
OR
- Ask your printer and do as they say! (or in this case, ask Aquent).

Is this correct?

Thanks again! :)

You got it! Congradualtion! Aquent still hasn't gotten me crap, why is that?

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/benjobanner.jpg
Graphic Design Heroes! Call me Captain Type Caster. I’ve fought off “The Evil Cosmic Sans” for year but it seems “Dr. Extreme Untalent” keeps bringing him back. I must find a way to defeat this evil creature.

Capt. Creative bring me those comps…

[Annika]

I don't know, depends on how many people there are in your area who 'work' for Aquent. Where I live there are only two other people, a creative director and an illustrator. I'm the only one who does layout, apparently. I haven't gotten work YET, I just took the assessment this week. So we'll see. How long have you been waiting for work?

I have a job I'm just looking for a new one and I guess Aquent in NYC has it fair share of candidates. lol!

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/benjobanner.jpg
Graphic Design Heroes! Call me Captain Type Caster. I’ve fought off “The Evil Cosmic Sans” for year but it seems “Dr. Extreme Untalent” keeps bringing him back. I must find a way to defeat this evil creature.

Capt. Creative bring me those comps…

[Annika]

Yes I would say so! Is it difficult to find work in NYC? I would think it would be fairly competitive.

I've been looking and have had no luck. Maybe I'm asking for to much money?

http://www.cbcamerica.com/images/webshots/benjobanner.jpg
Graphic Design Heroes! Call me Captain Type Caster. I’ve fought off “The Evil Cosmic Sans” for year but it seems “Dr. Extreme Untalent” keeps bringing him back. I must find a way to defeat this evil creature.

Capt. Creative bring me those comps…

[Straythought]

Hi Annika,


I work in a large printing factory, part of my job is to prepare "product tolerance drawings" - or die lines to the rest of the world. Normally we, as prepress, will supply die lines to the customer, as they're our products. We wouldn't produce anything that we havn't designed for our machines. Anything supplied by a customer would be re-created using our CAD software so we know it works, and then exported as an EPS for use onthe Macs.


What the guys have saidis correct, but I'll alsosum up for you what I have found so far in industry:


Artwork: Make sure you use anon-printing separation(spot colour), that you name as "Die Line" or "Cutter".This not only means thatyou can turn itoff when proofing, but alsoallieviates theprepress guy from havingtoremoveit or re-colour it when he/she receives the artwork.You can put them on a separate layer to make life easier when creating the artwork although this isn't necessary from a printers point of view.


The Cut/Trim line


In Addition to the trim line, i.e. the shape than is punched out, there is a bleed outline/area and safe outline/area.


The bleedoutline essentiallyindicates that your print doesn't stop at thecut line, butgoesbeyond it a little to ensure ink goes all the way up to the edge of the product. This actually also applies to creases and where flaps fold down etc. Thisonly applies to elements or backgrounds that go right up to thecut edge or up to a crease or flap. Another important function of this line is to indicate where any flaps fold down and the gluing areas on the flaps themselvesso that you can leave them white-out (un-inked).


The bleed line is normally made intoa closed path that can be used to clip or mask everything offwith relative easeupon completion of the artwork.


The safearea is sort ofthe opposite of bleed, it ensures that there is a certain distance left between the cut and any graphics (such as text) so that they don't get cut into if there's any variation in the factory during production. Basically you don't want any graphicspositionedtoo close to the edge of the product, unless they are to bleed over of course. Also, you don't any graphics being covered by flaps, the safe area also accounts for this.


Die linesare generalyreferred to as: Cutter Profiles, Product Tolerance Drawings, or Die Lines.


It takes years of training to design new products (packaging I suppose I'm on about) and to set artwork to them properly!. We adjust about 90% of all artwork that comes in cause people generally havn't got a clue when it comes to packaging - an why would they!


Hope this is of some interest!
If I get time I'll post a drawing for you next week.

[PrintDriver]

Good point on the bleeds and safe area.
Kinda forgot to mention that.

PrintDriver is a large format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[Annika]

Wow - thanks for all the details. Having a drawing would be great if and when you have the time.

Thanks again!

[icetea1980]

always click the OVERPRINT option on the the die-line.

If there is a problem, there is always a solution!

[X]

Contact your printer who is handling your job. See if they can send you a layout with some specs. I don't know what other software you have. If your working everything In Illustrator that s great. I like to create the die in the layout program that I'm using such as Quark or Indesign. I find that if I import a die that was created in Illustrator and place in Quark that the die doesn't always line up to the work.

I know I mentioned about contacting your printer - - check with them - - they might create the die - - I work in a prepress dept. and we probally create 80% of the dies that come in.

Bodes
prepress-online.com