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Louda!!!
03-01-2009, 10:32 PM
Hi!
I wonder if thereŽs a way that I can decide the shape of my workarea in Illustrator? I want to design an envelope, and need to create a "workarea" that has that same shape. Up til now I only know how to set lenght and width, but not how to add edges and different type of shapes in order to make it look like an envelope (for example).
garricks
03-01-2009, 10:57 PM
You should talk to your printer before you even begin. Tell him/her about the envelope you want printed, and he'll be able to show you (and give you files for) a die line.
Envelopes are generally printed flat on parent sheets, then die cut and "converted" (folded and glued, and dry glue applied for licking later). Not every printer does this, so you have to do your research before you start!
budafist
03-01-2009, 11:14 PM
Definately talk to your printer first! Depending on the size of your run and the complexity of your design, you will either be printing onto assembled envelopes or printing onto paper to be made into envelopes.
I work at an offset print company and we only print onto already assembled envelopes. So there is no need for a dieline. We would require your file to be 225 x 114mm for a DLE envelope with nothing bleeding off the envelope.
Louda!!!
03-02-2009, 08:39 AM
Thanks for the advice. IŽll talk to the printer and see what he/she has to say about it.
PrintDriver
03-02-2009, 11:12 AM
You might also check your postal regulations regarding where you can't put any artwork. Barcode area and address area come to mind.
Louda!!!
03-02-2009, 08:45 PM
Thanks for the advice, IŽve been checking with both the printer and the swedish postal service =). But I still would like to know how I can decide the shape and form of the workarea. Anybody knows how this could be done?
PrintDriver
03-02-2009, 08:50 PM
As suggested, talk to the printer you are using. Only they can answer this for you.
Louda!!!
03-02-2009, 10:15 PM
As suggested, talk to the printer you are using. Only they can answer this for you.
Sorry, what I meant is that I want to control the shape and form of the artboard, not the workarea.
For example if I want my artboard to have the shape of a t-shirt or whatever, is it possible to affect the shape of the artboard in this way or is it locked to being square/rectangular. Is it only possible to add guidelines to a rectangular artboard or can I actually give the artboard another shape or form?
Craig B
03-02-2009, 10:19 PM
No, you cannot make your work area anythign other than a square/rectangle.
However, you can turn any shape into a "guideline" and then use that as a non-square shape to guide yourself. (under view/guides/make guides once you've selected your shape ... such as your t-shirt shape you mentioned)
budafist
03-02-2009, 10:20 PM
If you were designing a t-shirt print for example, you could set up your artboard to roughly the same size at the T-shirt. Then draw a outline on another layer and then do your artwork on top of it. When submitting the files, you would only submit the final art (not the t-shirt outline). Though you could send a pdf or jpg of the artwork with the outline included just for placement/visual purposes.
Louda!!!
03-02-2009, 10:35 PM
Thanks again!
This site kicks a**.
CkretAjint
03-02-2009, 11:49 PM
No, you cannot make your work area anythign other than a square/rectangle.
^^ true.
You can also talk to the printer and they MIGHT have a pre-made template they can get to you. They your sizes are upto par with their needs! :)
Louda!!!
03-03-2009, 03:25 PM
^^ true.
You can also talk to the printer and they MIGHT have a pre-made template they can get to you. They your sizes are upto par with their needs! :)
They just wanted me to throw them a scetch and we could solve it from there.