Artwork & Proofing Guidelines

Supplying Your Own Artwork

Customers are welcome to provide their own finished card artwork.

To ensure the best possible print quality, artwork should be supplied as either:

• Vector-based artwork.
• High-resolution print-ready artwork.
• A print-ready PDF.
• An Adobe Illustrator file.
• An Adobe Photoshop file.
• Another compatible Adobe file format agreed with us in advance.

Low-resolution images copied from websites, screenshots, Word documents or social media pages may not be suitable for professional printing.

Where supplied artwork is not suitable for print, we may ask for a replacement file or recommend that the artwork is recreated.

Card Size and Bleed

The finished card size should be:

86mm × 54mm

Artwork must also include a 3mm bleed on all sides.

This means the complete artwork size, including bleed, should be:

92mm × 60mm

The bleed area extends beyond the finished edge of the card and is trimmed off during production. Background colours, photographs and graphics that are intended to reach the edge of the card must extend fully into this bleed area.

Do not place important text, logos or other essential information inside the bleed area.

Safe Area

Important information should be kept at least 3mm inside the finished card edge.

This includes:

• Hotel names.
• Logos.
• Telephone numbers.
• Website addresses.
• QR codes.
• Barcodes.
• Room information.
• Important design elements.

Keeping important content inside the safe area helps prevent it from appearing too close to the edge or being affected by normal cutting tolerances.

Image Resolution

Any photographs or raster images should be supplied at a minimum resolution of:

300 dpi at the final printed size

Images with a lower resolution may appear blurred, pixelated or unclear when printed.

Increasing the resolution of a low-quality image does not restore the missing image detail. Where possible, original high-resolution files should always be supplied.

Vector Artwork

Vector artwork is recommended for:

• Logos.
• Icons.
• Text.
• Line graphics.
• Simple illustrations.
• Barcodes.
• QR codes.

Vector artwork can be resized without losing quality and normally produces the sharpest printed result.

Adobe Illustrator, EPS, SVG and vector PDF files are usually suitable.

Fonts

All fonts should be:

• Converted to outlines; or
• Embedded within the supplied PDF.

If fonts are not outlined or embedded, the design may display incorrectly when opened on another computer.

Where editable artwork is supplied, please include any required font files or convert the text to outlines before sending the file.

Colour Format

Artwork should preferably be supplied in:

CMYK colour mode

Artwork created in RGB colour mode may change slightly when converted for print.

Colours displayed on a computer monitor, phone or tablet may also appear different from the finished printed card. Screens use light to display colours, while printed cards use inks and physical materials.

An exact screen-to-print colour match cannot be guaranteed.

Where a specific brand colour is important, please provide the relevant Pantone or CMYK colour reference.

Black Text and Fine Details

Small black text and fine black details should normally be created using:

100% black

Using a mixture of cyan, magenta, yellow and black for very small text can make the text appear less sharp.

Rich black may be used for larger solid background areas where appropriate.

Front and Reverse Artwork

The front and back of the card should be clearly identified.

Where separate files are supplied, they should be named clearly, for example:

• Hotel-Card-Front.pdf
• Hotel-Card-Back.pdf

Please confirm the correct orientation of both sides.

This is particularly important where the card includes:

• A magnetic stripe.
• A signature panel.
• A chip.
• Directional arrows.
• Text that must align in a particular direction.

Magnetic Stripe and Chip Positioning

Where a card includes a magnetic stripe, RFID chip or another technical feature, some areas of the card may have design restrictions.

The exact position of a hidden RFID chip or antenna may vary depending on the selected card technology.

Customers should tell us about any required technical features before finalising the artwork.

We may adjust the layout where necessary to avoid interfering with:

• Magnetic stripes.
• Contact chips.
• Signature panels.
• Punch slots.
• RFID antenna areas.
• Encoding requirements.

QR Codes and Barcodes

QR codes and barcodes should be supplied at a suitable size and with strong contrast.

Dark codes on a white or light background normally provide the best scanning performance.

Customers are responsible for checking:

• That the encoded information is correct.
• That website links are active.
• That the correct barcode format is used.
• That the code is suitable for the intended scanner or device.

QR codes and barcodes should be tested before the final proof is approved.

We cannot accept responsibility for an incorrect link, number or code supplied or approved by the customer.

Supplying Logos and Brand Files

Where possible, logos should be supplied as vector files.

Suitable formats include:

• AI.
• EPS.
• SVG.
• Vector PDF.

High-resolution PNG or PSD files may also be suitable where vector artwork is not available.

JPEG logos taken from websites, email signatures or screenshots may not provide sufficient print quality.

Design Service

Where a customer requires HotelCards.ie to create the card artwork, a design charge of:

€50

will apply.

VAT will be added where applicable.

This charge covers the preparation of a standard hotel key card design using the customer’s supplied:

• Logo.
• Brand colours.
• Text.
• Contact details.
• Images.
• Design instructions.

The customer must provide all required content before design work begins.

The standard design charge includes the initial design and reasonable amendments required to prepare the artwork for approval.

Extensive redesigns, multiple separate concepts, logo recreation or complex image editing may incur an additional charge. Any additional charge will be confirmed before the work is carried out.

Artwork Corrections

Where customer-supplied artwork requires minor technical adjustments, we may be able to correct it before production.

This may include:

• Adding bleed.
• Adjusting the document size.
• Converting colours.
• Outlining fonts.
• Repositioning elements.
• Correcting minor technical print issues.

Additional artwork charges may apply where the file requires significant rebuilding or redesign.

We will advise the customer before carrying out chargeable artwork work.

Digital Proofs

A digital proof will be provided before custom products enter production.

The proof is intended to show:

• The card layout.
• Text and spelling.
• Logo placement.
• Front and reverse orientation.
• General colours.
• Card material.
• Magnetic stripe or chip position.
• QR codes and barcodes.
• Numbering or variable information.
• Finishing requirements.

The digital proof is the final opportunity to identify and correct errors before production begins.

Checking Your Proof

Customers must check the proof carefully.

Please review:

• Hotel name.
• Spelling.
• Telephone numbers.
• Email addresses.
• Website addresses.
• Logo version.
• Colours.
• Images.
• Card orientation.
• Front and reverse designs.
• QR-code links.
• Barcode information.
• Room or property details.
• Numbering sequences.
• Magnetic stripe requirements.
• RFID or chip specifications.
• Material and finish.

Proofs should be reviewed by an authorised person within the customer’s organisation.

Where possible, print the proof at actual size before approving it. This can help identify text or design elements that may be too small.

Proof Approval

Proof approval must be provided in writing.

Approval may be provided by:

• Email.
• An online approval form.
• Another written method agreed with us.

Once the proof has been approved, it is treated as final authority to begin production.

Production may begin immediately after approval.

Changes requested after approval may not be possible and may result in:

• Additional artwork costs.
• Setup charges.
• Material costs.
• A revised production schedule.
• A full reprint charge.

Errors on an Approved Proof

Customers are responsible for errors that were visible on the approved proof but were not identified before approval.

This includes:

• Spelling errors.
• Incorrect contact details.
• Incorrect logos.
• Incorrect links.
• Incorrect QR codes or barcodes.
• Incorrect numbering.
• Missing information.
• Incorrect card specifications.
• Incorrect orientation.
• Outdated artwork.

Where the finished product matches the approved proof, it will not be considered faulty.

A free replacement, refund or reprint will not be provided where the error appeared on the approved proof.

A corrected order can be produced, but it will be treated as a new order and charged accordingly.

For this reason, checking the proof carefully before approval is essential.

Colour Variations

A digital proof is not a guaranteed colour-accurate representation of the finished product.

Colour can vary because of:

• Monitor settings.
• Screen brightness.
• RGB-to-CMYK conversion.
• Card material.
• Surface finish.
• Ink and printing process.
• Lamination.
• Natural wood or bamboo grain.
• Recycled material variations.

Reasonable colour variation is part of the printing process and is not normally considered a manufacturing fault.

Physical Samples

A physical sample may be recommended where:

• An exact material appearance is important.
• A particular colour match is required.
• Lock compatibility is uncertain.
• A new card material is being used.
• The customer wishes to test RFID or magnetic performance.

Sample charges and delivery costs may apply.

A physical sample may extend the overall order lead time.

Customer Responsibility

By approving the artwork proof, the customer confirms that:

• The artwork is correct.
• The text and spelling are correct.
• The supplied logo and images may legally be used.
• The card specifications are correct.
• The lock-system information is correct.
• The required card material and finish are correct.
• The design is approved for production.

HotelCards.ie will manufacture the products using the approved artwork and confirmed specifications.

Sending Artwork

Artwork can be sent by email to:

info@hotelcards.ie

For large files, a file-transfer service may be used.

Please include:

• Your name.
• Hotel or company name.
• Quotation or order reference.
• Required quantity.
• Card technology.
• Front and reverse artwork.
• Any special printing instructions.

HotelCards.ie is a trading name of CardLogic Limited.