Template Help

Artwork Template Assistance and FAQs

Why should I use the Bison Disc’s templates?

Our templates have been carefully designed to ensure that your job will move quickly and seamlessly through our print and packaging departments. The slightest variations may result in issues during the printing and packaging process. We highly recommend that all our customers upload hi-res PDFs. Although we recommend using the Bison Disc Template, we will accept artwork in ANY competitor’s template.

Where do I find templates?

Please see the TEMPLATES tab on our home page. We encourage you to use our templates.

What if I need help with Templates?

Need a little help? We offer design assistance for $38.00. This means we will add text or make small adjustments to the art you have provided. We can also fit your artwork to our templates. 

What if I want Bison Disc to design my artwork?

If you need full graphic design, we have professionals for that. There is a $125.00 fee for these services. No matter what art help you need, we have a fabulous team of graphic artists that will work with you to create the perfect art for your project.

What programs should I use?

File formats listed below.

• Layered Files:
  • Printed Document Format-. PDF (exported from Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign)
  • Adobe Photoshop-.PSD
  • Adobe Illustrator-.AI
  • Adobe InDesign-.INDD
  • Encapsulated Post Script-.EPS (exported from Illustrator, Photoshop, or Quark)
• Flattened Files: (These formats MUST be high resolution and are not the preferred format; also, if the artwork is for a disc face then the center hole must not be removed).
  • Image Format-.JPG
  • Image Format-.TIFF

Which template(s) should I use?

Each template has been named and assigned a code number and has been organized according to product. They include illustrations to help you determine which templates you need.

Do I need to supply a template for every part of my package?

Yes. If you don’t provide all the necessary files, you may have to pay design fees for us to create the missing files. The most commonly omitted files are for the on-disc printing and posters.

Why are there so many lines in the templates?

The text boxes, crop marks and other items in the templates are designed to aid in the printing process. These elements should not be moved or deleted. If the templates are altered, we will have to reformat your job back to the original templates - you will be billed for this work.

What about barcodes?

If you will need to incorporate a barcode, it is typically best to place a white rectangle on the back cover of your packaging, approximately 1.00”w x .75”h.

What are bleeds?

Bleed is when an image or background extends past the cut line. By providing this extra bit of art, you can eliminate the possibility of having a white edge once the piece is trimmed. Adding ⅛” of bleed on all sides is standard.  The templates have guidelines set up so you can see exactly how much bleed you need to add. These are generally the outermost guides.

What is the live area?

The live area ensures that all text and other essential elements will be inside of the cut lines and not cut off. These are generally the innermost guides. 

What is the smallest font size I can use?

The answer to this question would vary based on the typeface that is being used. In general, you can go as small 5 points for black type on a light or white background, or 6 points for reverse type, or white type on a dark, black, or complex background. When printing on the face of the disc, it’s best to go no smaller than 6 points, or 8 points for reverse type. Remember that simpler fonts (such as Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman) are easier to read at smaller sizes.

Can you download photo from my website?

This is not a good idea, as images on websites are typically low resolution and are compressed to be as small as possible, so they load quickly in a web browser. In commercial printing, web images are not high enough resolution, and they will appear blurry, pixilated and of poor-quality.

How do I make my image round for printing on the disc? Do I need to cut out the hole in the middle?

Please refer to our disc templates and design the artwork beneath the guidelines without the cut-out hole. We will take care of removing the hole and send you a proof.

How do I send my files to Bison Disc?

• Upload using our website by clicking here UPLOAD ARTWORK FILES
• Email your artwork directly to art@bisondisc.com (please include your order number in the subject line)
• If the file is too large to be uploaded or sent by email, please use a transfer service like WETRANSFER or DROPBOX. 
  • Please send link to art@bisondisc.com (please include order number in notes or subject line)

The 5 most common problems with client-supplied design.

1. Insufficient bleed.
2. Text outside of Live Area.
3. Image resolution is too low or supplied in RGB instead of CMYK.
4. Failure to supply all parts of the job in Bison Disc templates.
5. Failure to include fonts