Adding an outline for cutting out shapes and text
Do you want a sticker or a sign cut into a specific shape? No problem! It is important that you provide your file with contour cutting lines. You can find out how to add contour lines with Adobe Illustrator or InDesign on this page.
The submitting of the files requires some knowledge of Adobe.
Below you will find a brief step-by-step plan on how to create a contour cutting line in Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, so that your stickers or sign can be cut into any shape!
1. Open the file that you want to have cut on the contour lines.
2. Copy the shape that you want to cut out and then paste it onto the foreground. So there are now two layers of the same shape. Select the top layer.
3. Click on the arrow icons to invert the 'Fill' and the 'Stroke', so that you can adjust the color of the stroke of the object and the inside is not filled.
4. Double click on the 'Stroke' icon and you can adjust the color of the stroke of the object to, for example, black. Click 'OK'.
5. Click on 'Window' and then click on 'Swatches'.
6. Select 'New Swatch' at the bottom right.
7. At Swatch name, enter "Thru-cut" (note that the first letter is capitalized!).
8. At 'Color Type' you choose 'Spot Color'.
9. Choose a striking color, such as Cyan, and move it to the right (100%).
10. Next, select the line and double-click in the 'Swatches' screen on the newly created 'Swatch' named 'Thru-cut'. The shape then gets a contour line, as below.
11. After this, add 3 mm bleed to the shape, so that no white edges appear when cutting. Select the original shape and select 'Object' and 'Path', and click on 'Offset Path'. Then enter 3 mm under 'Offset' and click on 'OK'.
Check to see if there if there is only one contour line and not a double one. You can check this via Outline preview (ctrl + Y) in Adobe Illustrator. If you see a double line, this is incorrect. Make sure there is only one line.
13. Finally, save the file as PDF/X-1a:2001.
