Topic: Artwork Guidelines

My artwork is designed in Adobe Illustrator. Why do I have to “outline my fonts” before sending my artwork and how do I do this?

If your artwork was originally designed using Adobe Illustrator software, then the fonts you have chosen are fonts stored in your own computer’s font menu.

However, our computers may not have those same fonts you have chosen, so when we attempt to open your document, our computers will automatically substitute those fonts with totally different ones.

To prevent this from happening, it’s standard practice when submitting such files to printing companies to outline all fonts used.

Outlining the fonts basically transforms them from text into vector shapes that any computer can recognise and can therefore print as they were intended to appear.

To outline your fonts, (firstly, make a duplicate of your original document and keep it safe so that you have an editable copy in it’s pre–outlined state)…

Then:

1. Open your new copy of the illustrator document containing the artwork you wish to send.
2. Using the cursor, select all the fonts within your artwork so that they are all highlighted.
3. Look to the top menu on your screen. Click and hold your mouse on where it says “type”.
4. Look within the drop–down menu for the option to “create outlines” and select it.
5. All your fonts will then be outlined.
6. Save and close the document.

Your file will now be safe to send.