	FTP Instructions
	File Prep

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File Preparation

Once you have your files ready, use the ordering and submission checklist to complete the process.

For further help on file prep, read our entire Photoshop tutorial.
File Formats: We recommend saving your image in either TIFF or Photoshop format, but will accept JPEG's and PDF's (for Quark documents), as well as most other common file types.

If you have done your own color correcting in photoshop, please do so using adjustment layers, if you don't know what those are, please contact us. If you have any layers that contain separate images (i.e. for a composite image) or you have adjustment layers, DO NOT FLATTEN OR MERGE YOUR LAYERS!! Please!

We may need to do adustments on your layered images, or back-track to your original file: if you do adjustments and save them in a flattened form, we cannot retrieve the information you discarded.

If there are layers, save as a Photoshop document, not as a TIFF. Saving it as a TIFF will add 100% of the file size for each layer (essentially creating a separate TIFF file for each layer).

Color Space: We prefer RGB color mode rather than CMYK and you will get a better print, but we will accept CMYK files. We Prefer "Adobe RGB (1998)"
Resolution: Images being printed about 16" x 20" or smaller should have a resolution of about 360 pixels per inch (ppi). Any resolution higher than 360 ppi is unnecessary. Images between 16" x 20" and 30" x 40" should have a resolution of about 250 ppi. Images larger than 30" x 40" will receive little benefit from a resolution higher than 200 pixels per inch. The lowest acceptable resolution is 180 ppi.

Printing Your Own Match Print

This is very important! Please read thoroughly to understand, and contact us if you have questions.

Read the above information under "file formats."
If printing on an Epson Printer, either:
1. print using automatic settings and no profiles (select "same as source" in color management.)
  
  OR
2. Use an epson profile AND in the custom/advanced window select "no color adjustment."
Failing to pick one or the other of these options usually results in doing both. That is called "double profiling" and will often give a distinctive blown-out magenta cast to the entire image, or make it very hard to match.
If possible use the same inks and paper that you want us to use. Even so, that may not predict an exact match. For example, the Epson 2200 and 7600 are still two different printers.

If you can't use the same media, understand that we will match it as closely as possible, but different surfaces change color balance, D-Max, gamut, saturation, etc.
Please don't use Epson's ColorLife paper to match, unless are looking for us to print with dye inks as well (24 x 36" maximum size with dye inks).

File Delivery

Internet Delivery: We will accept files up to 10 Mb (JPEG or TIFF with LZW compression) via e-mail and any file size via FTP (instructions HERE).

Disk Delivery: If you mail us your digital files, we recommend writing your digital image files to a CD-R or DVD. If you would like to send us your job on disk, visit our contact page for our mailing address.

Payment

We accept Visa, Discover AMEX and Master Card, we will also ship COD with a $15 service fee added to the total. We also accept money orders and checks (personal or business) from established accounts.

For the most comprehensive, and step-by-step guide to our services, read and fill out our ordering and submission checklist.

Phone: 801-484-1768
E-Mail: heath@masterlabdigital.com
Mail: BAE c/o MasterLab, 5209 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84107

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