Artwork
Pillow Box Dielines and Artwork
A dieline is a map of what the flat sheet becomes. Reading it properly is the difference between artwork that goes to press and artwork that comes back with a list of problems, and most of what it tells you is about where not to put things.
What the lines on a dieline mean
A cut line is where the blade goes — the outline of the flat blank and any aperture inside it. Artwork must extend past it, not stop at it.
A crease line is where the board folds. It is not cut, but the board is compressed along it, and any ink sitting on a crease will crack when the box is folded. Foil and heavy solid coverage crack worst.
A bleed line sits outside the cut line, usually by 3 mm. Artwork has to reach it so that a small drift in the cutting position does not leave a white edge.
A safe area sits inside the cut line by a similar margin. Anything that must not be trimmed — type, a barcode, a logo — belongs inside it.
What the curved ends rule out
The two tucks are the working part of a pillow box, and they constrain the design more than anything else:
- No window or aperture may cross into the fold
- No die-cut handle may sit near a tuck, or the closure deforms
- Heavy embossing on or across a crease will crack the board
- Foil across a crease will crack, however carefully it is stamped
- Fine type placed too close to the curve becomes unreadable once folded
Preparing a file that goes straight to press
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Work on the supplied dieline
Do not redraw it or scale it. Place your artwork onto the file we send, keeping the dieline on its own locked layer.
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Convert to CMYK, or specify spot colors
RGB files get converted somewhere, and if that happens automatically the result is a surprise rather than a decision.
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Outline all type
Or supply the fonts. A missing font substitutes silently and the first anyone notices is the printed sheet.
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Embed or supply linked images
At 300 dpi at final size. An image that looks fine on screen at 20 per cent is not fine at full size.
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Extend artwork to bleed
Every element that runs to an edge has to run past it, to the bleed line.
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Delete the dieline from the output
Or set it to overprint on a named spot channel so it can be removed at prepress. A dieline printed onto the box is an avoidable and expensive mistake.
File formats and what they are good for
| Format | Use for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PDF (press-ready) | Final artwork | The safest option. Include bleed and crop marks |
| AI / EPS | Vector artwork and logos | Outline the type or supply the fonts |
| PSD / TIFF | Raster imagery | 300 dpi at final size, CMYK, layers flattened where possible |
| JPG / PNG | Reference only | Never for final print artwork on packaging |
| Office files | Not accepted for print | Send content, and we will place it properly |
Resolution, and why 300 dpi is not a formality
Print resolution is measured at the final printed size, not at the size the file happens to be. A 300 dpi image scaled up 200 per cent on the page is effectively a 150 dpi image, and at packaging scale that shows as soft edges on anything with detail.
Vector artwork has no resolution and scales freely, which is why logos and type should always be supplied as vector. Where photography is involved, check the effective resolution at final size rather than the file's nominal figure.
Questions this raises
Can I design before you send a dieline?
You can design the visual, but do not fix the layout until the dieline exists. Artwork laid out to an assumed size almost always needs reworking, and it is the most common cause of a delayed job.
How much bleed do you need?
Three millimeters beyond every cut line, including apertures. Anything that must not be trimmed should sit at least three millimeters inside the cut line.
Why does my foil crack on the fold?
Because it is sitting on a crease. Foil is a surface film and it cannot follow a fold. Move it clear of the crease line — we will mark those zones on the dieline.
Do you accept RGB files?
We will convert them, but the result is our interpretation rather than your decision. Supply CMYK, or specify Pantone references for colors that matter.
What if I do not have a designer?
Send us what you have — a logo, the copy, and a sense of what you want — and we will tell you honestly what is workable and what needs proper artwork. We would rather have that conversation before the quote than after.