ALL SKATEBOARD DECKS NORTH AMERICA MADE!
Our preferred art format
For digital transfer printed skateboard decks we recommend 300dpi tiff or jpeg (compressed) files in CMYK at actual size (use our templates). Remember that your computer monitor reproduces color differently than the final printed skateboard deck. Monitors use additive color mixing of RGB and are backlit. A digital printed skateboard is printed using subtractive color mixing CMYK ink with a white ink underlay. The effective difference is that your monitor will have more contrast and colors will appear ‘brighter’ than on the final printed skateboard deck. For the vast majority of our customers the digital print option is superior but some graphics may be better reproduced using one of our other print methods. If you choose to print your deck digitally and need exact color matching we suggest ordering one sample deck. To get a close approximation of color use the Pantone Color Bridge guide looking at the CMYK/Process side of the chip. We are constantly making adjustments to get closer to the Pantone Solid Coated color as it is usually preferred over the CMYK/Process side of the color chip. Talk to one of our reps if you have questions on specific colors.
In-depth explanation of print methods.For silk screen transfer printed skateboard decks, direct screen printed skateboard decks, printed wheels, printed trucks, and most other products we recommend Vector files (some extensions are .ai, .eps, and .pdf) created (not just imported) in Adobe Illustrator(there are other vector programs). Please have each color separated in its own layer. Use the Pantone Solid Coated book for accurate color matching. We receive imperfect art all day long so don’t worry if your art doesn’t match our specs. Our reps will advise on issues and we always make digital proofs before ordering. One key thing to remember when ordering custom skateboard products is that low resolution art will print as low resolution. The easiest way to check is to open your art on a computer monitor at actual size (your phone won’t work). Zoom in on your art until it is roughly the width of the actual printed product. For an average skateboard deck this is 8 inches. This is roughly the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger of an outstretched hand. If your art looks low resolution (pixilated) it will look nearly the same when printed.
Graphic templates
We provide graphic templates and art guidelines for every product we sell. If the template you are looking for is not provided in the orange link to the right of the page or the link below contact a rep for more details.
Download graphic templates here.
Correctly matching colors
Color reproduction varies from monitor to monitor so please note that the color you see on your computer may not look the same when printed. The Pantone™ matching system is the industry standard for accurately matching color. Please reference the PMS (Pantone) number if exact color matching is necessary. For digital printed skateboard decks the Pantone Colorbridge swatch book is a close match. Make sure you look at the Process/CMYK side of the swatch. All colors appear as coated (gloss/semi-gloss). In-depth explanation of print methods.
Check your artwork resolution quick
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Submitting Art
The easiest and fastest way to submit art is by email. Our email server accepts emails up to 20 mb in size. Your email server may have smaller limits. If your file is larger, please use our artwork submission page, which allows up to 200MB.
Digital Printed vs Screen Printed
Our digital skateboard deck printing process has advanced the printing process in a major way. It uses the latest commercial digital printing in combination with screen printing to make an excellent print: Super fine detail at better than 300 dpi & Very good reproduction of spot colors. No screen fees! It has rendered silk screen printed CMYK/Process transfers obsolete. The Pantone Color Bridge CMYK/Process color book is the closest for color matching but many colors look close to Pantone Solid Coated. Ink adhesion is just as good as screen printed transfers. Submit your art and we’ll give you feedback on what process is best or order a sample to be sure.
Screen printed spot color transfers are recommended when exact color matching is required. The art files need to be solid color vectors. Spot color printing requires that every color in a graphic be printed individually so a screen must be made for each color. Metallic, pearlescent, fluorescent, and phosphorescent can’t be created by digital printing so you must use the screen printed transfer for these color types. In-depth explanation of print methods.
Vector graphics
Vector graphics use mathematical coordinates to represent a shape. Within these coordinates a solid color is represented. When vectors are scaled larger they do not lose resolution. This is a big advantage over raster graphics.
Raster graphics
Raster graphics are collections of pixels. Each pixel has it’s own color. Raster files are typically much larger than a similar vector file. The biggest problem with raster graphics is that some people mistakenly think that an image that is viewed much smaller than actual print size on a computer monitor will print at high resolution.
Need an Artist?
We make custom skateboards but we are not a graphic design company. We regularly make quick fixes to art but we do not create or format the artwork.
There are many websites that offer professional artist services that can help. Below are independent graphic designers that our clients have used many times:
Joseph Haley: bro.chef@semicolonjoseph.com
Scott Jun: scott@thebigthistle.com
Nick Kaufman: nick@nickkaufman.com
Bryan Rea: bryanreadesign@gmail.com
Please note that these artists are freelance and do not work for Point Distribution.
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