File Setup and Export Guide for Wax Seals

Step 1 - Our Engraving Templates 

The first step of preparing a design file for your order is making sure that you've downloaded the Engraving Template from our website. We have the option to download a single file containing all of our available shapes and sizes, or each of our respective silhouettes can be downloaded in a PDF or Adobe Illustrator file format (.ai), which is our preferred vector-based program of choice. These templates are created in a CMYK color mode and provide scaled artboards, as well as viewable dielines for size and positioning, and basic instructions for preparation. 

Once you've downloaded the template, you can import this file into Adobe Illustrator by File > Open and selecting the file, or by directly dragging and dropping into your Illustrator window.

Step 2 - Positioning Your Design

Our individual engraving templates measure 1/4" greater in height and width than the shape and size of the correlating wax seal. For example, a 1.0" oval seal design would be submitted on an artboard measuring 1.25" by 1". (While we recommend utilizing our prepared templates for their additional resources, artboard size is what matters most, so submitting an original layout is fine if you're conscious of the required dimensions and their impact on the ultimate scaling of your design.)

Once you've opened your engraving template, a brief set of instructions will be visible on Layer 4, outlining file placement, layering and export. When you've read through these instructions and are ready to prepare your file, hide both Layer 3 and 4 (both should be locked.)

Currently, our standard engravings are created using 2 layers of depth, for maximum contrast and greatest visual impact in the final wax impression. Background objects in your artwork should be placed on Layer 1, which will be engraved at 50% of our total depth, which is approximately 0.021" deep ( with a tolerance of +/- 0.002"). Full-depth details should be placed on Layer 2. We recommend locking any layers you are not actively working on to prevent errors. This way our Production Artists can prepare your artwork exactly as you're envisioning it! 

To see how your design will appear within the edge of the wax seal base, you can view Layer 3 as well, which contains a red dieline, as well as a transparent grey bleed for artwork which is intended to carry off the edge of the die. We recommend either fully passing into the bleed, or keeping your artwork within 5% of of the red dieline, just to make sure your stamps and seals look their absolute best!

 Step 3 - Outline Your Fonts

Once you've settled on the size and positioning of your design, be sure to embed any used fonts (convert to vector outlines). This step is especially important for file preparation, because while there's a chance we may have access to a font you've used, unconverted text commonly causes designs to display incorrectly in graphics programs, which can cause delays to your order. 

If you're using Adobe Illustrator, fonts can be converted to vector outline by selecting the text and choosing Type > Create Outlines in the menu bar.

Step 4 - Exporting

When you're finished placing your design, hide (or delete) Layer 3 and Layer 4 of your template artboard, and export. Do not merge Layers 1 and 2. 

For your engraving orders, we require an entirely vectorized file in a .PDF format. You can check if an image is a vector if you are able to zoom all of the way into the design and it still appears smooth, without any visible pixels or distortion. 

We require vector images for design files because raster images will have to undergo the process of vectorization to be used by our Production Artists. This process can result in a significant loss of detail. 

When exporting, ensure that if you are working with multiple designs using our collective template, that they are exported to their own independent files. We strongly recommend avoiding multiple artboards in artwork files to prevent any possible delays related to importing on our end. We love seeing your beautiful suites or design drafts, but we want to make sure you get your order as soon as possible!

Pre-Submission File Checklist:

Dimensions - Is the file the recommended size? If not, will this affect the scale of the artwork on the base of the wax seal?

Art Format - Is my artwork in a fully vectorized format?

Bleed - Has the bleed been correctly utilized? Is all artwork which goes over the edge of the seal base continued into the bleed? Is any content in the bleed which should be engraved?

Layers - Have all objects been assigned to their correct layers? Are all of the artwork elements assigned to either the Background 50% Engraving Depth layer or the Foreground 100% Engraving Depth layer. Are these layers unmerged?

Fonts - Have all fonts been converted to vector outlines?

Content - Does the artwork follow recommended thicknesses and size standards?

Tips for Successful Engraving

Text Size:

Once you have placed your artwork and are satisfied with the scale and layout, measure the height of any text in your design. Generally, we recommend using a font size of at least 6pt for your designs, however, the character proportions and case-type of used fonts can mean your artwork may still not meet requirements. 

The absolute best way to check is to create a rectangle of 0.08" height and compare it to your text. Any characters which fall below this height may not create a legible impression. While text may look large enough to be legible when zoomed in on your screen, this can often translate very differently when in scale. 

Linework Thickness:

Our engraving methods can create engraved artwork which is too fine for wax to enter, so we suggest using a line width of 0.5pt to 1 pt. For important design elements, we recommend sticking to a 1pt linework thickness or more, but for fine details and backgrounds 0.5pt is fine! Any linework below this thickness is susceptible to issues with legibility, visibility or completion of impression.  

Thin linework is the most common reason you may feel like your impression is appearing shallow. Generally, thicker linework allows for a bolder, more raised impression because wax is more easily able to flow into the engraving channel.

To measure your linework thickness, we recommend selecting the thinnest point of linework in your design and comparing it to a 0.01" round ellipse (roughly 0.75pt). If this line meets the 0.01" thickness, your artwork meets parameters! 

It's important to note, extra care should be shown when thickening lettering to meet linework thickness requirements. Thinner portions of fonts, such as serifs, loops and curves, can cause depth inconsistencies or create an incomplete impression. We suggest using fonts of consistent character whenever possible for the best result!

We strongly recommend creating designs which do not cover 70% or more of the die face, as removing such a significant amount of material to create a negative engraving can impact the final appearance of your design in wax. 

Merging

Something to keep in mind while creating your linework, especially working with such a small canvas size, is that lines within too close proximity can visually appear merged when stamped in wax. Linework that is within roughly 0.0045" (or 0.35pt) from other objects may appear joined when viewed in the final, complete impression. In order to minimize the possibility of this happening with your design, we recommend selecting two of the closest linework objects in your design and measuring the distance between them when compared to a .035pt size ellipse. If the space between them measures less than 0.0045", you may want to consider either fully joining these objects or increasing the distance between them. 

Assigning Layering (Optional)

For absolute maximum contrast between your design and the wax seal base in a final impression, we recommend producing artwork only on the foreground layer, which is 100% possible engraved depth. However, you may still want to include an alternate layer of engraved depth for visual interest. We recommend placing your layers according to the rules of perspective, with the furthest background objects set to a Layer 1 depth (50%) and your closest, central details engraved at 100% (Layer 2).

We recommend using our 100% engraved depth for all text, as our 50% background layer is not designed to create a legible impression in wax, and for any details which you want to be the central focus of the final impression. Our 50% layer of engraved depth is best for rings or any complete borders (ie. wreaths, shields) around designs, as they can commonly create an incomplete impression due to the air that is forced out when stamping the wax. If you're unsure, we recommend producing all art on Layer 2 (100%) as a default.

Recommended Artwork Styles

Minimalist illustrations using solid and complete linework, without excessively thin details, tend to create the best impressions in wax. This means that comic or cartoon illustrations, tattoo-style drawings or pop art tend to produce the best result. While photorealism or styles such as pointillism or hatching may produce beautiful print illustrations, for engraving we recommend avoiding art styles that rely on traditional art textures or transparencies, gradients or metallic effects (i.e.. water color, graphite, charcoal, etc.)