Free engraving setup · No minimums beyond one case · Ships in 7–10 days
Top ShelfSupply House
HOME / ARTWORK REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGRAVING & PRINTING
Artwork

Artwork requirements for engraving & printing

Send us clean vector art and most of the guesswork disappears. Here's what works, what to do if you don't have it, and how your logo ends up on the glass.

The short version: vector files reproduce best, we'll always send you a proof before anything runs, and if all you have is a JPG we can usually still help.

Best file types to send

Vector art is what we want. That means an Adobe Illustrator file (.ai), an EPS, or a high-resolution PDF that was built as vector rather than a saved photo. Vector art is drawn as math instead of pixels, so it scales to any imprint size without going soft or jagged at the edges. A logo that looks fine on your website at one inch can fall apart when it's enlarged to fill a pint glass — vector doesn't have that problem, which is why it engraves and prints cleanest.

If all you have is a raster file — a JPG, PNG, or a logo pulled off a webpage — don't let that stop you. For a simple, high-contrast mark we can often recreate it as vector or clean it up enough to run. For something detailed or low-resolution, we'll tell you honestly whether it'll hold up and what it would take to get there. Send what you've got and we'll work from it.

FormatTypeGood to send?
.aiVectorYes — preferred
.epsVectorYes — preferred
.pdf (vector)VectorYes
.png / .jpgRasterUsable; high-res only
Logo off a webpageRasterSend it, but we may need to redraw

Engraving vs screen printing

How we decorate depends on the look you're after. HD laser engraving burns a permanent, dishwasher-safe mark into the glass in a single frosted tone. It's the right call for a clean logo, fine line work, and anything that has to survive a busy bar's dish pit. It doesn't reproduce color, though. Everything comes through as that one etched tone, so a multicolor logo loses its colors.

When color matters, screen printing is the answer. It lays down ink and can match your brand or PMS colors across a full-color design. If your logo is built around a specific red, or your label art uses several colors you want carried onto the glass, printing keeps them. Send us the art and tell us what it's for, and we'll point you to the method that suits it.

Imprint area, sizing, and placement

Every glass has a usable imprint area, and the curve of the glass sets the limits. A rocks glass gives you a wide, fairly flat panel; a Glencairn or a flask has a tighter, more curved surface. We size your art to sit well within that area so it reads cleanly and doesn't wrap awkwardly around the form. Tell us where you'd like it. Most logos go centered on the front, and if you have a second mark for the back or the base, mention that too. We'll lay it out and show you before anything is decorated.

We send a proof first

Nothing runs until you've seen it. After you send art, we send back a proof showing your logo placed and sized on the actual glass, and a quote with per-case and per-unit pricing. You check the spelling, the placement, and the size, then approve. Proofs are free, and there are no setup or plate fees. Most orders ship 7 to 10 business days after you sign off.

How to submit art

Attach your files to the quote form along with the glasses and quantities you want, and we'll handle the rest. Got the art ready? Start your quote and we'll send back a proof.

Ready to put your brand on the glass?

Send us the pieces and quantities you need and we’ll come back with per-case and per-unit pricing.