Artwork Brief

An artwork brief is the specification document that defines exactly how a branded item should be decorated. It tells the decorator - whether an in-house production team or an external supplier - which logo files to use, what PMS colours to apply, where on the product the decoration should be positioned, what method to use (such as embroidery, screen print, or digital transfer), and any sizing or placement tolerances. A complete, accurate artwork brief is the single most important document in a promotional merchandise order. Without it, mistakes in production happen at the decorator's end or the client's - and they are almost always expensive to fix.

What a Good Artwork Brief Includes

A well-structured artwork brief covers every decoration variable for every item in the order. The core elements are:

Artwork files: Vector files (typically .ai or .eps) are standard for most decoration methods. Rasterised files (JPEG, PNG) are often rejected by decorators because they cannot be scaled without quality loss. The brief should specify which version of the logo applies - full colour, single colour, or reversed out - and whether any simplified version is approved for small-scale embroidery.

Colours: PMS colour references should be stated for each colour in the design. Colours that look identical on screen can print very differently depending on the substrate and decoration method. Stating PMS references removes ambiguity and gives the decorator a clear target to match.

Placement and sizing: The brief should state where on the product the artwork sits (left chest, centred back, right sleeve), the maximum print area dimensions, and the exact size of the design within that area.

Decoration method: Embroidery, screen print, digital print, pad print, heat transfer, deboss - each method has different capabilities, limitations, and cost implications. The brief should specify the method, or note that the distributor will confirm the method based on the product and quantity.

Why It Matters for Order Management

In a promotional merchandise business, the artwork brief is the handover document between the sales process and production. If it is incomplete when the order is placed, someone will need to chase the client for missing information - adding delay, creating a back-and-forth email trail, and pushing back the delivery date. If incorrect details are passed to the decorator and production begins, the cost of correction falls on the distributor.

Capturing a complete artwork brief at the point of order confirmation - before purchase orders are raised and before the job enters production - prevents almost all decoration disputes. Businesses that standardise this document and make it part of their order confirmation process report fewer reprints, fewer client complaints, and shorter production cycles.