The time has come to bring your brand's Wax Seal dreams to life. We sat down with our production artists to uncover five tips to help elevate your Wax Seal. Designing for wax is unlike designing for digital print. With decades of experience behind us, we have discovered design techniques that work to create high-quality Wax Seals time and time again.
Use a Vector File for the Best Results
To best translate your intentionally crafted design into Sealing Wax, we require artwork to be submitted in a vector format. These files translate directly into our engraving process without the need for additional conversions or alterations by our production artists, which can slightly alter your artwork. A vector file will uphold the creative integrity of your design while providing the best overall artwork to Sealing Wax translation.
Working with another file type? View our Vectorization Guide Here.
Use Line Thickness for Emphasis
Use line width to your advantage! When designing Wax Seals, line thickness determines how bold an impression a piece of artwork will leave. Lines with a thickness range of 0.05-0.75pt will leave a dainty and delicate impression (ideal for background elements). A bolder appearance will require wider lines; we recommend a thickness of 1.0-1.25pt for a clear, bold impression.
Use Center Coverage to Avoid Blemishing
An aesthetically balanced wax seal design will have 50% or less of the die face engraved. A design with too much blank space, specifically in the center, will increase the chance of noticeable blemishing. We recommend but do not require artwork that goes over the center of the seal to reduce the risk of any eye-catching blemishes.
Keep the Artwork a Safe Distance from the Edge
When uploading artwork, we recommend leaving a 5% margin of space between the outer edges of your design and the die line. Keeping your artwork safely spaced from the edge will account for any minor positioning variances that may occur throughout the engraving process. This ensures your design will appear balanced and centered once engraved.
Looking for additional guidance? View our Artwork Templates Here.
Use the Bleed Area for Off-Edge Artwork
When designing, keep in mind the appearance of the seal's edge is determined by the shape of the wax poured and the nature of the artwork. If the artwork is designed to go to the edge of the seal, there may be an impact on the overall shape, as this will force additional air into the edge of the seal. As more air escapes through the seal's bleed, the risk of bubbles forming increases. When submitting artwork intended to extend past the edge of the Wax Seal, we require the artwork to go 1/8" over the die line. This will prevent any awkward edges in your engraving that may cause additional imperfections when pressed into sealing wax.
Wax Seals are a medium unlike any other. The tips above have been provided from a technical standpoint. If your artistic vision aligns differently from the abovementioned features, our team will still happily work with your design.
We want you to love your wax seals. Our customer support team, Hello@artisairestudio.com, and Production Artists Graphics@artisairestudio.com are always available to help with any artwork inquiries you may have.