CHAPTER 12 PRACTICAL SKILLS GOING PRO TUTORIALS AND PROFILES

CREATING A DIELINE
Illustrator File Edit Object Type Select Effect View Window Help
1 4 New... N
Tab
Closure
Cutter/Dieline New from Template... N
No Selection Open... O 2 pt. Oval Style: Opacity

Open Recent Files

Dieline Tutorial* @ 90% (CMYK/Preview)

New Document Browse in Bridge... O

Name: Dieline Tutorial OK Share My Screen...
New Document Profile: [Custom] Cancel Device Central...
Score/Fold lines Number of Artboards: 1
Templates... Close W
Side Spacing: 7.06 mm Columns: 1 Save S
Base Panel Panel Save As... S
Size: [Custom]
Save a Copy... S
Width: 363 mm Units Millimeters Save as Template...
Height: 333 mm Orientation:
Color Mode: CMYK
PPI: 300 Save for Web & Devices... S
Align to Pixel Grid: No
Save Selected Slices...
Glue Top Bottom Left Right
Flap Front Panel Bleed: 0 mm 0 mm 0 mm 0 mm Revert F12

Advanced Place... P
Side Tab Lock
Panel Save for Microsoft Office...
Export...

Scripts

Document Setup...
Back Panel
Document Color Mode
Dust Glue Dust Dust File Info... I
Flap Flap Flap Flap
Print... P

This tutorial explains the basics of dielines and how to create one Setting up your file Placing your artwork
in Illustrator from a pre-existing package. For this tutorial, I used Create a new file in Illustrator big enough to hold your dieline, For this small template, I used an 11 812in (28 21.6cm) artboard.
a small gum pack. A dieline is a flattened outline of the cut and PMS swatches, and design notes. Gently open out your package and scan it. Place this scan on
fold lines for a package; it serves as a template. Designers often the Original package layer and then lock that layer by clicking
receive dielines from their printer; however, if your client wants on the padlock icon.
a new style of package or a package structure for which the
printer does not have a template, you might need to create one
from scratch. If the client gives you a package to use, its pretty
easy to scan it in and create dielines over it in a program such
as Illustrator.

2 3 5 6
X: 127.346mm Y: 62.787 mm W: 124.884 mm H: 114.4 mm

YK/Preview)
LAYERS ARTBOARDS
Layer Options
Dieline
Name: Original package OK
Notes Color: Light Blue Cancel

Artwork Template Lock

Show Print
Original package
Preview Dim Images to: 50 %

4 Layers

Creating layers Make a template layer Drawing lines Check measurements

Create four layers: one titled Dieline, one Artwork, one Original When you create the Original package layer, check the Template Use either Shapes or the Pen tool, whichever you are most When you work from a pre-existing template, youll need to check
package and one Notes. Your Dieline layer should be on top. option. This will allow you to always see the original packaging, comfortable with, to draw your guidelines. Either is fine, as long your accuracy by taking measurements from your template and
but as a light tint so that you can clearly see your dieline and as you are making clean, accurate lines. comparing them to the in-progress dieline.
new artwork in the foreground.

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 CHAPTER 12 PRACTICAL SKILLS GOING PRO TUTORIALS AND PROFILES

7 STROKE GRADIE TRANSP 8 STROKE GRADIE TRANSP

11
Weight: 0.5 pt Weight: 0.5 pt

Cap: Cap: Base Panel

Corner: Limit: 10 x Corner: Limit: 10 x

Align Stroke: Align Stroke:

Dashed Line Dashed Line

LAYERS ARTBOARDS
dash gap dash gap dash gap dash gap dash gap dash gap

Arrowheads:
Dieline
Arrowheads:

Scale: 100 % 100 % Scale: 100 % 100 % Notes

Align: Align:
Artwork
Side
Profile: Uniform
Profile: Uniform Panel Front Panel
Original package

4 Layers

Dust Glue Dust

Flap Flap Flap

Cut lines Fold lines Lock Original package layer

Cut lines are indicated with solid red lines, typically .25 or .50pt. Folds are indicated with solid or dotted red lines. Once you have created your dielines, lock that layer by clicking
(I use dotted lines in this tutorial.) the padlock icon.

9 STROKE GRADIE TRANSP

10 12 Creating a prototype
Weight: 0.5 pt
Once you have a basic dieline, you can
Cap:
place your art on the Artwork layer. Create
Corner: Limit: 10 x
a hardcopy prototype of your package by
Align Stroke:
printing out and assembling your design.
Dashed Line
LAYERS ARTBOARDS This will show you any errors in orientation,
dash gap dash gap dash gap
Dieline measurement, text or art placement
Arrowheads:
Notes and give you the opportunity to fix them.
Scale: 100 % 100 %

Align:
Front Panel Artwork
Once your dieline is ready, send it to the
Profile: Uniform Original package
printer and ask for a proof. If you receive this
in digital rather than printed form, print and
4 Layers assemble it in order to check one last time
for orientation, spelling, placement errors,
and so on. If you cant print out your dieline
to full size, assembling a miniature version
will work as, by this point, your
measurements should be perfect.

Safe margin lines Labels

Safe margins are shown either with guides or blue lines. Identifying labels, such as Front Panel, Glue Panel, Tuck Flap,
etc., should be put on your Notes layer.

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