EmblemArt Knowledge Base

Whatever you can send us as your design, be that a fully realized Vector file, or a simple Napkin sketch, we can help you reproduce it as an emblem.

The best type of file to send us, which will keep your costs as low as possible is called a Vector File. If you can send us a vector file then we can keep your costs to a minimum. If you are unable to we do offer Conversion Services to help you out :)

EmblemArt requires original artwork or appropriate written permission/licensing covering reproduction. Uncertain permission requires review before proceeding. This guide does not determine legal ownership or provide legal advice.

For more info on Intellectual Property check out our IP Section.

For more info on the types of files we need, see our Vector Files and Suitable Design Files sections below.

For more information on using AI tools to help you with your design, see our AI & LLM Tools section below.

EmblemArt requires original artwork or appropriate written permission/licensing covering reproduction. Uncertain permission requires review before proceeding. This guide does not determine legal ownership or provide legal advice.

For more info on Intellectual Property check out our IP Section.

EmblemArt requires original artwork or appropriate written permission/licensing covering reproduction. Uncertain permission requires review before proceeding. This guide does not determine legal ownership or provide legal advice.

For more info on Intellectual Property check out our IP Section.

EmblemArt requires original artwork or appropriate written permission/licensing covering reproduction. Uncertain permission requires review before proceeding. This guide does not determine legal ownership or provide legal advice.

Primary Resources

For background information, consult the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Copyright Office’s derivative works circular.

For general copyright information, visit the U.S. Copyright Office.

More Information & Additional Resources:

These resources are provided for background information only and do not change EmblemArt’s review requirement.

Search results can be useful background information, but they do not determine ownership or permission to reproduce artwork. EmblemArt requires original artwork or appropriate written permission/licensing, and uncertain permission requires review before proceeding.

You can use the official USPTO trademark database for background research. This guide does not provide legal advice.

For more info on Intellectual Property check out our IP Section.

There are many different types of graphic design files. Generally image and design files are categorized as RASTER or VECTOR images.

They type of design file we need is what's called a Vector file. You can find more information on vector files below

This is our most common question. Vector files are something the average person has never heard of. This makes explaining what a vector file is a difficult task at times.

Here at EmblemArt we do offer vector conversion services. There is a bit of a cost involved with this but we do try to keep it as cost effective as possible. Afterall, we don't want to make your project to be limited based on the conversion.

Many times clients will misunderstand what a vector file is, and send us a Raster Image embedded inside a vector file in an attempt to keep their costs down. While we'd love to accept these types of files unfortunately they aren't true vector files and we'd need to convert this type of file by hand.

We have found some really great Youtube Clips that help us explain why vector files are so important:

And here is another:

You can also purchase vector files from any number of vector design companies such as Vector Stock. There are many other websites that sell vector files as well but Vector Stock is pretty common.

Making letters from scratch, or from a JPG image is actually more difficult than it seems. Lettering is exact. Any small detail that is out of place is instantly noticable. Therefore, converting a JPG image of letters takes us a lot of time, which will end up costing you more.

To keep costs as low as possible for you, we need a font for any lettering that you have in your design. Font files are special computer files that hold all the information for lettering styles. Us having the font file saves us the time, which saves you cash.

We have a a FONT PREVIEW system set up to allow you to see what fonts we have on file. however if you'd rather choose a different font we just need you to send us the .ttf or the .otf file.

There are a couple places you can find Font Files if one of our stock fonts won't work for you.

1. The Internet

   There are a ton of websites out there that host Fonts. However font files also have special permissions, called Licenses. Some Licenses allow free use commercially, others are only free for personal use, and some aren't free at all.

   If you find a font online that you want us to use, send us over the URL and we can tell you if we, as a company, can download it commercially. or if you need to download and send it to us for exclusive use on your personal project.

   If the font you want to use isn't free for commercial use, then you can still use it for your project. We just need you to download it and send it to us to use for your personal project only. We keep files for all our clients and we do not share what you send us with any other clients, thus the font will only be used for you personally.

   There are a couple websites that we direct customers to that have worked out really great in the past:

   DaFont

   Some fonts are free for commercial use, some aren't

   FontSquirrel

   All are free for commercial use

   FontSpace

   Some are free for commercial use, some aren't

   Simply send us the URL for the font that you want to use, or download the font file and send it to use as an attachment.

2. Your Home Computer

   You can see the fonts you have on your computer through programs like Microsoft Word. We are licensed to use any fonts found in Microsoft word. If you know the name of the font, shoot that over to us and we can take a look. However if we don't have it in our system. We need you to send us the font.

   The fonts are stored in a special location called a Font Folder. Here are a couple of Youtube clips we found that helps us locate this folder.

If you haven't yet be sure to check out the section above about Vector Files. If you are unable to send us a proper vector file for your request we can help you out with a service called "Artwork Conversion".

Artwork Converion unfortunately does have a cost associated with it as it can take time. Converting Pixels to precise vector lines is pretty much an artform for us. However we do provide and ask for everything we need to make it as easy as possible for us, thus keeping your cost to a minimum.

If you don't have a design in mind we can definitely help you out. However creating Design from Scratch is a Premium service and thus have a premium cost. How much that cost is really depends on how much creative work you'd like us to do vs how much you'd like to do

All the designs on our website are owned or licensed by the Customers or Clients who ordered them. We have them on our site so that you can see things we've done in the past and to inspire you on different techniques and ideas of how to make your logo or design into an emblem.

As the images are owned or licensed by our Customers or Clients we cannot use them to make your designs. We can only make custom emblems from designs that you own, or that you have licensing for.

For a full step-by-step guide on using AI with EmblemArt — including sample prompts, file tips, and how to generate production-friendly artwork — see our dedicated Using AI with EmblemArt page.

We use AI tools in our own workflow here at EmblemArt, so we absolutely encourage you to use them too. AI can be a fantastic way to brainstorm concepts, explore styles, and articulate what you are looking for before getting started.

However, AI language and image models do not always have accurate information about what we can and cannot produce. They can generate very convincing-sounding — but incorrect — details about materials, processes, pricing, turnaround times, and file requirements. We call these "false positives." They look right but they aren't, and they can create mismatched expectations before we even get started.

The good news is that there is an easy way to get accurate, AI-assisted answers that are specific to EmblemArt: feed our instructions file to your AI before asking any questions about our products, processes, pricing, or file requirements.

We maintain a plain-text instructions file that AI models can read and use as a knowledge base. Simply paste the following URL into your AI chat session as a reference link or system context:
https://www.emblemart.com/llms.txt

This works with any AI — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, and more. For more detailed instructions on how to do this, see our Instructions to Give Your AI section below.

If you have already been working with an AI and have questions about whether something it told you is accurate, just ask us. We are happy to clarify.

For more information on using AI tools together with EmblemArt, see the sections below:

• Instructions to Give Your AI
• What to Expect Back from Your AI
• File Output from Your AI

The single most effective thing you can do is provide your AI with our instructions file before asking questions about our products or processes. Our AI instructions file is located here:

https://www.emblemart.com/llms.txt

Simply paste that URL into your chat session and ask your AI to read it first. Once it has that context, it will be able to give you much more accurate answers.

Suggested prompt to give your AI:

"I need to order a custom emblem from EmblemArt. Please read their instructions file at https://www.emblemart.com/llms.txt before answering any questions about their products, processes, pricing, or file requirements. I will be asking you to help me describe my design concept and prepare my files."

What AI is good at (for this use case):

• Helping you describe and articulate your design concept in words
• Exploring different styles, layouts, and design directions
• Drafting a description of your emblem to send us as a starting point
• Answering general questions about our process when given our instructions file
• Helping you understand what a vector file is, and why it matters

What AI commonly gets wrong (even with the best models):

• File specifications: AI may tell you that a high-resolution PNG or a "vector-style" image is suitable. It will even tell you that it can create suitable vector files... these are both incorrect. Chat-based AI cannot yet generate the production vector geometry we need — it can produce convincing SVG code, but that output still needs to be inspected and rebuilt by us before it is production-ready.
• Capabilities: AI may suggest techniques or options that we do not offer — such as full-color printing on small-quantity emblems, chrome plating on plastic without minimum quantities, or unusual finishing options not in our product line.
• Pricing: AI pricing estimates for custom manufacturing are often significantly wrong. Use our Get Started wizard or contact us directly for an accurate quote.
• Turnaround times: AI may quote lead times that do not reflect our actual production schedule or current workload.
• Material behavior: AI may describe how chrome, gold, or black materials look or behave in ways that do not match our actual products. Always review our product pages for accurate descriptions.

The bottom line: AI is a great brainstorming partner, but it is not a substitute for talking to us. When in doubt, ask.

This is one of the most common sources of confusion when working with AI-assisted designs. AI image generation tools (Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion, Adobe Firefly, etc.) produce great raster images — specifically PNG or JPG files. These are a different thing from the vector artwork we drive production with, and knowing the difference saves you setup cost.

What AI image generators produce:

• Full-color, photorealistic, or stylized PNG/JPG renders
• 3D-looking concepts with depth, shading, gradients, and reflections
• Beautiful visualizations of what an emblem might look like in an ideal world

These are genuinely useful as reference images — they help us understand what you are going for.

What helps us most from an AI generated image:

• 2D, black and white only artwork — no color, no gradients, no shading
• Clean, single-color paths — think of how a logo would look as a black rubber stamp on white paper. That is essentially what we need.
• For lettering: a font file (.ttf or .otf) rather than a rasterized image of text

Why the difference matters:

Our production process uses vector artwork to drive the cutting and forming equipment. A raster image (PNG/JPG) is still usable, but it has to be traced or redrawn as vectors before it can go to production, which takes time and adds to your setup cost. The more complex the image, the more time it takes. Note that Artwork Conversion is offered for this, and it is a separate charge from production.

Can I still send my AI-generated image?

Yes, and please do — it is a great reference for understanding your vision. The closer it is to 2D, high-definition, black and white, and logo-like, the more of it we can use and the less re-drawing it needs. We can also convert it for you. One practical note: a chat-based AI can generate SVG code, but that code has not been inspected or built by us and still needs to be verified before it is production-ready — so a high-quality SVG is a helpful starting point, not a finished file.

Suggested prompt to give your AI:

"I need you to use the concept image you've provided and generate a high fidelity logo file. It needs to be black and white only. No shading, no half-tones, no gradients. Simply black and white. It needs to be high resolution as well. As large as you're able to output. It needs to be clean and crisp. For more details please refer to EmblemArt's instructions file at https://www.emblemart.com/llms.txt. I will be sending the resulting image to EmblemArt to be made into a custom emblem, so it needs to meet their output requirements."

For more information on the types of files we need, see our Vector Files and Suitable Design Files sections above.

"Overall Dimensions" refers to the overall height and the overall width. This one is pretty simple, yet with complex designs it can get a little confusing at times. So we made a simple image to help you know what we are referring to:

You can see here that we have the height from the top most part of the design, to the bottom most part. And the width, from the part furthest left to furthest right.

Proportions refers the the scale of your design. For example if you were to send us the design found in the "What do you mean by Overall Dimensions?" section above, but then ask us for the dimensions of ( 3" tall x 4" wide ) we'd get the following:

See how the design is all distorted? This is because it didn't keep the proportions, (or scale) of the original artwork.

In this instance, if the important dimension was 4" wide, then the height would need to scale, proportionately to .95" tall as you can see below:

You can see here that the design kept it's overall look and proportions (scale) but in order to do so had to be much shorter than originally requested.

While we don't have a minimum order requirement for custom emblems we do have limitations with what material's and processes may be avialable based on those quantities.

Quanties of less than 300 units:

• Chrome Emblem Material^[link]
• Gold Emblem Material^[link]
• Black Emblem Material^[link]

Standard engraved and cut orders dispatch within 20 business days after payment. Artwork, confirmed specifications, and material requirements still apply to the order, but do not reset this published payment-to-dispatch clock.

• Research and Development Materials

R&D availability and schedule are confirmed per project; no standard lead time is published.

For information on the pricing of these materials take a look HERE.

Quantities of 300 or more

Injection molding is a separate product and process with a 300-unit minimum. A larger quantity does not convert an engraved and cut product into a molded one; confirm the selected product, material, finish, and process first.

Confirmed injection-molded/OEM orders dispatch within 12 business weeks (60 Monday-Friday business days) after payment. The confirmed options and materials still affect feasibility and the selected product.

Injection-molded parts include molded plastic and chrome-plated product options. Molded plastic products are for indoor application unless a specific outdoor-qualified material and finish are confirmed for the application.

Chrome-plated options can include recessed color fill or Lexan/acrylic inserts where confirmed for the selected product. Ask the team to verify material, finish, mounting, and intended use.

To take a look at difference products we offer at high quantities take a look HERE.

For information on the pricing of higher quantity orders take a look HERE.

Most all emblems are backed with 3M adhesive. There are some limitations with this, but unless otherwise stated they come with the adhesive already pre applied. Simply peel and stick.

Most all emblems are backed with 3M adhesive. There are some limitations with this, but unless otherwise stated they come with the adhesive already pre applied. Simply peel and stick.

Currently only our OEM options at quantities of 300 or more, allow for color fill. However we are constantly testing and proving new production methods and options.

You can definitely paint your car emblems, however this isn't a service we offer in house. Proper precautions must be taken to prepare the part to accept point. Precautions such as cleaning the emblem or badge as well at taping off any area where you don't want paint applied.

Plasti-dip is a product that we recommend to many of our clients who want to temporarily change the color of their custom emblems. However it's not a permanent solution. As long as you prep the part carefully plasti-dip should last a long time.

We can make them pretty much any size you like. There may be some limtations, however for the most part we do have solutions :)

Use the Get Started form to get a quote.

When clients or customers have designs or requests that consist of individual parts they are concerned that they won't be able to align the parts once they are ready to install. To solve this issue we offer an alignment templates or prespaced jigs so that clients can easily apply their custom emblems.

Application with an alignment template is incredibly easy. Simply align the template at the install location. (we recommend supporting it with masking tape on the surface). From there simply remove the adhesive backing on each part you want to install, and place that part in the appropriate space in the alignment template.

Vid coming soon

Quantity can affect pricing and feasibility, but the selected product determines the manufacturing process and its minimum order quantity.

For example, injection-molded OEM products have a 300-unit minimum, while engraved and cut products can be ordered in larger quantities without changing process. Research & Development work is project-specific: availability, capability, pricing, feasibility, and schedule are confirmed per project rather than inferred from quantity.

Yes and No.

There is an onld addage that money can buy anything, and while technically this is correct, at times technology, and no necessarily money, would be the limiting factor.

That being said, we do have options that are very cost effective, but also others that aren't. So yes, at times you can pay more than what we quote you and achieve additional options, however it really depends on what that request is.

If you already know how many you're wanting to order, and the dimensions feel free to GET STARTED. At the end of the questions there will be a place where you can enter in additional details of what you're looking for :)

Please Contact Us for more information and with any questions.

Here at EmblemArt we are always looking for new and exciting technologies to bring the best products to our clients. These new technologies need time to be tested, time to figure out what correct pricing structures are, as well as production solutions to keep pricing low while still making a small profit. This is what R&D is.

The best way to do these things is to put these products out in theh "wild" so to speak. Having great customers and clients allows us to use them as gineua pigs for our new products. There are some drawbacks to this, namely we aren't sure of timelines for productions, nor are we 100% sure on some aspects of durability. However, because of this we don't charge as much for the R&D products as we would for the final product once R&D is complete.

We will cherry pick different customers when they approach us with their requests to participate with us in our R&D product, however if you'd like to see what options are available definately feel free to ask. We'll take a look at your request and see if it isn't a good canadate for any of our R&D products. :)

Ordering is simple:

1. Come Up with a design.
2. Check out our products and find what will work best for you.
3. Contact Us.
You can contact us via our Get Started, Get a Quote, or Contact Us pages.

From there we will guide you through the Order Process .

For a more detailed explaination of these steps see the page found HERE.

When you fill out our Get a Quote, our Get Started or our Contact Us forms you will be sent an automated, programmed response to your request. This email was programmed to use the details that you entered and generate a quote for you (if possible). It's not a huge deal is you don't get this email (as sometimes it gets lost in cyberspace) however we've spent a lot of time programming it to try to help people get information as quickly as they can while they wait for a personal message from one of our Quote Specialist. if you have any suggestions for the Intro Email our ears are definitely open to them. The Intro email is just a tool to help people out as quickly as we can.

Check your Junk Folder. For whatever reason our Intro Email gets sent there sometimes.

It's not a huge deal though if you can't find is. The Intro email simply gives you a bunch of information and links for pages to look at to answer your questions. It can also give you a quote.

If you didn't get the INTRO email don't worry. One of our Quote Specialists will reach out to you soon after you place your order. If for whatever reason you don't hear from us though, feel free to reach out directly to [email protected].

Many people try to figure out how to place orders for custom parts through the website itself. Instead we prefer to work 1-on-1 with customers to get them the best possible pricing, as well as walk them through each step of the Order Process.

There are a few steps in the order process:

1. Initial Contact & Intro Email via our Get Started, Get a Quote, Contact Us forms, or by Emailing us directly.
2. Design & Product Consultation via email with one of our Quote Specialists
3. Final Quoting & Invoicing/Payment via email with one of our Quote Specialists
4. Production & Shipping

Each step is pretty simple and one of our quote specialists will guide you through each one.

For a more detailed explaination of these steps see the page found HERE.

Pricing can be a complicated thing with anything that is custom made. However we have simplified it down to 2 seperate categories based on the quantity you'd like to order:

Low Quantity Order Pricing
^{Less than 300 units}

High Quantity Order Pricing
^{300+ units}

Quantity can affect a quote, but price breaks depend on the selected product and confirmed specifications.

For engraved and cut products, quote economics depend on the actual material, dimensions, artwork, finish, and quantity. Do not assume that any two quantities receive a particular per-unit price; request a quote for the current calculation.

For injection-molded options, common quote quantities include 300, 500, 1000, 2500, and 5000+, but tooling and per-unit pricing still depend on the confirmed product and options.

Custom project timing includes consultation, artwork review, quoting, approval, payment, production, dispatch, and carrier transit. The confirmed dispatch clock begins after payment; artwork, specifications, and material requirements still apply but do not reset that payment-to-dispatch interval.

Standard engraved and cut orders dispatch within 2-20 business days after payment. Confirmed injection-molded/OEM orders dispatch within 60 business days (12 Monday-Friday business weeks), and drinkware dispatches within 2-10 business days. Research & Development work is scheduled per project.

Default-covered orders have USD $7 shipping; quoted exceptions use their separately confirmed charge. Carrier transit is typically 3-10 days after dispatch, not from payment. These ranges are not delivery guarantees; contact us for the current status of a specific project.

Default-covered orders have a USD $7 shipping charge. Orders, destinations, services, and other circumstances requiring an exception are quoted individually. Carrier transit is typically 3-10 days after dispatch; dispatch timing depends on the selected product profile.

We use USPS Priority for custom orders and may use UPS at our discretion. Shipping upgrades are available on request and may incur additional charges.

Some engraved and cut projects may be eligible for rush handling after readiness confirmation. Injection-molded and project-specific work may not be eligible.

Rush availability, any schedule impact, and pricing are confirmed for the selected product and current production conditions; no fixed reduction or rush price is published.

There are 2 payment options available. 1 ΓÇô Online Payment via Credit Card by a Payment link, or Payment Request (PayPal), or (2) for larger amounts, and some materials, payment by check.

For any Custom Emblems, such as our Chrome Emblems, Gold Emblems, or anything that uses your custom design there are no refunds. This is because they are custom. We can't simply put them back on a shelf for resell. Once you place the order and make payment your funds go into making your custom project. At that point, there are no refunds. With that being said please be sure to ask any and all questions regarding your project, design, and the material you were quoted. We're more than happy to take any amount of time needed to help you understand the product you're ordering. For more information on payments and refunds take a look at our Terms and Conditions page.

However, we have our Chrome Letters, which are an off the shelf item, and we have Custom Emblems. The Chrome letters may be returned within a certain time frame as they are an off the shelf item. We just put them back into our stock. Refunds for Chrome Letters are dependent on the conditions in which we receive them and are subject to restocking fees. For example, if you tried to use them then we won't be able to refund them. Contact us for more details regarding that.

We do allow cancellations. However cancellations are still subject to our No Refund policy. Once payment is made for any custom product the process of creating them begins and costs are incurred. So, you can 100% cancel your order and we will stop production. However we wouldn't be able to return any payment.