FAQs

For early discussion, JPG, PNG, screenshots, or photos can work. If you already have finished artwork for a race medal mock-up, vector artwork in AI, EPS, or PDF format is preferred.

Clean designs usually work best for medals. Photos can work in some cases, especially with UV printing, but traditional medal production usually works better with: Clean lines Solid shapes Strong contrast Readable text Chunkier design elements Clear event name and distance Limited tiny details Limited thin lines or cursive fonts Medal design is different from

Once the virtual mock-up is approved, the next step is production preparation. Before final production, MSH Medals will email you photos of the actual medal with the colors applied for approval. This is a production photo of your medal, not a physical sample shipped to you. This photo approval is included with full custom medal

MSH Medals normally includes two rounds of revision for the virtual mock-up. A revision is counted each time we send you a mock-up and you return with requested changes. If more than two rounds are needed, we may need to charge for additional graphic time. If that happens, we will let you know before making

When we work on a medal design, virtual mockups are provided to give you an idea of what the final medal may look like. However, it is not possible to show all the 3-dimensional details in the design, so a production photo proof will also be provided as a last check before production begins. When

Yes, however sponsor logos are a common reason race medal artwork gets delayed. If you know sponsor logos are coming but they are not ready yet, tell us early. In some cases, we can leave space for them in the design. Where the sponsor logo goes matters. Some common logo placements are: Front of the

A race T-shirt design can often help guide the medal design. If you already worked with a designer on the shirt, send us the shirt artwork. We may be able to simplify the design into a medal-friendly layout. Medal artwork is different from shirt artwork. A design that works well printed on fabric may need

Yes. Examples are helpful. If you see a medal online and like the shape, send it to us. If you like the coloring of another medal, send that too. If you like the ribbon style from a different event, include that as well. We use those examples to understand your preferred style, not to directly

That is common. Some race organizers start with a simple idea like: “We want to use our city skyline.” “We want the medal to include a police badge.” “We want something with our school mascot.” “We want the medal to match our T-shirt.” “We want to show a water tower or local landmark.” “We want

A race logo is a good starting point. It gives us a reference for the event name, color direction, theme, and overall style. From there, we can discuss how the logo might work on a medal, whether the design needs to be simplified, and how the ribbon or race T-shirt can match the same look.