Most printing problems, like white edges, blurry photos or colours that look different from your screen, come from the file, not the press. Run through this checklist before you send artwork and your job will come out right the first time.
The print-ready checklist
- Correct size: the document matches the finished size of the product (e.g. 3.5″ × 2″ for business cards, 8.5″ × 11″ for Letter flyers).
- 0.125″ bleed: backgrounds and images that touch the edge extend 0.125″ past the trim on every side.
- Safe zone: text and logos sit at least 0.125″ inside the trim line.
- 300 DPI images: photos are 300 pixels per inch at the printed size (150 DPI is acceptable for large signs and banners).
- CMYK colour: the document and images use CMYK, not RGB.
- Fonts embedded or outlined: so text prints in the font you chose.
- No hairlines: lines are at least 0.25pt thick so they don’t disappear.
- PDF export: a high-quality PDF (PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 if available) with bleed included.
Why CMYK instead of RGB?
Screens create colour with light (RGB), while printers use four inks: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). Very bright RGB colours, like neon greens and electric blues, can’t be reproduced exactly with ink and will print duller. Designing in CMYK from the start avoids surprises.
Getting a deep, rich black
For large black backgrounds, a “rich black” such as C60 M40 Y40 K100 looks deeper than plain 100% black. For small text, use 100% K (black only) so letters stay crisp.
Checking image resolution
An image that looks sharp on screen may be far too small for print. To print 4″ wide at 300 DPI, an image needs to be at least 1200 pixels wide. Images pulled from websites or social media are usually too small.
Exporting from common tools
- Canva: Share → Download → PDF Print, then tick “Crop marks and bleed”. Choose CMYK if your plan offers it.
- Adobe Illustrator / InDesign: set 0.125″ bleed in Document Setup, then export as PDF/X-1a with “Use document bleed settings”.
- Word or Google Docs: export to PDF, and tell us the finished size you want; we’ll check whether bleed can be added.
Not sure your file is ready? Send it with your quote request; we check every file for free before printing.