File setup
Print-ready artwork gets you a better result. Below is what we ask for, plus general industry guidance for anything not covered. Not sure about your file? Send it over on WhatsApp — free design help comes with every order, and we can format logos or set up bleed and crop marks for you.
Send print-ready files where you can
We advise submitting high-resolution PDF, EPS, AI or TIFF files in CMYK colour mode at 300 DPI with appropriate crop marks and bleeds for optimal results. For easier jobs we also accept JPEG and PNG; before uploading, please check with our team about any special requirements.
Three edges, drawn outside in
Extend the background past the cut, keep the important things well inside it.
Extend any background colour or image past the trim edge so trimming variance doesn't leave a white sliver. Small format typically uses about 1/8" (3 mm) of bleed; large format usually needs more — banners with hems or pole pockets and wraps need extra material beyond the visible area.
Keep text and logos inside a safe margin away from the trim, and further in on anything that will be grommeted, hemmed, folded or mounted.
Match the resolution to the viewing distance
Full 300 DPI at a ten-foot size produces an unusably large file with no visible benefit.
Small-format work viewed in the hand — business cards, flyers, brochures — is normally built at 300 DPI at final size.
Large-format work is viewed from a distance, so the standard is to work at a reduced effective resolution: banners and wall graphics are commonly built at 100–150 DPI at final size, and very large pieces such as billboards or building wraps are often built at a scale (for example 1:10) with the DPI adjusted accordingly.
Colour, fonts and cut lines
Colour: CMYK vs RGB
Screens display in RGB, presses print in CMYK. Converting late can shift bright blues, greens and neons noticeably. Build in CMYK where you can, and if brand colour accuracy is critical, tell us the Pantone reference so we can match as closely as the process allows.
Fonts and vector artwork
Outline or convert type to curves before sending, or embed the fonts in the PDF — otherwise text can reflow or substitute on our end.
Logos and anything that will be cut, routed or plotted — vinyl lettering, decals, contour-cut shapes, channel letters — should be supplied as vector artwork. Cut lines are normally supplied as a separate spot-colour path on its own layer so they aren't printed.
A quick pre-flight list
- Document built at final size (or a stated scale)
- CMYK colour, images at an appropriate resolution for the viewing distance
- Bleed added, text and logos inside the safe margin
- Fonts outlined or embedded; linked images embedded
- Cut lines on a separate layer as vector paths
- Spelling and phone numbers proofread — print is permanent
Send the file — we'll check it.
If something needs fixing we'll tell you before anything goes on press.