Preparing a File for Print: A One-Page Checklist
Seven things to check before you send your artwork, in the order that catches the most problems.
From the team at The Printing Shop.
Going through this list takes five minutes and prevents the most common print delays. You do not need design software or experience for most of it.
1. Export as a PDF
A PDF locks your layout, so the fonts and spacing stay where you put them. A Word or PowerPoint file may reflow when it is opened on another computer. In most programs, it is simply File, then Save As or Export, then PDF. Choose the "high quality" or "press" option if you see one.
2. Check the size
Open the PDF and look at the page size. It should match what you are ordering, such as 85 x 55 mm for a business card or 148 x 210 mm for an A5 flyer. Fitting a file that is the wrong shape can leave white bars or crop part of your design.
3. Add bleed if the design reaches the edge
If colour or images run to the edge, extend them by 3 mm. Keep important text at least 3 to 5 mm inside the cut. Our guide to bleed explains how.
4. Check image quality
Aim for 300 dpi at actual size for small print and around 150 dpi for large posters. To test this, zoom your PDF to 100% or 200% and check whether images still look sharp. Pictures copied from websites and social media are usually too small. Use the originals if you can.
5. Embed your fonts
If your PDF does not include the fonts, another computer may replace them. Most programs embed them by default when you export a PDF. If you want to check, look for a font list in the document properties of a PDF reader, or simply convert your text to outlines in design software.
6. Think about colour
Screens use light, while printers use ink, so very bright blues and greens can look duller on paper. For most jobs, this is not a problem. If colour accuracy matters, convert your file to CMYK, or ask us about a printed sample. Our guide on RGB and CMYK goes into more detail. Rich black is another detail to know about: small text should normally use plain black, and only large areas should use a richer mix.
7. Proofread on paper
Print a copy at home or ask us to show you a proof. Then read everything out loud, including phone numbers, dates, email addresses and prices. Ask somebody else to check it too, ideally someone who did not write it, because you will read what you expect to see. Check the small things first, as that is where mistakes tend to hide.
Booklets: one extra check
Page counts for stapled booklets must be a multiple of four, including the covers. Set your PDF as single pages in reading order, and we will arrange them for printing.
If you cannot do these things
That is fine. Send us a Word document, a photo of an old leaflet, or just a list of what you want to say. We set up artwork free of charge when we print the job, and we will show you a proof before anything goes to print. Files can come to us on WhatsApp or by email, or on a USB stick at the counter.