Set up the file once. Skip the revision round.
Everything our prepress team checks before a job goes to press, in the order they check it. Send us a file that follows this and the proof usually comes back "approved as is."
Artwork setup guide
Export a press-ready PDF
PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 from InDesign, Illustrator, or Affinity. Embed all fonts or convert to outlines. Canva and Word files are accepted for digital jobs; expect a proof round.
Work at final size
Build the document at the trim size (business card 3.5×2, one-sheet 27×40). Large format can be set at 25% scale — tell us the scale in the file name.
Use 300ppi images for print, 150ppi for banners
Check effective resolution after scaling. Web images at 72ppi will print soft and we'll flag them.
Convert to CMYK, or tell us your Pantones
Leave RGB in and colors shift on press. If brand colors are Pantone, keep them as spot colors and note it in the quote.
Name finish layers
Foil, spot UV, die line, and white-ink layers as separate spot colors named exactly that. 100% coverage, no gradients.
Bleed and safe zone
Extend backgrounds and images 0.125" past the trim on every side, and keep text and logos 0.125" inside the trim. Cutting has a tolerance of about 1/32", and the safe zone is what keeps a border from looking lopsided.
| Product | Bleed | Safe zone |
|---|---|---|
| Business cards, postcards, flyers | 0.125" | 0.125" inside trim |
| Booklets (saddle stitch) | 0.125" | 0.25" inside trim; 0.375" at spine on 48+ pages |
| Booklets (perfect bound) | 0.125" | 0.5" at spine |
| Pocket folders | 0.125" | 0.25", plus die-line template |
| Banners (hemmed) | 1" | 2" inside for grommets |
| Posters, mounted | 0.25" | 0.25" |
| Apparel | none | Max print area 12×14" (adult), 8×10" (youth) |
CMYK vs Pantone
CMYK builds every color from four inks, so a brand color is an approximation that varies a little between presses and paper stocks. A Pantone spot color is a pre-mixed ink that matches the swatch book exactly — only possible on offset or screen printing.
- Use CMYK for photography, short digital runs, and full-color art.
- Use Pantone when a brand color has to match across cards, letterhead, and signage, or when the job is one or two flat colors on offset.
- Rich black for large areas: C60 M40 Y40 K100. Small text: K100 only, to avoid registration fringe.
- Screens can't show Pantone accurately. Ask for a printed swatch or press proof on color-critical work.
File templates
Illustrator and PDF templates with trim, bleed, and safe zone marked. Open, place your art, export a PDF, and send it.
Templates open in Illustrator CS6 and later, Affinity Designer, and any PDF editor.