GUIDELINES
BLEED
When an image or frame is located at the edge of a page, you will need to use bleed.
A bleed is when the image or frame is printed beyond the edges of the page (3mm minimum), to prevent any imperfections caused by folding or cutting.
Without bleed, there's a good chance that a white border will appear between the image and the edge of the page.
COLOUR MODE
All artwork should be created in CMYK colour mode. Artworks sent to us in RGB mode will be converted to CMYK by our pre-press system, and will nearly always render unsatisfactory results.
NOTES
OVERPRINT
Please beware of setting any text or objects to overprint. As we do not proof-check artworks before printing, overprinted objects can cause serious issues and may only be noticed by you when you receive the finished item.
RICH BLACK
Solid areas of black won't be dark enough if you use just the colour "black” (which is closer to anthracite grey). We recommend that you create a specific colour composed of 100% Black, 30% Cyan, 30% Magenta and 30% Yellow.
This rich black technique will enhance your solid areas of black, making them denser and more intense, without resulting in overinking.
The pure black (K100%) used in vector graphics and fonts prints over backgrounds, while rich black (C30+M30+Y30+K100 or even C1+M0+Y0+K100) behaves like a classic hue and knocks out other layers.
We don't recommend using this method with text.
With large format digital printing, a 100% or 400% black (C100+M100+Y100+K100) is preferable to a rich black.
OUTLINING TEXT
While artwork saved as PDF will often not cause any font issues, we request you outline any text before sending your file to us. This is usually necessary when using fonts with restrictive embedding licenses or if your design software does not natively export to PDF.
SAVING & EXPORTING YOUR ARTWORK
FILE FORMATS
We strongly advise that you supply artwork in PDF format, though we also accept EPS, AI, TIFF and JPG/JPEG.
BLEED & CROP MARKS
When exporting your print-ready file, make sure you include your previously added bleed as well as crop marks. This will ensure the cut position of your design is correct.
USING CANVA?
Some customers choose to use the online design site, Canva, for creating print-ready files. When doing so, it's essential to make sure your files are set up correctly for the best print outcome.
Before you begin designing, we recommend that you turn on the print bleed setting. This function will allow you to view items going off of the page.
How to Set up Your Print Document
- Click on "File" in the top left corner of your screen.
- Then check "Show print bleed". Bleed lines are essential for all photos and colours that extend to the edge of the page.
- Due to the risk of a shift when cutting, make sure you extend the images outside of the bleed line to guarantee your document does not have a white stripe along the side of your page.
When you are happy with your design, it's time to download the print files.
How to Download Your Print Document:
- Start by clicking the download button in the top right.
- Under "File Type", make sure "PDF Print" is selected. (Not PDF Standard).
- Make sure "Crop marks and bleed" are checked. While we do not require crop marks on our files, it is important that your file contains bleed. This setting will give you more bleed than needed, but it's better to have more than not enough.
- Download your files in a single-page PDF format.
- Click "Download" to receive your files.
Please note, Canva generates the artwork using the RGB colourspace, whilst we will print your file in CMYK. Our pre-press system will automatically convert the files to CMYK for you. But please note: some RGB colours do not convert precisely to CMYK, so there may be a shift in tone.
PRE-PRESS GUIDES
Please find below links to view/download our artwork guides for detailed information on setting up your artwork for print. If you need any help, please get in touch.
