A quick lesson in preparing artwork files for Posters (digital)

Because incorrect prepared artwork files inevitably cause delays, but even worse, can result in the job not meeting your full expectations, we have prepared the following list of guidelines. Please make sure your artwork confirms to each of these points and we are sure you will be delighted with the results.

Correct Sizes and Bleed

Please ensure all artwork is created using the correct document size. Our standard size for Posters (digital) is A2 or A1 or A0. Please click on your preferred option to download a ready-made template.

The template also shows an oversize area known as bleed (3mm) which will be trimmed away from the finished item and allows for areas of print that are supposed to look like they spill off of the page. It is advisable to keep any text 5mm from the edge of the finished card size.

CMYK Colours

Posters (digital) are printed using full colour process (CMYK - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black). It’s therefore imperative that any elements designed in RGB or single colours are converted to CMYK prior to submitting the artwork.

Handling Black

It is important to remember that if you have text to be printed in black, its value must be 100% black and must not be made up of all four colour inks. This ensures quicker drying and guarantees the text remains sharp, and easy to read when printed.

It is also recommended that when overprinting black text onto a coloured background that black text only be set to overprint. This makes the job easier to print and ensures that the text doesn’t look out of fit with the background.

If large solid areas of black are required such as an overall background colour, we would recommend using the values C 40%, Y 0%, M 0%, K 100%. The addition of the Cyan tint gives the black extra depth and looks better.

300dpi Resolution

Please ensure any images or photographs have a resolution of at least 300dpi. 72dpi images (screen resolution) as found on the majority of websites are not suitable for print and will appear jagged or fuzzy.

Use a vector illustration package wherever possible such as Adobe Illustrator, Quark Xpress, Adobe In-Design or CorelDraw to create your artwork. Vector graphics do not depend on dots-per-inch and always print clearly regardless of size.

Supplying as a print-ready PDF

When created correctly, a PDF is the perfect way to transport a graphic file. They maintain the integrity of the file and cannot easily be changed. There is no need for us to issue proofs, as we print what you create. This is the easiest and quickest method to supply artwork and consequently, the cheapest.

If you understand the technicalities of preparing PDF files for print but do not have the appropriate software, click here to download a free PDF Creator.

Supplying as other file types

We can also take native files from the majority of common design software such as Quark, Photoshop, Illustrator, In-Design and Corel. We can even take files created in Microsoft products such as Word (but we don’t recommend using word as it’s not intended for use as a professional design tool).

If you have selected to submit artwork as a file type other than PDF, there will be a small additional charge which covers the work necessary to convert the file and send you an emailed PDF proof for checking.

Please note this may affect the delivery time of the finished job as we are unable to print the file until the proof has been checked.

File Checking

We do make basic checks on each file submitted for potential print problems. If we should find an error with your artwork file, we will notify you immediately and put the job on hold until we have your further instructions on how you want us to proceed. In the event that you choose to re-submit the file, we reserve the right to make a £10 charge.