Artwork & file guidelines
A few simple rules keep your print sharp and true to your design. Set up bleed, resolution and color correctly and your files sail straight through production.
Bleed
0.125" (1/8") on all sides
Safe zone
Keep text 0.125" inside trim
Resolution
300 DPI at final size
Color mode
CMYK (not RGB)
Fonts
Outlined or embedded
Best format
Press-ready PDF
Anatomy of a print file
Three lines to remember
- 1
Bleed (outer)
Extend backgrounds 0.125" past the trim so there are no white edges after cutting.
- 2
Trim (cut line)
The final size of your piece — where the blade cuts.
- 3
Safe zone (inner)
Keep text and logos 0.125" inside the trim so nothing important gets cut.
What to send
Accepted file formats
A press-ready PDF is best, but we accept all of these.
Preferred — export as PDF/X-1a with bleed & crop marks
AI / EPS
Vector; outline all fonts before saving
TIFF
Flattened, 300 DPI, CMYK
JPG / PNG
High-resolution only; PNG for transparency
PSD
Flatten layers; 300 DPI, CMYK
INDD
Package with links & fonts, or export to PDF
Before you upload
Run through this quick checklist and your file is production-ready.
- Document is built at 100% of the final print size
- Background/artwork extends 0.125" past the trim (full bleed)
- Important text and logos sit 0.125" inside the trim (safe zone)
- All images are 300 DPI at final size (100–150 DPI is fine for large format)
- Color mode is CMYK — convert RGB before exporting
- Large solid blacks use rich black (C60 M40 Y40 K100)
- All fonts are outlined or embedded
- Transparency is flattened; one page per printed side
- Exported as a press-ready PDF with bleed
Common mistakes to avoid
These are the issues we catch most often.
No bleed
Artwork stops at the trim line, leaving white slivers after cutting. Always extend to the bleed edge.
Low resolution
Web images (72 DPI) look sharp on screen but print blurry. Use 300 DPI at final size.
RGB color
Screen colors (RGB) shift when converted for print. Design and export in CMYK.
Text too close to the edge
Copy inside the trim margin can get cut off. Keep it in the safe zone.
Live fonts
If we do not have your font, text can reflow. Outline or embed every font.
Thin black lines / small text
Hairlines and tiny reversed text can break up. Keep lines ≥ 0.25pt and reversed text ≥ 6pt.
Not sure your file is ready?
A real person reviews every file before we print — and will flag anything that needs fixing.