Artwork Checklist
Preparing press-ready artwork for commercial printing can be confusing, especially if it is your first time.
To help you out we have created a simple checklist of the most basic requirements for press ready artwork. Please use it as a guide before uploading your artwork (as it may help you save valuable time and avoid any unnecessary printing delays).
If there is an item on our list that you do not understand please contact our pre-press department with your enquiry.
Before submitting your artwork, please check that:
- Your artwork is the correct size and is imposed 1-up, not as spreads.
For folded jobs artwork should be supplied at the flat size. E.g. An A3 folded to A4 brochure should be supplied at A3 size (297 x 420mm) and not as A4 sized pages. Please click here for further information and explanations on how to correctly supply artwork for folded jobs. - Your artwork contains correctly set internal and external bleed.
- Your artwork is set using CMYK colours.
(or PMS colours where applicable, e.g. for 1 or 2 PMS Colour envelopes) - All rich blacks are set to C =20%, M = 20%, Y = 20%, K = 100%.
- All fine black text is set to C=0%, M=0%, Y=0%, K=100% and is set to overprint.
- All fonts are outlined (converted to curves) or embedded.
- All links are embedded.
- Your artwork does not contain any instances of white set to overprint.
- Ink coverage does not exceed 300% (260% for uncoated stocks).
- To reduce the possibility of small/thin lines & text breaking up, we recommend all lines are at least 0.3pt wide and where possible text should be at least 8pt using a non-narrow, non-ultra light or non-thin style font.
- To reduce the possibility of uneven borders & strips, we recommend borders and strips in your artwork are at least 5mm wide or 5mm in from the trim edge.
- We recommend images in your artwork are 300dpi when placed at 100%. Please note that increasing the dpi in Photoshop does not increase the resolution of an image.
- Your artwork is the correct size.
- All transparencies are flattened.
If this is your first time ordering with us we highly recommend reading our full artwork requirements.