Printing a design requires more than just creativity and aesthetics. Preparing your files correctly is crucial to ensure that the final printed product matches your vision. Whether you're a graphic designer or a small business owner, here's a quick checklist to help you prepare your files for print.
Confirm Your Printing Specifications: Before you start creating your design, make sure that you understand the printing specifications. This includes paper size, print area, bleed, resolution, and color mode. Always check the printer's requirements to avoid design mistakes that could cause issues during the printing process.
Choose the Right File Format: The right file type will make all the difference in your final product. Generally, PDF is the most commonly used file format, but other formats such as EPS, TIFF, AI and CDR are also acceptable. Printers usually tend to avoid printing via JPG or PNG unless the file is high resolution, and prefer to work with formats where they still have editing ability so as to make any corrections, such as bleed, size, imposition etc. It is generally advisable to discuss with the printer what file format they would prefer.
Check for Image Resolution: Make sure all images are high-resolution and that they have a minimum of 300 dpi (dots per inch). Low-resolution images may appear pixelated or blurry when printed, which will affect the overall quality of your collateral.
Set Up Your Bleed Correctly: Bleed is the area outside the final cut line, ensuring your design extends all the way to the edge. Make sure that the bleed area is 0.125 inches (3mm) or larger. This will give the printer room to trim the paper to the final size without leaving a white edge. To know more about bleed, read our blog post here.
Embed Your Fonts: When designing, use fonts that can be embedded into your design file. This will ensure that the final product is exactly as you intended. If you want to go a step ahead, convert all text to curve so as to eliminate any possibility of font mismatch.
Check Your Colors: Make sure your design is in the CMYK mode or Pantone. If the design is in Pantone, inform the printer beforehand. If you are using spot colors, make sure they match the color codes provided by the printer. Colors may look different on screen compared to when they are printed, so it's essential to do a color check before finalizing your design. Never send an RGB file for print, as the result will be considerably different than what you expected.
Proofread Your Design: Before sending your design to the printer, double-check it for spelling errors, typos, or design flaws. Ask someone else to proofread it if possible, as fresh eyes can catch mistakes you may have missed.
Preparing your files correctly is essential to ensure that your final product matches your vision. By following this quick checklist, you can avoid common design mistakes and ensure that your files are print-ready. If you're unsure about any aspect of the process, always check with your printer to avoid any issues during printing. At K.R. Printers, we are always happy to help our customers with any doubts related to any of the processes.
Happy Printing!
K.R. Printers (Bookman) is an emerging printing press based in New Delhi. We are manufacturers of School stationery, new year diaries, and calendars. You can place custom printing orders with us. We can be reached via the following channels:
Call/WhatsApp us: +91-8287626311 / 9871255634
Reach out via E-mail: abhishek@krprinters.com
Visit the website: www.krprinters.com
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