A flyer can look perfect on screen and still arrive with a white edge, a fuzzy logo or text cut too close to the trim. Knowing how to prepare artwork for print before it goes to production avoids those costly surprises, particularly when you need posters, booklets, business stationery or event graphics turned around quickly.

Print-ready artwork is not about using complicated software for its own sake. It is about giving the printer a file with the correct dimensions, enough image quality and clear instructions for trimming, folding and finishing. A few checks at the start can save a reprint later.

Start with the finished size

Set your document to the size you want the final printed item to be. For example, an A5 flyer finishes at 148 x 210 mm, while a standard business card is commonly 85 x 55 mm. Do not create artwork at a larger size and assume it will be scaled down unless that has been agreed – scaling can alter image quality, line thickness and the position of important details.

The finished size is also different from the full artwork size. Printed sheets are cut down after printing, which is where bleed comes in.

Add bleed to backgrounds and images

Bleed is the extra artwork that extends beyond the finished edge. It allows for slight movement during trimming, so a background colour, photograph or pattern runs cleanly to the edge rather than leaving an unwanted white line.

For many everyday printed products, 3 mm bleed on each edge is suitable. An A5 flyer with bleed would therefore be supplied at 154 x 216 mm. Some large-format work, folded products and specialist finishing may need a different allowance, so it is always worth checking the specification before you build the file.

Anything intended to reach the edge must extend into the bleed area. A coloured background that stops exactly at the trim line is one of the most common artwork errors we see.

Keep vital content inside a safe area

Bleed protects the outer edge. A safe area protects your important content. Keep text, logos, telephone numbers, QR codes and faces a sensible distance inside the final trim line – usually at least 3 to 5 mm for a simple flyer or card.

Give more room where a product will be folded, hole-punched, bound or mounted. On a stapled booklet, for instance, content placed too close to the inside edge can become difficult to read. For a roller banner or display board, allow for any fixing, base or edge treatment specified for the product.

Use print-friendly colour settings

Screens display colour with light, using RGB. Commercial printers use inks or toners, generally working from CMYK values. That is why an especially bright blue, green or fluorescent-looking shade on a mobile phone or monitor may not reproduce in quite the same way on paper.

Where possible, create your artwork in CMYK from the beginning. This gives you a more realistic view of the printable colour range and avoids a last-minute conversion changing a key brand colour. If your business has a defined brand palette, provide the CMYK references along with the logo files.

There are exceptions. Some jobs use named spot colours, and some supplied PDFs are produced in RGB as part of a managed workflow. The right route depends on the job, stock and expected result. The practical point is not to rely on the brightness of an uncalibrated screen as a colour proof.

Black text deserves particular care. Small body text should normally use a simple 100% black rather than a mix of several inks. It produces cleaner, sharper type and reduces the risk of coloured fringes on fine lettering. A richer black can be useful for large solid backgrounds, but it should be set appropriately for the printing process.

Check images, logos and graphics at their placed size

A high-resolution image needs to be high resolution at the size it will print, not just large in megabytes. For most close-viewed printed items, photographs should be around 300 ppi at their final placed size. An image copied from a website is often only 72 ppi or 96 ppi, which may look acceptable on a screen but print soft or pixelated when enlarged.

Avoid taking screenshots of logos, maps or social media images for professional print. Ask for the original file where possible. Vector formats such as AI, EPS, SVG or a properly made PDF are ideal for logos because they stay crisp at different sizes. A high-quality PNG can be suitable in some cases, but it needs a transparent background if it is being placed over a colour or photograph.

Be particularly cautious with small QR codes. They need enough contrast, a clear border around the code and a size that can be scanned reliably after printing. Test the code from the final artwork before sending it.

How to prepare artwork for print as a PDF

For most print jobs, a high-quality PDF is the most reliable file to supply. It holds the page layout together and is easier to check than a collection of separate image and document files.

When exporting, select the intended finished page size, include the required bleed and use high-quality image compression. If your software offers a recognised print PDF preset, such as PDF/X, that is often a sensible option. It can help embed fonts and preserve essential production information.

There is no need to add crop marks unless your printer has asked for them. When a PDF already includes the correct size and bleed, crop marks can sometimes create unnecessary confusion or make a file larger than required. Similarly, do not add your own printer spreads for a booklet unless specifically requested. Supply single pages in reading order, and the production team can impose them correctly for the chosen binding method.

Before exporting, check every page at 100% view. Look for accidental white boxes, missing images, overprint settings, low-resolution warnings and text that has reflowed. If you use unusual fonts, make sure they are embedded in the PDF. Converting text to outlines can prevent font substitution, but it also means the wording cannot be easily corrected, so keep an editable version safely stored.

Allow for folds, finishes and the paper choice

Artwork is not separate from the physical product. A six-page folded leaflet needs fold positions planned before the design is finalised. Panels are not always equal widths, especially on a roll fold, because one panel may need to tuck inside another. A brochure with a heavy cover, a wire-bound report or an order of service booklet each has its own practical allowances.

Finishes can affect design choices too. A gloss laminate makes colours appear more vibrant, while a matt finish gives a quieter, more refined look but may show scuffs on very dark solid areas. Foil, white ink, die-cut shapes and laser finishing need separate layers or clearly identified instructions. These are not details to leave until the file is sent.

Paper stock changes the result as well. Uncoated paper is often preferred for forms, menus and stationery that need to be written on. Coated stocks suit many promotional flyers and image-led brochures. If the look and feel matter as much as the message, ask to see or discuss stock options before committing the design.

Send clear instructions with the artwork

A well-named file and a short production brief can prevent as many delays as a technically correct PDF. Include the product, quantity, finished size, single-sided or double-sided printing, paper choice if known, finishing requirements and required date. For example: “Spring offer A5 flyer, 1,000 copies, double-sided, 170 gsm silk, trim to size, needed Friday”.

If there are multiple versions, name them clearly rather than sending files called “final”, “final new” and “final final 2”. For variable items such as personalised invitations, ID badges or certificates, make it clear which information changes and provide the data in a tidy, checked format.

For urgent work, send the artwork as early as possible and mention the deadline at the point of enquiry. A fast turnaround is far more achievable when there is time to identify a missing bleed, an incorrect page count or a low-resolution image before production begins.

A final check before you approve

Read every word, including email addresses, prices, dates and postcodes. Check that telephone numbers and QR codes work. Print a reduced desktop proof if you can, especially for invitations, menus, order of service booklets and multi-page documents. Reading a physical copy often reveals spacing and scale issues that are easy to miss on screen.

If you are unsure about any part of the file, it is better to ask before approving it. The team at ICS Print can review artwork requirements and advise on practical details such as bleed, page setup, folding and finishes. A short conversation before print can protect the deadline and make sure the finished piece does justice to your design.