A Brief Guide for New Designers and DIY Creators
When preparing to supply artwork to a print shop, customers should keep several important factors in mind to ensure a smooth and successful printing process. Here's a brief log of considerations for customers:
1.Size Matters: Choosing the Right Dimensions
Before you start designing, it's crucial to determine the size of your final printed piece. Whether it's a business card, flyer, poster, or booklet, knowing the exact dimensions helps ensure your design doesn't end up looking distorted or cropped. Popular print sizes include A4, A5, 8.5"x11", and 5"x7". Make sure your canvas dimensions match the intended print size.
2. Margins and Bleed: Leaving Room for Precision
Margins are the safe zones within your design where important content (text, background image or colour, logos, etc.) should be placed to avoid getting cut off during the trimming process. Bleed, on the other hand, refers to extending your design slightly beyond the trim marks to prevent any unwanted white borders due to slight misalignment during cutting. A standard bleed is usually around 0.125 inches (3mm).
3. Trim Marks: Guiding the Cutting Process
Trim marks are thin lines placed at the corners of your design, indicating where the paper should be cut. They're crucial for ensuring your design retains its intended dimensions after printing. Make sure these marks are clearly visible but are also placed outside the safe zone to avoid interference with your content.
4. Color Choice: RGB vs. CMYK
Colours on screens (RGB) and in print (CMYK) are different colour modes. While RGB offers vibrant colours for digital displays, CMYK is used for print production. Before finalising your design, convert your colours to CMYK to ensure the printed colours match your expectations. Remember, some colours might appear differently when printed compared to what you see on your screen.
5. Image Resolution: Quality is Key
For high-quality print results, your images should have a resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch). Low-resolution images (such as those from the web) might appear pixelated or blurry when printed. Always use high-resolution images to maintain the integrity of your design.
6. Font Selection: Legibility and Compatibility
Fonts that look great on screen might not be as readable in print. Stick to legible fonts and avoid extremely decorative ones for body text. Also, ensure you embed or outline your fonts to prevent any issues with font substitutions during printing.
7. File Formats: Packaging Your Artwork
When sending your artwork to the printer, use widely accepted file formats like PDF, as they preserve your design's layout and ensure compatibility across different systems. Make sure to embed all images and fonts in your file to avoid missing elements during printing.
8. Proofreading: Double-Check Everything
Before giving the green light for printing, proofread your design meticulously. Check for typos, grammatical errors, or any inconsistencies in text and layout. Once it's printed, correcting mistakes can be costly and time-consuming.
9. Test Prints: Previewing the Final Output
If possible, request a test print before going for a large print run. This allows you to see how your design looks on paper and make any necessary adjustments before committing to a full batch.
In conclusion, mastering the basics of preparing artwork for print is an essential skill that ensures your designs translate beautifully from screen to paper. By understanding dimensions, bleed, colour modes, resolution, and other key factors, you'll be well-equipped to create stunning printed materials that capture attention and convey your message effectively.