The Uniplex Guide · Design & Artwork Tips
Print-Ready Artwork Checklist: Files, Bleed, Colour and Proofs Explained
Quick answer: A print-ready file needs the correct final size, the supplier’s required bleed and safe area, suitable image quality, reliable fonts and the right colour settings for the job. Check the exported file and approve the final wording and layout before production.
Your design can look excellent on a phone and still print badly. The problem is often a small technical decision: a stretched screenshot, text near the trim, or a PDF exported without the necessary background extension.
This print-ready artwork checklist explains what to prepare and what to ask your printing partner. Use the product’s actual template and production requirements whenever they differ from a general rule.
1. Confirm the finished product before opening the design
Record the final width and height, number of sides, orientation and quantity. For folded work, confirm the finished size and the flat layout. For banners, obtain the correct hardware template, including any area that will be hidden in the stand.
Millimetres and centimetres are easy to confuse. Write dimensions with units. A designer should also know whether the artwork is being supplied at full size or an agreed scale. Do not resize an approved layout casually after the fact.
2. Send a real logo file
A vector logo is usually the most useful master for scaling. Photographs and screenshots contain pixels; enlarging a small one spreads those pixels over a bigger area. Placing a screenshot inside a PDF does not turn it into a vector logo.
Keep an editable master, plus the print file requested by your supplier. If your only logo is a social profile image, mention that early so the necessary preparation can be quoted. Do not assume an automatic trace faithfully reproduces the original lettering or shapes.
3. Understand bleed and the safe area
Bleed is artwork extending beyond the final trimmed edge. The safe area keeps important information inside the edge where small cutting variations are less likely to affect it. Backgrounds may extend out; essential names, numbers and logos should stay safely in.
A 3 mm bleed is a common small-format example, not a requirement for every Uniplex product. Ask for the exact specification. Large displays and garments have different production boundaries, and a paper-print setting should not be copied onto them automatically.
“What is the final size, bleed allowance, safe margin and preferred PDF setting for this exact product?” Put the answer in the job brief and give it to the person exporting the file.
4. Check image quality at the actual print size
What matters is the detail available at the size being printed. A small web image can look sharp at thumbnail size but soft across a page. Review the image at its intended output size and ask your supplier about the required resolution for the viewing distance.
For close-viewed print, 300 pixels per inch is a common preparation target. Large-format artwork can use different requirements. Increasing a resolution number without adding real detail does not repair a poor image.
5. Ask about colour instead of guessing
Screens emit light; printed materials reflect it. Paper, fabric, ink and surface finish can change the appearance of the same design. Supply brand references and request the appropriate colour workflow and profile for the job.
Before exporting a print PDF, check linked images, fonts and any errors flagged by your file-checking tools. Set the required bleed and use the print provider’s specified output profile. Follow the provider’s settings rather than converting every file with an arbitrary preset.
If a particular brand colour is critical, ask what physical reference or proof can be agreed. A WhatsApp screenshot is not a dependable colour standard. Thread colours and printing inks should be assessed for their own processes.
6. Protect the text and review the exported PDF
Check that fonts are available, correctly embedded where required and appropriately licensed. If outlined text is requested, preserve an editable version as well. Review the exported file, not only the working document: export can expose missing images, clipped text or an incorrect page range.
- Read phone numbers digit by digit.
- Open every website address and test the exact QR code.
- Check spelling, punctuation, dates and prices.
- Confirm front/back orientation and page order.
- Inspect logos and fine lines at the final size.
- Remove unused template guides from the production artwork as instructed.
7. Separate a layout proof from a physical sample
A digital proof can help you approve content, position and scale references. It does not let you feel a textured stock or assess the final garment. Ask what the proof is intended to confirm and whether the order warrants a separate physical sample.
Give one person responsibility for final approval. Save the approved version with a date, and send changes as one consolidated list. “Use the latest one” is unreliable when several files share the same name.
A handover checklist you can copy
| Item | Confirm before sending |
|---|---|
| Product | Code, size, sides, quantity and material |
| Files | Requested print PDF and suitable logo master |
| Layout | Bleed, safe area and template followed |
| Content | Spelling, contact details and links checked |
| Colour | Agreed references and production settings |
| Approval | Named approver and final version recorded |
Artwork questions answered
Can I design in Canva?
Yes, provided the exported file meets the product’s requirements. Check dimensions, bleed, image quality and the PDF itself. The design application is less important than the file it produces.
Can I send a JPEG?
It may be suitable for some images or jobs, but it is not automatically suitable for a complete print layout or scalable logo. Ask which file type the product requires before ordering.
Can you fix my artwork?
Share the file and explain what needs attention. Review the artwork or design option offered for the product and agree the scope before production. Rebuilding a logo and correcting a typo are different jobs.
What if I notice a mistake after approval?
Contact the production team immediately to establish the job’s status. Do not assume the artwork can still be changed or that a reprint is included.
Also explore Business Cards and the Pull up Banner, or read our business card mistakes guide.
