Racey Graphics | Artwork Preparation Guide: Ensuring Print-Ready Files

Artwork Preparation Guide: Ensuring Print-Ready Files

To ensure your artwork prints with the highest quality and accuracy, please follow the guidelines below. Adhering to these standards will prevent delays and avoid additional costs for corrections.

1. Core Principles for All Artwork

A. Colour Mode: CMYK Only

Requirement: All colours must be converted to the CMYK colour mode.
Why? Commercial printers use Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) inks. RGB (used for screens) has a much wider colour gamut, and RGB files will convert to CMYK unpredictably, often resulting in duller or shifted colours.
Action: In your design software, create your document in CMYK mode from the start, or convert existing artwork before sending.

B. Resolution: High-Resolution Images

Requirement: All raster images (photos, textures) must be at least 300 PPI (Pixels Per Inch) at their final print size.
Why? Low-resolution images (e.g., 72 PPI from the web) will appear blurry and pixelated when printed.
Action: Check the effective PPI of all placed images in your layout. Do not simply scale up small images, as this will lower the resolution.

C. Bleed and Safe Zones

Bleed: Extend all background graphics and images that go to the edge of the page by 3mm beyond the final trim line. This ensures a clean, professional edge after cutting.
Safe Zone: Keep all critical text and logos at least 3-5mm inside the trim edge. This prevents them from being accidentally cut off.

(Visual Reference)

|-------------------------------|
|         (Bleed Area)          |
|  |-------------------------|  |
|  |                         |  |
|  |    (Safe Zone Area)     |  |
|  |   |-----------------|   |  |
|  |   |                 |   |  |
|  |   |  Your Artwork   |   |  |
|  |   |                 |   |  |
|  |   |-----------------|   |  |
|  |                         |  |
|  |-------------------------|  |
|                               |
|-------------------------------|

2. File Setup & Final Checks

A. Fonts: Outline All Text

Requirement: Convert all text to outlines/paths.
Why? If we do not have the exact font you used, it will be substituted, changing your design and layout. Outlining fonts converts them into vector shapes, preserving their exact appearance.
Action: Do this last, after all other edits are complete, as the text will no longer be editable. Ensure all text, including on hidden layers, is outlined.

B. Images: Embed or Flatten

Requirement: All linked images must be embedded within the file, or the entire artwork must be flattened.
Why? “Linked” images are separate files that can easily become missing or low-resolution. Embedding them ensures everything is contained in one final file.
Action: In your software, find the “Links” panel and embed all images, or use the “Flatten” function for layered files like PSDs.

C. File Formats

We accept the following formats, provided they meet all the criteria above:

PDF (High-Quality Print): Our preferred format. Save with CMYK, high-resolution settings, and bleed marks.
AI (Adobe Illustrator): Native file with fonts outlined and images embedded.
EPS: Saved with CMYK colour and outlined fonts.

Please avoid sending: JPEG, PNG, GIF, or Word/PowerPoint files for final print, as they are typically low-resolution RGB files.

3. The Advantage of Vector Artwork

For sharp text, logos, and illustrations, use vector-based programmes like Adobe Illustrator.
Why? Vector graphics are made of mathematical points and paths, not pixels. This means they are infinitely scalable without any loss of quality. They will always produce the sharpest text and cleanest lines, regardless of the print size.
Raster vs. Vector:
- Raster (Photoshop): Pixel-based. Can become blurry when enlarged. Best for photos.
- Vector (Illustrator): Path-based. Infinitely scalable. Best for logos, text, and illustrations.

Summary: Your Pre-Flight Checklist

Before sending your file, confirm every point below:

Colour Mode is set to CMYK.
All fonts are converted to outlines.
All images are embedded (or file is flattened).
All images are 300 PPI or higher.
A 3mm bleed is included where needed.
Critical elements are within the safe zone.
You are using the correct template for your product (if provided).

Templates & Support

We provide product-specific templates to make this process easy. Please ensure you are using the latest template for your chosen product, as it will include the correct dimensions, bleed, and safe zones.

By following this guide, you guarantee that your final printed materials will look exactly as you designed them. Thank you for your attention to detail.

Artwork Preparation Guide: Ensuring Print-Ready Files