Artwork for print

Sticking to a few simple rules will make artwork preparation for print easy, simple and effective. When I first started preparing artwork for print I made a terrible error - I had a thousand leaflets printed with the wrong artwork. As you can imagine I have never made that mistake again! Unfortunately I found out the hard way that organisation is key when creating artwork for print.

Stationery	Size in mm	Paper size
Letterhead	210 x 297	A4
Business Card	85 x 55	-
Compliment Slip	210 x 99	1/3rd A4
Bookmark	173 x 55	-
Poster	594 x 841	A1
Leaflet	148 x 210	A5
Flyer	105 x 148	A6

Please note: paper sizes do not include trim and bleed. Visit Wikipedia for more information.

Getting colour correct is crucial when working with with artwork design. Colours can sometimes come out a little different than expected, this can be avoided by making sure artwork is in CMYK format, with at least 10% CMYK. Definitely do not use more than 250% though as it will never dry! Your best bet is to use at least two CMYK colours for any single printed colour.

Try to stay away from gradients as they can create banding or blotchiness, especially if you're using a lower quality printer. If you simply cannot avoid using gradients then fear not - there are ways to get a smoother printed finish! However, we will save that for another blog post!

Give your artwork a 1 pixel, black border so that you can envision the boundaries of your creation, and so that the printers can be sure of the edges. For blocks of black in your artwork, use 100% black and 40% cyan, as opposed to 100% black which can look brown or washed out (see image below).

With text however, keep it at 100% black to avoid overlapping colour and a blurred finish. Try not to use more than any one CMYK colour with text for the same reason.

Most printers use Pantone Spot Colors – so stick to this colour-matching system for best results.

Preparing for print

If you're using Photoshop, save two versions of your artwork - one PSD and one TIFF. The printers will usually use the TIFF, but it's better to include the PSD just in case. Sometimes printers will ask for the work in EPS format – but as I've already mentioned, it's better to get specifications from them before you start to save any last minute issues.

Make sure you include all the fonts you've used, as well as a small instructions.txt file with your contact details and any other relevant instructions. Zip the folder and send off!

In my opinion, the best program to use for print design is Adobe Indesign. There is a noticeable difference between font clarity on the printed versions of Photoshop and Indesign artwork. To put it simply, whilst Photoshop merges text to the background, Indesign separates text and background when printed straight from the software – resulting in sharper printed text.

If you're using Indesign for the first time, it is important to remember that all imported images should be linked from the source file, and not simply copied and pasted. Not only does this ensure higher quality, but the printers will be able to correct any small errors if necessary.

Indesign has a tool called Preflight which verifies your artwork for printing. It checks to see if your fonts are valid, images are linked, colours are in correct CMYK, and whether opacities are safe for print. This is greatly beneficial, as some of the most experienced print designers can sometimes overlook errors.

After running Preflight, Indesign has a tool called Package. This packs the Indesign file, along with the linked images, fonts and instructions into a structured folder, saving you time and ensuring that you don't leave anything out. I always add an exported PDF of the artwork for quick viewing too.

Reputable printers usually have template files for you to use which contain the correct sizes, trim and bleed for your stationery. Make sure you ask for these files so that you can maximise compatibility between you and the printer.

I usually pay for a test version of the artwork, in which the the artwork is printed out once for approval. By doing this, you can make any changes before printing a whole batch. This is also useful when you've had to ignore one or more of the generic rules for preparing for print.

There is obviously a lot more to creating artwork and preparing it for print, however these basics will ensure high quality printed products every time.