File Supply Guide
Below are the minimum file supply essentials you need to follow. They apply mainly to Offset Lithographic printing. If you would like more information or simply don't understand please contact us for help - the best print starts with great artwork!
Is the Page Size and Bleed correct?
Remember to check the you have set your page size to match the finished print size. Most products generally have 3mm bleed on each edge, but there are some exceptions such Large Format Posters and Fabric Displays - please contact us for more information. Files supplied without a bleed can cause problems when finishing resulting in a poor quality finish.
Have you observed a Quiet or safe zone?
The quiet or safe zone may vary depending on the printed item required, you’ll need to check that you don’t have any important elements in this area. For most print you should aim to keep all important elements 4mm away from the cut edge, or 5.5mm away from the page edge. Elements within this area may appear closer to the edge than expected when guillotined and often result in an uneven looking design.
Have you used the correct colour mode?
When saving your file, ensure that you have set the artwork up in the correct colour mode for the product that you are ordering. Most products are produced in CMYK - process colour. If RGB or LAB colours are found they will be converted to CMYK which will result in some colour shift. We do not recommend supplying files in RGB or LAB as it's unlikely they'll print as expected. Pantone Colours can also be converted to CMYK but it is always best to do this prior to supplying your files so you can preview the results - some Pantone colours have dreadful CMYK conversion values!
Colour Tolerances/Variation
Colour variation is inherent in any print process, unfortunately an exact colour match cannot be guaranteed and should not be expected. It's worth bearing this in mind when placing repeat orders as colour variation affects each printed job and can also vary throughout a print run; due to air temperature, humidity and many other factors outside of our control. We will always try to match colours as close as possible.
If you have any concerns about certain colours on your work please contact us to discuss any potential problems.
Check your image resolution?
Requirements for the resolution of images can vary for different printed items. For CMYK process printing, your colour images should be set to 300dpi @ 100% size.
For Large Format printed items that are viewed at a distance, the image resolution can be reduced. Image resolution is not the only factor in image reproduction - a blurry or poorly shot image will stay that way even at high resolution!
File saved in the correct format?
We would prefer you to supply us with a 'Press Quality' PDF.
Our preferred file type is a Press Quality (PDF 1.4). This can be saved from any of the industry standard graphics applications such as:
Adobe InDesign®
Adobe Illustrator®
Adobe Photoshop®
QuarkXpress®
Corel Draw®
Please ensure you include 3mm of bleed and crop marks with a 3mm offset before exporting to a pdf - this will need to be specified if using the 'Press Quality' setting.
Other desktop publishing software may also offer an option to save or export a PDF:
Microsoft Word®
Publisher®
Microsoft Powerpoint®
Page Serif®
We'd recommend to avoid the 'drag and drop' online browser based PDF conversions, as these produce very low quality PDF files which may not print as you expect.
If your chosen software can't produce a PDF, then you may be able to save a 'flattened' graphics file such as a TIF, JPG or PNG file. If you are using this option, please ensure that you save the files at 300dpi resolution.
We prefer PDF files, but if you don’t have one then we’ll be able to work with your native files.
