We have compiled some tips for getting your job printed more quickly and successfully.
- Build to the final size. For example, a poster you design 8.5×11 to be printed 11×17 will not work. 8.5×11 does not proportionately scale up to be 11×17. Also, images may lose quality when increased in size.
- Add .125″ of bleed if you have any artwork or images that go to the edge of the page. This is for trimming. Please see our page with instructions on adding bleed.
On the left is a high resolution image. On the right is a low resolution image. Images taken from the web are generally low resolution meant for viewing on monitors and will not print crisp and clear. - Proof the whole document, but especially dates, phone numbers, urls and email addresses. If the files are not finalized when they are sent to us it can incur more costs for additional proofs and will delay completion.
- CMYK vs RGB: Printers use CMYK colors to print. For the best result, all colors and photos/graphics should be converted from RGB to CMYK before submitted. Why change the colors to CMYK? RGB color is used for displaying graphics on monitors or screens. They appear bright and vibrant because monitors can display over 16 million colors through the use of light. Printers cannot print such a wide gammut of color so on paper, they will look duller. For the best representation of final printed color, we recommend changing those colors to cmyk.
- Resolution: Pixilation is something that happens to graphics if they are not high enough quality. The minimum DPI to print is 200. If your images are lower than 200 DPI they may appear pixilated or blurry.
When to use “overprint” and why selecting that setting can produce undesired results on your prints
Overprinting is the process by which one color is printed on top of another color. When this happens, the bottom color can show through the top color and ruin the quality of your printed materials.
Download our reference guide for more information about overprints.
