A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Your Artwork Print-Ready

You’re ready to finally bring that piece of art to life. It would have taken so much time and effort to conceive it in the first place, and now everything depends on getting it print-ready. In case you’re unfamiliar with the process of artwork printing or the tech jargon associated with it, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered! 

In this article, we share with you all the things you need to consider in order to ensure your artwork is print-ready and you’re proud of the final outcome, regardless of your prior experience with it. But first, let’s understand what print-ready artwork means and why you should aim for the highest possible quality for your print.  

What Is Print-Ready Artwork? 

Print-ready artwork refers to the file output that can be used directly by a commercial printer for creating the desired quality print. This file should have the right kind of resolution, dimensions, and file format for it to be considered 100% print-ready. 

Why Printing High-Quality Material Is Important  

By getting the best possible print quality, you will not only enjoy the art more, but also make it last a lifetime. Even though high-quality prints generally cost more, the price of production often correlates to quality. Printers that offer artwork printing services for cheap may not offer the desired level of quality. Needless to say, you get what you pay for. So, paying a little extra for getting a high-quality print is always worth it! 

Getting Your Artwork Print-Ready 

Choose the correct file format  

Not all file formats can be considered print-ready. For example, PNG, GIF and JPG file formats are not generally recommended, because they are not compatible with most printers that require high-resolution images. This is why it’s best to use professional design software such as Adobe Illustrator or InDesign in order to get the best results.

Even though it’s best to check with your preferred print partner to learn about what file formats they support the following file types are supported by most printers: 

• Photoshop (PSD) 
• Indesign (INDD) 
• Illustrator (AI) 
• Acrobat (PDF) 

In case you don’t have access to the original working file you can use layered and editable PDF files. Make sure that all the elements of the artwork culture as graphics text and images are properly embedded in the PDF, otherwise, it won’t be print ready. 

 Provide a bleed area 

Since it’s a standard procedure to put multiple designs together on a large printed sheet and then cut them out to make the final print product, it’s important to allow some tolerance or margin for this to happen, to avoid affecting the output or letting any design elements fall off the edge. The recommended bleed area or safety margin is usually 3mm or more, depending on your design and the printer’s requirements in your case. If you want to ensure that the trimming is flawless, it’s best to export your artwork with crop marks. 

Have the highest possible image resolution  

Having high image resolution is essential for getting a high-quality print. The sharper the image, the higher its resolution. It’s recommended that artwork you are planning to print has a resolution of 300 DPI or more. However, for most printers, 100 DPI is the bare minimum. It’s important to ensure the resolution of your image isn’t below this level, unless you want your print to appear pixelated. At the same time, it’s advisable to not have a resolution higher than 450 DPI. If you are not sure about the resolution of your image, it’s best to send it to your print partner and request feedback from them before placing your order.  

Ensure that you have created the print data file in the CMYK colour space 

Most people design their artwork in the RGB colour space that’s typically used on screens. However, to make your artwork print-ready, it’s important to double-check that the final print data file that you create is in the CMYK colour space, because that’s what the printers recognise. This is why it’s advisable to change the settings of your artwork editing software to CMYK colour mode instead of RGB, before you even start designing. 

However, if your artwork is ready and it’s set up in RGB colour mode, don’t worry. You can still export the file in CMYK mode or convert it from RGB to CMYK with the help of conversion software. If you are not sure how to go about making this change, check with your print partner if they can help you with it. Just make sure there’s no colour deviation or change in picture quality when you implement this change, or you may be able to get the desired outcome. 

Final Thoughts 

 Much of getting your artwork fully print-ready depends on knowing how each of these important elements, namely file format, resolution, and colour, affect your art. By working with this understanding throughout the process, you can ensure your prints will look more professional and eye-catching.