How to Prepare Artwork for Print

Even with professionally designed artwork, getting it ready for print can be a hassle if you’re not sure what you need to do. Read our guide to find out how to prepare artwork for print, so that your print project is delivered on time, on budget and to the high quality you expect.

Planning image quality for printing

Low-resolution images can lead to low-quality prints. The image resolution is how much data it contains, determined by dpi (dots per inch). For print projects, you’ll want your final design to be 300 dpi. Computer images are typically a lower resolution because this is what looks good on your screen so you need to ensure that you start out with high-quality images in your design. Remember that if you save an image at 300dpi and later enlarge it in your artwork, its effective resolution will be reduced so you need to make sure the images used are at 100% size or smaller in the finished design.

Preparing image colour for printing

By default, most computer images will be saved as RGB to produce the colours you see on your screen. For print projects, you’ll need to check that your images are CMYK. That’s cyan, magenta, yellow and black- the 4-colour process used in printing. If you’re using a program like Adobe InDesign, this colour space will be determined by whether you set the intent to web or print, but you can also select Package from the File menu to flag any RGB images if you’re using a lot of images.

How to supply artwork for print

Ideally, you should send us a print-ready PDF.

• Supply your artwork as individual pages in a single PDF- no need to add pagination
• 3mm bleed on all edges
• Crop and registration marks

AB Print Group can handle everything for you. Not only do we have a full range of printing equipment, but we also offer complete finishing services including embossing, foil blocking, spot UV varnish and glow in the dark printing. Let us take care of your print requirements and deliver the quality you expect every time. Get in touch on 01924 47348 to find out more.