Help Centre
How to Set Up
Your Artwork
Everything you need to get your files print-ready. Follow these specs and your job will come out perfect.
Not sure about any of this?
Don't stress. Send us your file and we'll check it for you, or our design team can set the whole thing up.
The Basics#
Six things to know before you send us anything. Get these right and your print will come out exactly as you designed it.
Bleed: 3 mm
- After printing, we cut your job to its finished size, but cutting isn't perfectly precise every time. If your colour stops right at the edge, even a tiny shift can leave a visible white strip.
- Extend your artwork 3 mm past the trim edge on all sides.
Margin: 5 mm
- Keep your important stuff (text, logos, phone numbers) at least 5 mm inside the trim edge. If it's too close to the edge, it might get chopped off when we cut.
Send Us a PDF
- PDF is the gold standard for print files. It keeps your fonts, colours, and layout exactly as you designed them. Send it via email, upload on our website, or bring it on a USB drive.
We can work with JPG, PNG, AI, EPS, and PSD too, but a high-quality PDF will always give you the best result.
Resolution: 300 DPI
- DPI (dots per inch) is how sharp your images are. At 300 DPI, everything prints crisp and clean. Lower than that and your photos and graphics will look blurry or pixelated, especially up close.
Not sure? Send it through and we'll check it for you.
Lock In Your Fonts
- Your design might use a font we don't have installed. If that happens, the text can swap to a different font and look completely wrong.
- In Adobe: Select all text, then Type → Create Outlines. In Canva: Handled automatically when you download as PDF Print.
Use Print Colours (CMYK)
- Your screen shows colours using light (RGB). Printers use ink (CMYK). They don't produce identical results, so bright greens and vivid blues often look duller in print than on screen.
- Set your file to CMYK before designing. If you can't (Canva free doesn't support it), don't worry, we'll convert it, but some colours may shift slightly.
Crop Marks (Added Automatically)
- Crop marks are small lines in the corners of your PDF that show us exactly where to cut. You don't draw these yourself, they're added automatically when you export with the right settings. See the Adobe and Canva steps below.
Don't want to deal with artwork setup?
Our design team can set up your files, fix issues, or create your artwork from scratch.
Exporting Your File#
Step-by-step guides for the two most common design tools. Follow these and your file will be print-ready.
Adobe (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop)
Save as PDF
Canva
Download as print PDF
Show margins: File → Show Margins. Keep all important text and logos inside these guides.
Show bleed: File → Show Print Bleed. Make sure your background colour or images fill the bleed area, otherwise you'll get white edges.
Product-Specific Setup#
Extra specs for specific products. Only open the section that applies to your order.
Common Product Dimensions#
Set your document to these sizes before you start designing. Add 3 mm bleed on all sides.
Vinyl Sticker Application#
Step-by-step instructions for applying vinyl stickers
Paper Backing
Sticker
Application Tape
The clear layer on top that holds everything together during application
Clean the surface with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Do NOT use window cleaning products.
Place the sticker in position. Apply masking tape down the centre to hold it in place.
Fold the sticker back and keep close to the surface with the masking tape on. Cut the paper backing off.
Using a felt squeegee or credit card wrapped in a sock, apply from the middle outward to the edge.
Fold the other half across, carefully peel the backing paper. Apply from the middle to the outer edge.
If water was used, wait until dry, then carefully remove the application tape to reveal the sticker.
Application Tips
- Avoid applying stickers on windy days. Having a second person to help makes larger stickers easier.
- For medium to large stickers, use soapy water on the surface before application. This lets you reposition if needed. Once placed, squeegee out the water and air bubbles.
- If supplied rolled up, store flat for an hour before applying to prevent curling.
- Clean the surface beforehand. Do not use window cleaner as the residue prevents proper adhesion.
A Note About Colour#
Printed colours will always look a little different from what you see on screen, that's just the nature of ink vs. light. We calibrate our printers regularly and use ICC colour profiles to get as close as possible, but an exact screen-to-print match isn't physically achievable. If colour accuracy is critical for your job (brand colours, product photography), let us know and we can run a proof first.
Still unsure about your artwork?
Send it through and we'll check it for you, no charge. Or let our design team handle the whole thing.