We see a lot of artwork come through here at Bumble Print, and most of the problems we fix are the same few things. So we thought we’d put together a simple guide to getting your file print ready first time. No jargon, promise (well, not much!).
1. Send A PDF
A high quality PDF is the best file you can send us. It keeps your fonts, images and layout exactly how you designed them. We can also take AI, EPS, PSD, JPG and PNG files, but a PDF is defiantly the safest bet.
2. Use CMYK, Not RGB
Your screen shows colour using light (RGB), but printers use ink (CMYK). If you send an RGB file, some bright colours can come out a bit duller than you expect. We wrote a whole post on this: why you can’t print RGB colours.
3. Add 3mm Bleed
Bleed is just extra background that goes past the edge of your design. When we trim your print there’s always a tiny bit of movement, so if your background stops exactly at the edge you can end up with a thin white line. Extend it 3mm past the edge and you won’t have that problem.
4. Keep Text Away From The Edges
The flip side of bleed is the safe area. Keep your text and logos at least 3mm inside the edge, otherwise you might loose part of them when it’s trimmed.
5. Check Your Images Are 300dpi
Images pulled from a website usually look fine on screen but blurry in print. Aim for 300dpi at the size they’ll be printed. For big things like banners, a bit lower is fine because they’re seen from further away.
Not Sure? We’ll Check It
If all of this sounds like too much, don’t worry. You can upload your file when you order and we’ll let you know if anything needs changing, or choose Use Our Designer and let us do the work. Have a look at our artwork guidelines for a bit more detail.
