RESOURCES

Printing Made Simple

Print Perfection with Our Easy-to-Use Online Resources

Bleed

If your artwork needs to be printed to the very edge of the finished size document, any images, colour etc. need to "bleed" off the edge of the paper by at least 3mm - this bleed will be printed but then cut off in the final cropping process.

Illustrative guide on creating bleed by extending printed edges beyond the finished size, with coloured pencils and shavings to visually demonstrate the concept.
BLEED AREA

3mm area outside the finished paper size. The image should project into this. This will be trimmed off.

TRIM AREA / FINISHED SIZE

This is the final edge of the leaflet or flyer after the bleed area has been trimmed.

TEXT MARGIN / SAFE ZONE

Keep your text at least 5mm inside the trim edge to ensure that it is not trimmed off with the bleed area.

Educational image showing the finishing process in printing where the bleed area is trimmed off, leaving a clean edge around the printed artwork, depicted with vibrant coloured pencils.
THE FINISHED SIZE

The bleed area has been trimmed off only leaving the pages edge and text margin.

THE FINISHED TEXT MARGIN

Your text is at least 5mm inside the trimmed edge of the print in a safe zone.

Design with Standard Paper Sizes

Whether you're crafting a standout business card or a bold poster, choosing the right paper size is the first step to capturing your audience's attention. Our size guide visualises the most common paper sizes, ensuring your design not only fits perfectly but also communicates effectively.

Paper Size Dimensions With Bleed
A2 420mm x 594mm 426mm x 600mm
A3 297mm x 420mm 303mm x 426mm
A4 210mm x 297mm 216mm x 303mm
A5 210mm x 148mm 216mm x 154mm
A6 148mm x 105mm 154mm x 111mm
A7 105mm x 74mm 111mm x 80mm
Business Card 85mm x 55mm 91mm x 61mm
CHOOSE YOUR CANVAS

A2 to A7 -  Our guide spans from spacious A2 sheets to compact A7 leaflets, providing the dimensions you need to create with confidence.

Business Cards - Make a lasting impression with our precise business card measurements.

INCORPORATE BLEED

Bleed is essential for any artwork that extends to the very edge of the paper. It prevents unwanted white margins and ensures a professional finish. The 'With Bleed' measurements in our guide include the extra space needed to achieve this seamless look. Remember to extend your design into the bleed area to account for any slight shifts during the cutting process.

Detailed visual guide of paper sizes such as A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7 in portrait orientation, essential for clients selecting appropriate printing formats. Informative diagram showing different paper sizes including A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, and business card in landscape orientation, useful for understanding printing dimensions.
CUSTOM PAPER SIZES

Go beyond standard with custom paper sizes. Provide your dimensions and we'll craft your perfect print.

Resolution

Print files supplied with the incorrect resolution will give poor quality prints. We can check your artwork free of charge before printing and ensure your file is correct. Call us today for advice on 01792 414040

Example of artwork in high resolution with sharp and vivid coloured pencils, demonstrating the superior quality achieved with high-resolution printing.
CORRECT RESOLUTION

A resolution of 300dpi or higher.

All non-vector artwork should be supplied at a minimum of 300 dpi.

For images smaller than actual size, increase dpi proportionately. e.g. 50% of actual size = 600dpi.

Example of artwork in low resolution showing blurred coloured pencils, illustrating the importance of high resolution for quality printing.
INCORRECT RESOLUTION

A resolution of 72dpi or lower.

Please do not decrease resolution of images any lower than 100dpi.

CMYK Colour for Print 

Navigate the nuances of colour in print with our comprehensive guide. From the vibrant spectrum of CMYK to the precision of Pantone matching, we ensure your artwork translates flawlessly from screen to print.

COLOUR

All artwork for printing should be supplied in CMYK only.

Any RGB artwork that is supplied will be converted to CMYK and this may affect the appearance of your chosen colours.

Pantone colours made up of CMYK should be checked on a correct Pantone colour chart before print.

We cannot take responsibility for any unexpected results experienced from artwork that has been supplied in non-CMYK colours

COLOUR PROOFING

Digital proofs will not be 100% colour accurate to the final Litho print, they should be used as a guide only.

If you require a more accurate proof, these can be produced in more than one format.

Graphic representation of the CMY colour model with cyan, magenta, and yellow circles, essential for understanding colour mixing in printing.
PANTONE COLOUR

Selecting the right Pantone colours for your project is crucial, as they vary on coated versus uncoated paper stocks. To maintain the integrity of your chosen hues, always cross-reference with a Pantone colour chart for CMYK conversion.

Please contact us if you are using any other colour matching system other than Pantone.

OVERPRINTS & KNOCKOUT

Please ensure that no elements of the design are set to overprint unless specifically required. We cannot always check for this and it is likely to generate unexpected results.

TRANSPARENCIES

If you are using the transparency functions in Illustrator or CorelDraw for generated files, transparencies must be flattened and the files then converted to PDF.

Artwork Submission

Please use our secure online uploader for submitting your artwork. If your file is under 20Mb, you may opt to email it directly. For larger files, we recommend a service like Dropbox for a seamless transfer.

Copyright Compliance

You are responsible for ensuring that you hold the rights to all elements of your submitted artwork, including images, text and logos. By approving the job, you accept that copyright responsibility remains with you.

Proof Approval

Your go-ahead on a digital proof is essential before we print. Once you've signed off the proof, changes cannot be made unless a new proof is issued and approved.

Confirmation & Payment

We'll proceed with your job once we receive your confirmation, be it written or via email, alongside payment or a valid Purchase Order for those with established credit terms.

FILE FORMATS

Your artwork deserves to be seen exactly as you've designed it. That's why we champion PDFs for their unparalleled ability to deliver your vision from digital to print without a hitch. Whether you're a wizard with Adobe Creative Suite or a maestro on Canva, our guide ensures your files translate to print with precision and ease.

PDF FILES

PDFs reign supreme in preserving the fidelity of your design, making them our favoured format for print artwork. Secure every colour, line and font with the assurance that what you envision is what gets printed.

CREATIVE SUITE FILES

For artwork originating from Adobe’s Creative Suite:

Illustrator- Save as a PDF, with all text outlined to maintain the integrity of your fonts.

InDesign - Package your files with fonts outlined and all images embedded, then export as a PDF for complete print readiness.

Photoshop - Flatten all layers and rasterise text before saving as a PDF to ensure the image quality is sharp and text is crystal clear.

CORELDRAW FILES

We accept CorelDraw files up to version 2020. Just ensure you convert all text to curves before saving as a PDF.

CANVA DESIGNS

For designs crafted in Canva, bear in mind that gradients can be particularly sensitive to colour shifts when moving from RGB to CMYK for printing. To minimise surprises, use Canva Pro to export your designs as CMYK PDFs, safeguarding the vibrancy and smoothness of your gradients in the final print.

MICROSOFT DOCUMENTS

Publisher - Reach out for assistance in optimising Publisher files for print.

Word - Ideal for text submissions when we’re crafting your layout, though not suitable for direct printing.