Print-ready artwork checklist
Most print delays come from files that look fine on screen but fail in production. Work through this checklist before you upload.
Document setup
Build to the final trim size, then extend backgrounds and images into the bleed. Keep critical content inside the safe area so guillotine variance does not clip logos or phone numbers.
- 3 mm bleed on all sides (unless a product page specifies otherwise)
- 5 mm safe area inside trim for text and logos
- Single-page PDFs per side unless the product asks for spreads
Colour and resolution
Commercial print expects CMYK. RGB photos can shift when converted late. Images should be ~300 dpi at final size; soft, blurry photos will not sharpen on press.
- CMYK colour mode for the final PDF
- 300 dpi images at print size
- Black text as rich or plain black as your brand guidelines require — avoid grey anti-aliased type
What we check
Liquid Print offers a free artwork check on orders. We look for missing bleed, low-resolution images, and obvious layout risks — then flag issues before production where possible.