--- title: "How to prepare artwork for printing · Ingenious Hub" description: "Send a printer files that print right the first time: colour mode, bleed, size, resolution, fonts and proofs. A plain checklist for cards, flyers and packs." canonical: https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/how-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india updated: 2026-11-05 publisher: Ingenious Hub (https://www.ingenioushub.com) --- Design # How to prepare artwork for printing Ask the printer for their size, bleed and file type first. Then set the colour mode to CMYK, add bleed, keep text inside a safe margin, use high-resolution images, outline or embed fonts, and approve a proof before the run. By [Daitiva Sharma](https://www.ingenioushub.com/studio) 5 Nov 20263 min readReads at about Class 6 or below **In this article3 min read** 1. Ask the printer three things first 2. The checklist 3. Check colour with a proof 4. Choosing paper and finish 5. What to send the printer 6. Before you approve **A print job goes wrong in small ways:** a white edge on one side, text too close to the cut, colours duller than the screen, a blurry photo. Almost all of them can be avoided if the file is prepared the way the printer expects. This is a plain checklist for cards, flyers, brochures and packs. Your printer's own instructions always win, so ask them first. ## Ask the printer three things first - The finished size and the bleed they want. Many printers ask for 3 mm, and some ask for more. - The file type they prefer. A print-ready PDF is the usual answer. - Whether they have a template for the product, such as a die line for a box or a mailer. ## The checklist Print-ready file, point by point | Item | What to do | Why | | --- | --- | --- | | Colour mode | Design in CMYK for print. | Screens use RGB. Bright screen colours often look duller on paper, so check a proof. | | Bleed | Extend the background or image past the cut line by the amount the printer asks. | Paper is cut by a machine and moves a little. Bleed stops a white edge. | | Safe margin | Keep text and logos well inside the cut line. | Anything near the edge can be trimmed off. | | Resolution | Use images made for print, commonly around 300 pixels per inch at the printed size. | A web image enlarged for print looks soft. | | Fonts | Convert text to outlines, or embed fonts in the PDF. | A missing font is replaced by another and changes the layout. | | Black | Use one clear black for text and check how a large black area prints. | Different blacks look different on paper. | | Pages and order | Send single pages in the right order, or as the printer asks. | A different order can mean wrong pairs on a folded sheet. | | File | Export a PDF with the settings the printer gave you. | A flat, correct file avoids surprises. | The word [bleed](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/bleed) is the part of the design that runs past the edge on purpose. If your artwork has a background colour or a photo that touches the edge, it needs bleed. If it has a white border on purpose, it does not. [Bleed](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/bleed): Bleed is the extra margin of artwork that runs past the trim edge of a printed piece, usually about 3 mm, so no white edge shows when the paper is cut. ## Check colour with a proof The colour you see on a phone is made of light. The colour on paper is made of ink, and it depends on the paper, the press and the day. For a logo colour or a pack where the colour matters, ask for a proof, and look at it in daylight. Approve it in writing before the full run. If your brand colours have been matched for print, keep that reference with you; our [colour palette builder](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/brand-colour-palette-builder) helps you record them in the formats you need, and the [print size calculator](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/print-size-calculator) helps you check sizes before you start. ## Choosing paper and finish The same design looks different on different paper. Matte feels calm and reads well. Gloss makes colour pop and shows fingerprints. Textured paper feels premium and can soften fine detail. Special finishes such as foil, embossing or spot varnish add cost and time and need artwork prepared in layers, so decide early and ask the printer to explain what they need from you. ## What to send the printer - The print-ready PDF, named clearly with the product and the size. - A low-resolution preview image, so they can see what you meant. - A short note with quantity, paper, finish and the date you need it. - Your logo files in vector form, in case they need to adjust something. Our note on [the logo files every business should own](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/logo-files-every-business-should-own) lists them. ## Before you approve Read every word again, including the phone number and the address. Check that colours match the proof. Check that nothing sits too close to the edge. Print a copy at full size on an office printer and hold it in your hand. Most mistakes can be seen at that stage, and they cost far less to fix than a run of five thousand. If you work with a studio, the finished files should come with a print-ready pack for each item, and with your [brand guidelines](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/brand-guidelines) so your next job looks like the last one. See our [creative and packaging work](https://www.ingenioushub.com/services/creative) if you want help with a pack. [Brand guidelines](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/brand-guidelines): Brand guidelines are a written set of rules for using a brand's identity: logo versions, colours, typography, imagery, layout and tone of voice. About the author [Daitiva Sharma](https://www.ingenioushub.com/studio) is the founder of Ingenious Hub, a brand and design studio in Jaipur. A designer, brand strategist and photographer, he has worked in design since 2007, leading design teams before founding the studio. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/daitiva) Disagree, or want to argue the point? hello@ingenioushub.com Share this note - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fhow-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) - [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fhow-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india&text=How%20to%20prepare%20artwork%20for%20printing) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=How%20to%20prepare%20artwork%20for%20printing%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fhow-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) - 3 min read Share this note - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fhow-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) - [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fhow-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india&text=How%20to%20prepare%20artwork%20for%20printing) - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=How%20to%20prepare%20artwork%20for%20printing%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ingenioushub.com%2Fnotes%2Fhow-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) - ## Tools and terms for this note Try it yourself, free - [Brand colour palette builderBuild a colour palette and check its contrast.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/brand-colour-palette-builder) - [Print size calculatorCard, flyer, menu and flex sizes with bleed, in mm, inches and pixels.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/tools/print-size-calculator) Words used in this note - [BleedCreative and PR](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/bleed) - [Colour paletteBrand and identity](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/colour-palette) - [Brand guidelinesBrand and identity](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary/brand-guidelines) [The full glossary](https://www.ingenioushub.com/glossary) ## Keep reading More on [Branding](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/topic/branding) - [Business card design: size, content, finishDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/business-card-design-guide-india) - [Hindi and Devanagari logo design: a guideDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/devanagari-and-hindi-logo-design-guide) - [How to brief a pitch deck designerDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/how-to-brief-a-pitch-deck-designer) - [WordPress, Wix, Shopify or custom: how to choose a website platformDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/wordpress-wix-shopify-or-custom-website) - [Logo files every business should ownDesign · 4 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/logo-files-every-business-should-own) - [What a Jaipur signboard tells a customerDesign · 3 min read](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/jaipur-signboard-design-notes) [All notes](https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes) The argument, applied ## MasterChef Rajasthan: A regional flagship made cinematic. The show identity and on-air package for Season 2, plus social cuts. [Read the case study](https://www.ingenioushub.com/work/masterchef-rajasthan) [All work](https://www.ingenioushub.com/work) [ *(image: MasterChef Rajasthan: A regional flagship made cinematic.)* ](https://www.ingenioushub.com/work/masterchef-rajasthan) ## Where this thinking goes to work - [Creative & ContentA steady rhythm of content.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/services/creative) - [Branding & IdentityBrands people remember.](https://www.ingenioushub.com/services/branding) ## More on this topic. Something we haven’t covered? [Ask us](https://www.ingenioushub.com/contact?from=notes-how-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india). **What is bleed in printing?** Bleed is the extra part of a background or image that runs past the cut line, so that when paper is trimmed there is no white edge. The printer will tell you how much they need, often a few millimetres. **Should I send RGB or CMYK files?** Ask your printer. Most will want CMYK for print. If you send RGB the printer's software converts it, and the colour can change. **Why does my print look duller than my screen?** A screen makes colour with light and paper makes it with ink. Some bright screen colours cannot be matched by ink. A proof shows you the real result before the full run. **What resolution do I need?** Images made for print are commonly around 300 pixels per inch at the printed size. A small web image stretched to a big print will look soft. Ask your printer what they prefer. **Do I need to outline my fonts?** If the printer cannot read the fonts you used, they will be replaced. Embedding the fonts in the PDF, or converting text to outlines, avoids that. Keep an editable copy for yourself. ## Want this applied to your brand? [Start a project](https://www.ingenioushub.com/contact?service=creative&from=notes-how-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india) [See what Creative & Content starts at](https://www.ingenioushub.com/pricing#price-creative) [Free brand audit](https://www.ingenioushub.com/brand-audit) Based in Rajasthan? [Creative Agency in Jaipur](https://www.ingenioushub.com/creative-content-agency-jaipur) Source: https://www.ingenioushub.com/notes/how-to-prepare-artwork-for-print-in-india