Preparing a file for print without nasty surprises
Dull colours, cropped text, pixelated images: most printing disappointments are decided on screen. A few simple rules are enough to avoid them.
A document that looks stunning on screen can disappoint once printed. It is almost never the printer’s fault: screens and paper simply do not work the same way. Here is what we check before every job goes to production, whether it is a business card, a leaflet or a catalogue.
Work in CMYK
A screen displays colours made of light (RGB); a printer builds them with ink (CMYK). Some very bright on-screen colours, especially electric greens and blues, cannot be reproduced as they are. Converting the file to CMYK before sending it avoids discovering the difference on paper.
Plan for bleed
Trimming is never accurate to the millimetre. If a colour background or a photo touches the edge, it must extend 3 mm beyond the final format: that is the bleed. Conversely, keep text and logos at least 5 mm from the edge, inside the safe zone.
Images at 300 dpi
An image taken from a website or a messaging app is usually too light for print. At the size it will actually be used, aim for 300 pixels per inch. Below that, the image will look blurry or pixelated, even if it seems sharp on screen.
Choose the right paper
Paper weight and finish change everything. As a rough guide:
- Business cards: 300 to 350 gsm, matt or gloss lamination.
- Leaflets: 135 to 250 gsm, scored for folding.
- Catalogues: lighter inside pages, a heavier cover, often saddle-stitched.
Read a print proof like a contract: slowly, and with a second pair of eyes.
Check the proof
Before printing, always ask for a proof and read it carefully: spelling, phone numbers, addresses, partner logos. A typo caught at this stage costs nothing; after printing, it costs the whole run.
At Ellon Création, design and printing are handled by the same team: files are prepared for the press from the very start.
