02 Bleed
When a background, photo, or graphic reaches the finished edge, extend it ⅛″ beyond the trim line on every side. This extra artwork helps prevent white edges after cutting.
Finished size 8.5″ × 11″
With ⅛″ bleed on all sides 8.75″ × 11.25″
Keep important
content here
Bleed: artwork beyond the cut
Trim: the finished edge
Safe area: text and key details
Diagram is not to scale.
Extend your background into the bleed. Keep text, logos, and other important details inside the safe area.
03 Borders
Thin borders near the edge can look uneven after trimming. A cutting tolerance of approximately 1/16″ may affect their appearance.
If a border is necessary, use a border at least ¼″ thick and keep its inner edge at least ⅜″ inside the outer bleed edge. Avoid designs that rely on perfectly equal margins.
04 Color Mode
Full-color artwork: prepare your files in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black). RGB images and Pantone colors may shift when converted to CMYK for process printing.
Black-and-white artwork: use Grayscale for images. For small black text and fine lines, use 100% K black rather than a four-color black.
Your screen is a preview, not an exact color proof. If color matching is critical, discuss a proof with us before production.
05 Fonts
For vector artwork, convert text to outlines before submitting your final file, or ensure fonts are embedded in the PDF. This helps prevent missing fonts and unexpected substitutions.
For raster artwork, submit a flattened copy. Use 8 pt or larger text as a general minimum for standard paper printing. Very narrow fonts and small reversed text on dark backgrounds may need to be larger.
06 Image Resolution
For standard paper printing, use images at 300 PPI at the final printed size. An image that looks sharp on a screen may still look blurry or pixelated in print.
Enlarging an image reduces its effective resolution. Simply changing the resolution setting does not restore missing detail.
Banners, signs, and other large-format products may have different resolution requirements. Follow the product specifications or ask us before preparing your artwork.
07 Lines & Fine Details
Use a minimum line weight of 0.25 pt for standard paper printing. Hairlines may appear on your monitor but disappear when printed.
Light-colored lines, reversed lines, and fine details on dark backgrounds should be thicker for better visibility.
08 Safety Zone
Keep text, logos, page numbers, and essential image details at least ⅛″ inside the finished trim edge. This protects them from being cut off.
Only backgrounds and artwork intended to run off the edge should extend into the bleed. Products with folds, binding, or hardware may require additional clearance.
09 Artwork Size
Build your artwork at the ordered finished size, then add the required bleed. Check the width, height, orientation, and units before exporting.
For raster files, verify both pixel dimensions and physical print size. For PDFs, check the exported page dimensions. Use the product template when one is provided.
These are general guidelines for standard paper printing. Product-specific templates and specifications take priority, especially for signs, displays, and large-format printing.
Before You Upload
- Correct finished size and orientation
- Bleed added where required
- Text and logos inside the safe area
- Color mode checked
- Images sharp at final print size
- Fonts outlined or embedded
- Linked graphics embedded or packaged
- No crop marks unless requested
