Artwork prep7 min read
What DPI do you need for common print sizes?
Calculate print resolution for cards, flyers, posters, signs, and banners from the pixels actually available at the final size.
Read the guideProduction knowledge
Print files that survive the real handoff.
Field guides for businesses, designers, and print shops working through resolution, bleed, color, proofs, customer artwork, and production-ready output.
- Specific checks instead of generic design advice
- Actual print-shop workflows and source references
- Direct paths into calculators, presets, and free preflight
Featured guide
How to make an AI-generated image print ready
Turn ChatGPT, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, or other generated artwork into a file a commercial printer can inspect and produce.
Ten production articles
Solve the next file problem.
Print production7 min read
Bleed vs. trim vs. safe area: the practical print guide
Understand the boundaries that protect edge-to-edge artwork, finished dimensions, and critical content during printing and cutting.
Read the guidePrint production7 min read
RGB vs. CMYK for print: what businesses should actually send
Choose a color workflow based on the printer, product, and proof instead of converting every file to CMYK or trusting screen color.
Read the guideArtwork prep7 min read
How to fix a low-resolution image before printing
Use final-size math, careful upscaling, crop review, and honest fallback choices to rescue weak artwork without faking detail.
Read the guidePrint production7 min read
PDF preflight checklist before sending a file to print
A production checklist for page size, bleed, fonts, images, color, transparency, marks, and file integrity before a commercial-print PDF is approved.
Read the guideArtwork prep7 min read
Best print file format: PDF, PNG, TIFF, or vector?
Choose a print format by artwork type, editability, transparency, scale, and the receiving printer instead of trusting one extension.
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Shop workflow7 min read
Print proof approval checklist for customers and shops
Review content, size, crop, color expectations, finishing, and revision history before approving a proof that authorizes real production cost.
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Shop workflow7 min read
Collect customer artwork without email chaos
Replace scattered attachments with an artwork request that captures job specifications, current files, warnings, and ownership.
Read the guideArtwork prep7 min read
Vector vs. raster for signs, apparel, and large format
Choose vector paths, raster pixels, or a hybrid production file based on scale, image content, cutting, embroidery, spot color, and the output device.
Read the guide