In printing, there is no such thing as “almost right.” One extra pixel can result in a cropped logo on your banner. The wrong color profile can turn a corporate blue greenish. Preparing layouts for print is a critical stage where the smallest details make all the difference.
This guide is for designers, marketers, business owners, and anyone who has ever held a flyer and thought, “Did we really approve this?” To avoid the pain, read on.
A Detailed Guide for a Perfect Result
This guide will help you avoid common mistakes and make the printing process as predictable as possible.
Start with the Right Format and Resolution
The first step to successful printing is choosing the correct color space. For all print layouts, use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)—this is the standard model that matches the technology of printing presses. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is exclusively for digital screens. If you mistakenly leave your layout in RGB, the colors on paper will come out dull or completely different from what you expected. For example, a vibrant red in RGB can turn into a muddy brown in CMYK if not properly converted in advance.
Resolution is another key point. The standard for printing is 300 dpi (dots per inch). This ensures image clarity and detail. Lowering it to 72 dpi (typical for the web) will result in a blurry picture with noticeable pixels—a “mosaic” effect that will ruin even the best design. For large-format printing (banners, posters), 150 dpi is sometimes acceptable, but this depends on the viewing distance—check with your print shop.
As for the file format: PDF, TIFF, or EPS are ideal for printing. These formats maintain quality and are compatible with most printing systems. PSD (Photoshop) and AI (Illustrator) are convenient for editing, but sending them for print is a bad idea; fonts or layers can “fall apart” on another computer. Before exporting, make sure all elements are merged and ready for production.
Don’t Forget Bleeds and Margins
Bleed is an extra margin outside the main format that is trimmed after printing. It’s usually 3-5 mm on each side, but the exact size depends on the print shop’s requirements. For instance, business cards often require 3 mm, while brochures or books may need up to 5 mm. Without this margin, you risk getting white stripes along the edges if the trim is not perfect (and it rarely is due to equipment limitations).
A safe zone is an inner margin from the edge where you should not place important elements like text, logos, or key design details. It is usually 5-10 mm from the trim line. If you ignore this space, there’s a chance that part of the content will “escape” past the edge or be cut off.
The absence of a bleed in a layout is a common mistake for beginners. Imagine you printed a flyer with a beautiful background, but due to a lack of bleed, white borders appeared at the edges, and the text was cut off mid-word. To avoid this, always check the technical requirements and add bleeds during the layout creation stage.
Fonts: Not Just Pretty, but Safe
Fonts are not just about aesthetics; they’re also a technical component. To avoid problems, convert all text to outlines in programs like Illustrator or CorelDRAW before sending it to print. This ensures that the font will look exactly as you intended, even if the print shop doesn’t have the required font. An alternative is to embed the fonts in the PDF, but this only works if the font license allows embedding (check this in advance).
Thin fonts (for example, with a line thickness of less than 0.25 mm) are another trap. On a screen, they look elegant, but in print, they can become unclear or disappear entirely, especially on offset presses or at small font sizes. Choose fonts with a medium or bold weight if you want to guarantee readability.
Also, avoid system fonts like Times New Roman or Comic Sans unless they are a planned part of the design. The print shop might not have your specific version of the font, and the program will automatically replace it with something else—for example, Arial instead of Helvetica. The result? The layout will be “messed up,” and you won’t get what you planned.
Colors: Don’t Trust Your Monitor
The screen and paper are two different worlds. A monitor works with backlighting, so colors in RGB look saturated and high-contrast. Paper, however, absorbs light, and in CMYK, the same shades become less vibrant. For example, a vibrant blue can turn out muted, and a neon green can become grayish. To avoid disappointment, always convert your layout to CMYK during the design phase and check how the colors look in this profile.
For branded products where color accuracy is critical (e.g., logos or packaging), order a color proof. This is a test print that shows how the layout will look on actual paper. Without it, you’re playing “color roulette.”
If perfect color matching is needed (say, for Coca-Cola’s corporate red), use the Pantone system. This is a set of standardized colors that the print shop mixes manually. It’s more expensive, but it guarantees that your shade will be exactly as it is in your brand book, regardless of the paper type or machine.
The Pre-Print Check Isn’t Just a Courtesy
The final check is your last chance to avoid mistakes. Here’s a detailed checklist:
- Are all fonts converted to outlines or embedded in the PDF? Open the file on another computer to be sure.
- Is the bleed added, and does it meet the print shop’s requirements? Check the dimensions in your program.
- Is the resolution correct? Images below 300 dpi (or 150 dpi for large formats) will ruin the result.
- Is the color profile CMYK? Check the file settings—RGB or leftover profiles will distort the colors.
- Are there any extra elements outside the layout? Sometimes “pieces” of the workspace accidentally get into the final file.
Make this list a part of your workflow. One missed item can lead to a headache and extra costs for reprinting instead of a perfect print.
Collaboration with the Print Shop is Also Part of the Design
The print shop isn’t just a contractor; it’s your partner. Even before you start working, contact the manager and ask for technical specifications: bleed sizes, color profile, and the file types they accept. For example, one print shop might require PDF/X-1a, while another might just need a TIFF without layers.
Some print shops have their own templates or restrictions. For instance, for a book binding, they might ask for additional margins, and for UV varnish, they might need a separate layer in the layout. Ignoring these details will lead to delays or reworks.
If you’re unsure about the settings, send a test layout—a small part of the design. The print shop will check it and tell you what to correct. It’s better to spend 10 minutes clarifying than to have to re-do the entire print run because of non-compliance.
Printing is the Final Scene of the Design, and Mistakes are Inadmissible Here
In the world of design, preparing a layout for print is like the final act of a play. You can create an impressive visual story, but if you don’t think through the technical details, it will go unnoticed or ruin the impression. Proper preparation isn’t a “formality”; it’s an important part of the process that shows professionalism and respect for the client, the print shop, and the idea itself.
A layout should not only look good but also be readable, scalable, technically accurate, and consistently reproducible. This is especially critical for social and business projects, where a mistake in a single flyer can cost the trust of dozens of people or thousands of hryvnias to reprint.
Let every printed piece you create be not just a carrier of information, but proof of quality, responsibility, and your attention to detail. Because design isn’t just creativity—it’s also precision.