Black Cat Printing & Stationery — Blackwood SA
Print-ready artwork
Artwork Guidelines
Follow these guidelines to prepare print-ready files — correct formats, colour, resolution, bleed and safe margins — so your job prints cleanly and trims correctly.
PDF preferred
Supply a print-ready PDF.
CMYK colour
Convert to CMYK before exporting to avoid shifts.
300 dpi images
At final size for sharp, clean printing.
Bleed + safe zone
Add bleed and keep text safely in from trim.
How to supply print-ready artwork
Use these specifications as a baseline for most jobs. If you’re unsure, send your file and we can advise.
File formats & colour
- Preferred format: Print-ready PDF.
- Colour mode: CMYK only. Converting from RGB or PMS at the end can cause colour shifts.
- Rich black: Use C40 M40 Y20 K100 for large black areas; avoid plain K100 for big fills.
Tip: If you must use spot colours (PMS), tell us at quoting stage so we can confirm suitability.
Resolution & image quality
- 300 dpi at final print size is required.
- Higher resolution increases file size without benefit; lower resolution may pixelate or print soft.
- Embed high-quality images and flatten transparencies where needed.
Rule of thumb: Do not “up-sample” small web images — they will still print blurry.
Bleed & safe zone
- Bleed: Extend artwork beyond the trim edge:
- Business cards / small prints: 2 mm bleed
- Standard prints (A5+ to SRA3): 3 mm bleed
- Signage / large format: 10–20 mm bleed
- Safe zone: Keep critical text/images away from trim:
- Small items: 3–4 mm in from trim
- Large prints/signs: 25–45 mm in from trim
- No cut marks or colour bars needed — supply final size plus bleed.
Important: Trimming tolerance is typically ±1 mm. Avoid placing borders close to trim.
Fonts & text
- Embed all fonts or convert text to outlines/curves.
- Keep fine text and vector artwork as vectors — don’t rasterise unless necessary.
- Avoid strokes thinner than 0.25 pt to reduce print issues.
Tip: If you’re exporting from Canva, always choose a high-resolution PDF option.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Designing in RGB and converting late (colour shifts).
- Using low-resolution images or up-sampling (soft, pixelated prints).
- Incorrect page size or missing bleed (white edges after trimming).
- Borders too close to trim (small trim variance makes borders look uneven).
Printing specifications
- Multiple pages: Supply as a single PDF — one page per sheet (no imposed spreads).
- No. up: Always supply 1-up files; our imposition software handles layouts.
- Ink coverage: Avoid >300% total ink in large areas; heavy coverage on fold lines may crack.
- Proofing: We check for missing fonts, incorrect colours and obvious issues — but not every detail.
- Additional file fixes may incur charges if artwork isn’t print-ready.
If in doubt: Send your file before finalising — it’s easier to fix early than after printing.
Need help making your artwork print-ready?
If you’re unsure about bleed, sizing, colour conversion or export settings, contact us — or request a quote and attach your file for review.
Prefer to visit? We’re in Blackwood SA — see our location.