XPRINT · ARTWORK
Prepare your artwork for print
Check before uploading. Guidance for the selected configuration and an approved product template take precedence.
Standard colour printing: CMYK PDF, correct finished size and embedded fonts. Follow the product-specific notes for bleed, textile artwork and engraving.
PDF · PNG · JPEG · TIFF · ZIP · up to 10 files, 20 MB each, 100 MB total. ZIP without password, PDF/image files only.
File format & scale
- Prefer a print-ready PDF, ideally PDF/X-4. Prepare at 1:1 in mm. Do not send screenshots, thumbnails or imposed production sheets.
- The configured size is the finished size after trimming. Bleed sits outside it. Set the PDF TrimBox correctly; add printer marks only if agreed. An approved product template takes precedence.
CMYK & print colour
- For standard four-colour printing, prepare/export the print PDF in CMYK. RGB screen colours can change on conversion; vivid colours may fall outside the printable range. Agree the appropriate ICC profile with XPrint and embed it; do not assign an arbitrary profile.
- Use black only (C0 M0 Y0 K100) for small black text where possible. Agree spot colours, white ink, metallic effects and critical brand colours in advance. A screen preview is not a binding colour proof.
- PNG cannot store CMYK. Existing RGB/PNG files may be uploaded for review; uploading does not make them print-ready. See the textile notes for transparent garment artwork.
Resolution, fonts & images
- Aim for about 300 ppi at finished size for small print and labels. About 150 ppi is a guide for large format; viewing distance and artwork matter. Upscaling or changing only the dpi setting does not add genuine detail.
- Embed fonts or convert them to outlines; embed linked images. Keep logos, small text and QR codes as vectors where possible. Test QR codes at finished size and retain their quiet zone.
Business cards & flyers
- For our usual small print, prepare 2 mm bleed on every side unless a different template is agreed. Extend backgrounds to the outer bleed edge. Keep important content at least 3 mm inside the cut edge.
- Example: 85 × 54 mm finished size → 89 × 58 mm including 2 mm bleed per side. Supply front and back as separate PDF pages in the same orientation, not side by side.
Folded flyers
- Supply outside and inside at the unfolded size, each as one PDF page. State the folded size, fold type and reading direction. Allow 2 mm bleed on all outside edges unless a different template is agreed.
- Keep text at least 3 mm from cut and fold lines. A roll-fold tuck-in panel may need to be narrower: do not assume equal panel widths. Agree fold positions before export.
Brochures & binding
- Export interior pages as consecutive single pages in reading order, not imposed spreads. Include blank pages in the count. Match the configured size and orientation. Prepare 2 mm bleed for standard interior pages; keep text at least 3 mm from trim and allow extra clearance at the binding.
- Saddle stitch: total pages including cover must be divisible by 4. Perfect binding: at least 40 pages; spine width and cover layout depend on paper and page count. Prepare the wraparound cover only after the spine template is confirmed.
Table displays & wobblers
- Prepare at unfolded size with 2 mm bleed around the outer cutting contour unless another template is agreed. Keep text at least 3 mm from cut and fold lines. Show cutting, folding and glue areas on a separate technical layer. Use the approved template for panel widths.
Stickers: background & material
- File transparency does not automatically mean clear material. Unprinted areas on white paper/film stay white. Clear film reveals the surface beneath it. Choose the material and intended background explicitly.
Small labels: bleed
- For small labels, aim for about 300 ppi, extend backgrounds 2 mm beyond the cutting contour and keep important content at least 3 mm inside it, unless a different template is agreed.
Contour cutting & cutting file
- Provide a closed vector cutting path at 1:1 on a separate layer in the PDF. Clearly separate the path from the artwork; it must not print as a visible line. Agree the technical path name/colour in advance.
- A transparent PNG background does not replace a cutting path. Separate letters, internal cutouts and fine details require a feasibility check. If no suitable path is available, describe the intended result in the notes.
Posters & large format
- Prepare at 1:1 to the configured dimensions where possible. If using 1:10, explicitly state the scale and use ten times the image resolution in the file to maintain the required resolution at finished size.
- Bleed, safe areas and any panel joins depend on the material and finishing. Confirm them before final export; do not automatically apply the 2 mm small-print rule.
Roll-up: visible area & cassette
- 85 × 200 or 100 × 200 cm is the visible area. The production file also needs the take-up allowance for the cassette. Request the template for the selected width; keep important text out of the take-up and clamping zones.
Boards, signs & handheld signs
- Label the finished size and front/back clearly. Show holes, fastening areas and any handles in a separate reference view. For contour cutting, provide a closed vector path; confirm minimum bridges and small cutouts for the material.
Flags, displays & special shapes
- Use the approved template for the selected model/SKU, size and shape. Visible size may differ from artwork size. Respect seams, pockets, panel joins and hidden zones; the on-screen illustration is not a production template.
Garments & DTF artwork
- Supply each print position as its own file with the intended print width/height in mm, e.g. left chest and back separately. Do not use a photo of a shirt as production artwork; do not mirror the file yourself.
- Use a vector PDF or a high-resolution transparent PNG, about 300 ppi at actual print size. PNG stays RGB; we agree the print conversion. Retain intended white artwork and remove unwanted backgrounds. White underbase and very fine lines require separate review.
Laser engraving
- Prefer vector PDF for logos and text; outline fonts. Separate engraving and cutting, and specify size and position. Supply high-resolution photos for photo engraving. CMYK colours do not become printed colours in engraving; the result depends on the material.
File assignment & approval
- Use clear names such as BusinessCard_Design01_Front.pdf. State the quantity per design and assign each file to the correct product. When supplying revisions, explicitly identify the file being replaced.
- Uploading and automated checks are not print approval. XPrint confirms outstanding questions, the production version and timing before printing. Unsure, or a file over 20 MB? Contact info@x-print.biz with its size; do not blur the artwork through compression just to meet the limit.