After working hard on a killer design, you finally have the document ready to go, and it’s time to hit “Print.” But before you do, maybe consider how to ensure your masterpiece doesn’t come out as a pixelated mess or with different colors. Rather than just hitting “Print” and keeping your fingers crossed, you might want to spend some time creating a print ready file.
However, for this, you need to know the answer to the question “What does print ready mean?”. Thus, it’s essential to take the right steps to ensure your file has been properly prepped. With this in mind, let’s take a deeper dive to help get your print file preparation on point.
What is a Print Ready File?
First off, we need to break down exactly what is a print ready file. In short, this is a digital file that’s fully prepped for the printer without needing any last-minute tweaks. As such, a print ready file is in the correct format, the right color mode, and in a layout that when you print the file, it comes out exactly as envisioned. In other words, a final draft with no more changes needed. Just ready to go.
However, print ready meaning is more than just having a file look good on your monitor. It’s also about ensuring that the file meets the technical requirements for printing. These include things like having the right bleed, resolution, and color settings. All steps that you can’t afford to miss.
To ensure no blurry images or messed up coloring, simply follow the steps below.
Step 1: Choose the Right File Format
PDF is the gold standard when it comes to converting print ready files. That’s because it preserves your fonts, layout, and images, meaning everything comes out of the printer exactly as you intended. It’s also the format that’s universally accepted by pretty much every printer.
If you happen to be working with something like DJVU files and want to make them print-friendly, then you can convert DJVU file to PDF with a tool like PDF Guru. Although formats like TIFF and EPS are great for vectors and high-quality images, nothing beats PDF as a safe bet for almost any project. Just be sure you have saved your PDFs in the highest resolution to maintain the best quality.
Step 2: Set the Correct Color Mode
It’s easy to forget that whereas your monitor displays colors as RGB (Red, Green, Blue), printers utilize CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). As a result, colors might look completely different without the conversion to CMYK before printing. For example, you might find a dull maroon in place of the vibrant red you envisioned.
Step 3: Check Your Resolution
Make sure you pay special attention to the resolution settings, as these ensure your prints are both sharp and clear. On the whole, you’ll find that a resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) is the sweet spot for the vast majority of projects. You may get pixelated or blurry images with anything lower. On the other hand, if you’re working with large format prints like posters or banners, then you can get away with a resolution of just 150 DPI. This is because these images are for viewing from a distance.
Step 4: Add Bleed and Safety Margins
If you’re unsure why your printed document has a white border where it shouldn’t be, the answer is “bleed.” This is the extra area around your design, and it extends beyond the final trim size. It’s there to ensure the design goes right to the edge of the final printed document.
You’ll find that the standard bleed is 0.125 inches (3mm) on all sides. However, it’s still important to maintain a safety margin to prevent any text or graphics from being cut off during final trimming.
Step 5: Embed Fonts and Proofread
Before starting the printing process, make sure it has the same fonts installed as your document. If not, you might get your text replaced with something completely different. That’s why it’s a good idea to embed your fonts in a PDF. In addition, you can also convert your fonts to paths or outlines. Because this turns text into vector shapes, they can be printed without issue on any printer.
Another common mistake is the lack of proofreading before committing to print. Things like spelling mistakes and misplaced graphics are going to ruin an otherwise perfect print. It’s always a good example to print out a sample copy at home or view the file on multiple screens to catch any errors before sending it off to a client.
Step 6: Communicate with Your Printer
In spite of performing all the above checks, it always pays to check your printer thoroughly before sending your file through. Perhaps there’s a specific requirement for color profiles or file formats, or maybe there’s a bleed size you need to follow. If you’re in luck, many of today’s printers offer a preflight check to catch any issues before you print the file.
Final Thoughts
Though it might seem a lot of work preparing print ready files, it’s worth it in the long run. It’s time well spent, as it guarantees you’ll end up with a print that looks exactly as intended – polished and professional. It doesn’t matter whether you’re printing business cards, brochures, or banners. By having a better understanding of what is a print ready file, you’ll avoid many of the common pitfalls and end up with the best-looking designs.
