FAQ

RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the color mode used for digital displays such as monitors, phones, and televisions. It creates colors by combining light.

CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) is the standard color mode for printing. Printing machines combine these four inks on paper. Always convert your artwork to CMYK before printing to reduce unexpected color shifts between the screen and the printed result.

Bleed is an extra printed area extending beyond the final trim size, usually by 2–3 mm. It provides tolerance for slight movement during trimming. If a background color or image reaches the edge, bleed prevents unwanted white lines from appearing when the cutting blade shifts slightly.

The safe area is the space inside the trim line, usually 3–5 mm from the edge. Keep all important elements—such as text, logos, and key graphics—inside this area so they are not accidentally cut off during final trimming.

For sharp standard printing, use images with a minimum resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch) at their actual print size. Images downloaded from the web are often only 72 DPI and may appear pixelated or blurry when printed.

The recommended format is PDF (Print/High Quality). PDF preserves the layout, fonts, and images so they do not change when opened on another computer. High-resolution TIFF or JPEG files are also acceptable for image-only artwork. Avoid sending editable source files such as CDR, AI, PSD, or DOCX unless requested, as they may have missing fonts or layout changes.

The best format depends on the artwork:

• Text-heavy designs and fine details (business cards, brochures, and books): Use a vector PDF to keep text and small details sharp.
• Photography and detailed images (photo posters and canvas prints): Use TIFF or a high-resolution JPEG at a minimum of 300 DPI.
• Large-format products (banners and billboards): PDF, TIFF, or JPEG can be used. For items viewed from a distance, 100–150 DPI is usually sufficient and keeps the file size manageable.

• HVS (woodfree/uncoated paper): Bright white with a slightly rough, non-glossy surface. It is commonly used for documents, photocopies, and textbooks. Typical weights are 70, 80, and 100 gsm.
• Book paper: Cream-colored, lightweight, and slightly rougher than HVS. It is ideal for novels and long-form reading because the warmer color is easier on the eyes. Typical weights are 55 and 72 gsm.

GSM stands for grams per square meter and indicates paper weight. In general, a higher GSM means thicker and stiffer paper. Standard copier paper is commonly around 70 gsm, while business cards are often printed on stock around 260 gsm.

• Chromo: An affordable glossy paper-based sticker that tears easily and can be damaged by water. It is suitable for dry-food packaging labels and shipping labels.
• Vinyl: A plastic-based material that is waterproof and tear-resistant, available in matte or glossy finishes. It is ideal for outdoor use, drink bottles, and frozen-food packaging.
• Transparent: A clear sticker material with strength similar to vinyl. It is waterproof and tear-resistant, and works well on glass or plastic containers when the product should remain visible.

Receipts, invoice books, and multipart forms are commonly printed on NCR (No Carbon Required) paper. Its special coating transfers writing from the top sheet to the sheets below without separate carbon paper. Sets usually contain differently colored top, middle, and bottom sheets.

Lamination applies a thin plastic film to printed material to protect it from splashes and dirt while changing its appearance.

• Glossy: Creates a shiny, smooth finish and makes colors look brighter, sharper, and more vibrant.
• Matte: Produces a non-reflective, soft finish with a more elegant and premium appearance. Fingerprints are also less noticeable.

Spot UV is a coating cured with ultraviolet light and applied only to selected areas or design elements, rather than the entire sheet. A glossy Spot UV finish is often placed over matte lamination to highlight a logo or name with a raised, contrasting effect.

Hot foil stamping applies a thin metallic foil to paper using heat and pressure. Gold and silver are the most common colors, creating a luxurious and premium appearance. It is frequently used for wedding invitations and certificates.

Both techniques create a three-dimensional texture on paper using custom dies, often without ink:

• Embossing: Raises the selected design above the paper surface.
• Debossing: Presses the selected design into the paper surface.

• Die cut: Cuts through both the sticker material and its backing paper to follow the design shape, producing individual stickers.
• Kiss cut: Cuts only through the sticker layer while leaving the backing sheet intact. Multiple stickers can remain together on a larger A3 or A4 sheet and be peeled off individually.

• Saddle stitching: Uses staples along the center fold. It is suitable for thinner publications such as magazines, booklets, and exercise books, typically under 64 pages.
• Perfect binding: Attaches gathered pages to a cover with hot-melt adhesive. It provides a clean, professional finish for novels, thicker books, and academic documents.
• Wire-O or spiral binding: Uses a wire loop inserted through holes along the paper edge. It is ideal for notebooks, planners, and desk calendars because pages can open flat or rotate 360 degrees.

Perforation creates a row of small holes or interrupted cuts in paper, allowing a section to be torn off neatly. It is commonly used for concert tickets, vouchers, admission tickets, receipts, and invoice books.

• Digital printing: Best for small quantities, from single copies to hundreds. It is fast and allows each sheet to be personalized, but the unit price remains relatively stable.
• Offset printing: Best for high-volume runs in the thousands. It requires printing plates and more setup time, but the unit cost decreases significantly as quantity increases. Color consistency is also generally better for large production runs.

A print proof is a sample copy produced before the full print run. It is used to check color accuracy, image resolution, margins, and trim position. Proofing is strongly recommended before producing thousands of offset copies because it can prevent costly printing errors.

Sending artwork through instant messaging apps such as WhatsApp is not recommended, because files may be compressed automatically and lose image quality.

Use cloud storage instead:

1. Upload the artwork to Google Drive, Dropbox, or WeTransfer.
2. Create a shareable link.
3. Most importantly: Set access to Anyone with the link or Public. If access remains restricted, the print operator will not be able to download the file and production may be delayed.
4. Send the link to your printing provider.

Canva is convenient, but it uses RGB for screen-based output by default. For the best print quality, follow these steps:

1. When the design is complete, click Share in the upper-right corner.
2. Select Download.
3. Under File type, change PNG/JPG to PDF Print, Canva’s highest-quality print format.
4. Enable Crop marks and bleed to provide the printer with a safe trimming area.
5. Canva Pro only: Under Color profile, choose CMYK (best for professional printing). Free accounts export in RGB, which the printer can convert, although some change in brightness or color may occur.
6. Click Download and send the resulting PDF to your printer.