Summary:
- Turning your digital file into a print-ready PDF is essential for creating a high-quality print product. You can set up and design your print product in Canva—a free online design tool.
- For the highest quality print, make sure your image resolution is 300 DPI or higher, use CMYK colours and choose large, readable fonts. You’ll also want to check your bleeds to avoid any white gaps or spaces in your design.
- When you’re done designing your print product, download your file as a print-ready PDF. Check your final PDF for any issues with the font, images or bleeds.
When designing a print product for your business, it’s super important to have the proper settings intact before downloading your file. Your best bet is to convert your digital file into a print-ready PDF that can be easily printed with the highest quality. It also ensures your fonts and colours are printed correctly and your image resolution remains clear. Once you have your print-ready PDF, you’ll submit to a professional printer—like our experts at Little Rock.
Not sure how to create a print-ready PDF? It’s really easy! Simpy prepare the design file in a graphic design tool like Canva before downloading your print-ready PDF. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make these easy adjustments before submitting to print.
Read more: Change Your Design Size in Canva
Setting Up Your Canva Document
To get started in Canva, create your Canva Pro account by clicking the “Sign up” button in the upper-right corner. Once you’re set up with an account, you’ll create your design for your print product.
For this example, we’ve selected a 11×8.5” brochure. This is a template that Canva provided—you’ll simply edit the text, colour scheme and import your own photos. You also have the option to choose your own dimensions for the brochure. A standard brochure is about 12×8” while oversized brochures are larger than 12×8”.
You’ll also want to turn on your bleed settings. This will prevent any white edges when printing to the edge of the paper. At the top left corner, click “File” then “Settings” and “Show print bleed”. A lined border will appear around the design for you to stretch or resize the background or images to cover any gaps.
Designing With Print in Mind
As you work through your print design, there are a number of important factors to consider like resolution, colours and fonts. You want your final product to look crisp and professional while also staying on-brand with your company. Here are some tips on how to design a high-quality print product:
Resolution
For print, you always want to aim for a high resolution of 300 DPI (dots per inch). This is the industry standard for printing and ensures that images and text are sharp. Anything smaller than this may appear pixelated or blurry when printed. Keep this in mind when searching for stock images or illustrations.
Colours
CMYK vs. RGB: Printers use the CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black) colour model, while digital screens use RGB (Red, Green, Blue). When designing for print, make sure that you switch your colour mode to CMYK to avoid unexpected color shifts. If you haven’t designed your print product with CMYK colours, you can switch them in Canva. Simply select “CMYK” under “colour profile” when you’re ready to download your print-ready PDF.
Colour Consistency: If your design relies on specific brand colours, double-check how they will appear in CMYK. Tip: some brighter colours may look great on screen but appear dull in print.
Read more: RGB vs CMYK Colours in Canva
Fonts
Readable Sizes: To ensure that your fonts are readable, a minimum of 12 pt is recommended for body text, while titles and headings should be larger.
Embedding Fonts: Make sure the fonts you’re using are either embedded or outlined when exporting. This will help avoid any issues with missing fonts in the final print file.
Print-Friendly Fonts: Stick to fonts that are clean and easy to read. Serif fonts like Times New Roman are often good for printed body text, while sans-serif fonts like Arial work well for headlines. You can also search for fonts within Canva or use a recommended font from their template.
Exporting as a Print-Ready PDF
Once your file is fully designed and ready to export, name and save your file to your Canva account—just in case you have any edits or adjustments to make later. Then, follow these easy steps to create a print-ready PDF:
- Go to “Share” in the upper right corner.
- Select “Download” from the dropdown menu.
- Choose “PDF print” under “File type.”
- Include “Crop marks and bleeds.”
- Choose “Flatten PDF.”
- Opt for “CMYK” under “Colour profile.”
- Click the “Download” button to export as a PDF.
Final Checks & Submitting to Little Rock
Now that your print-ready PDF has been saved to your desktop, open the PDF and double check that everything looks right. Look over your fonts and font sizes, check the margins and bleeds for any white spaces or text that may be cut off and be sure that your photos look clean and crisp. You can also do a quick scan for spelling or grammatical errors.
Before you place your order for printing, send us your print-ready PDF here. You can also request a free proof of your print product before placing a larger order. Just use the coupon code “FREEPROOF” to receive a free sample print of your design. We’re here to help you with all your print needs. If you have any questions about your specific order, contact the Little Rock Printing experts.
