How to prepare print-ready artwork and avoid defects

Most print defects start in the file, not on the press: a blurry logo, an off-brand color, a line of text trimmed at the edge. You don’t need to be a designer to catch them. Here is what to check in print-ready artwork before a run — file type, resolution, color, margins, fonts — and why a quick look at a 3D mockup pays off.

Vector or raster: which file to send

A vector file describes the logo as shapes and curves, so it scales from a tote bag down to a pen clip with clean edges. Typical formats are AI, EPS, SVG, or a PDF exported with vector objects inside.

A raster file is a grid of pixels: PNG, JPG, WebP, a photo. Enlarge it and the pixels show; no software can add detail that was never there. Raster works only if it has enough pixels for the real print size. Your company logo almost certainly exists as a vector somewhere — with the designer, in the brand book, or at the agency that made it. Find it before you order. Weak sources include screenshots, images saved from social media or messengers, and PDFs that just wrap a small picture.

Resolution at actual print size

What matters is how many pixels land on each inch of the print, not the megapixel count. A common guideline for full-color printing is around 300 dpi at actual size, but the exact requirement depends on the method and the print shop. Zoom the file to roughly its print size and look at letter edges and thin lines: if you see jagged steps or blur, the run will look the same. Upscaling adds pixels, not detail.

Color: RGB, CMYK and Pantone

Screens mix light (RGB); printing mixes inks on a surface, most often CMYK. Their ranges differ, so bright greens, neon oranges, and deep blues from a monitor often can’t be matched in CMYK. Treat on-screen color as a guide, not a promise.

If your brand color matters, check whether the brand book lists a Pantone number — a reference for mixed spot inks, especially useful for screen and pad printing. Remember that the same blue looks different on white cotton, gray polyester, and matte steel; the final shade is confirmed on a sample or during proof approval.

Bleed, safe areas and fonts

Bleed is needed where artwork runs to an edge that gets trimmed — sticker sheets, covers, labels. Extend the background past the cut line; the print shop will tell you how far. The safe area works the other way: keep text and logos away from cuts, folds, seams, and edges. On merch, those edges are T-shirt seams, tote handles, a bottle lid, a pen clip.

Convert fonts to outlines so the printer’s software can’t substitute a different typeface, and keep an editable copy. Watch thin strokes and small text: a line that looks fine on a banner may vanish on a pen. Minimum line weight depends on the method and material, so use a simplified logo version for small items if you have one.

Contrast with the product color

  • Check the logo on every product color you are considering, not just on a white canvas.
  • Keep a one-color version for engraving, embossing, and single-color printing.
  • Keep a reversed (light) version for dark products; some methods need a white underbase on dark materials — ask the print shop.
  • Remove the background: a white box invisible on screen becomes a patch on colored fabric.

Check the scale on a 3D mockup

A size that looks modest on screen can cover half of a travel mug, while a large logo can get lost on a tote. In the confeek 3D product configurator, you try the logo on the actual model. Upload PNG, JPG, WebP, or PDF up to 25 MB; iPhone HEIC photos are converted automatically, and you can send a file from your phone via QR code. Remove the background if needed, then move and scale the logo right on the product, with undo, redo, and reset. No sign-up is needed to build a mockup.

Proof approval: the last checkpoint

  1. Share the mockup“Email me the proof” sends the finished mockup to your inbox without registration, so colleagues can review it.
  2. Place the orderThe request goes out with the ready configuration, as a guest or from your account. A manager calculates the run, picks the printing method, and gives you the timeline.
  3. Sign the approval sheetDownload the PDF approval sheet in your account, sign it, and upload the scan. The scan is matched by QR code against the current version of the order.

Frequently asked questions

Which logo files does the confeek configurator accept?
PNG, JPG, WebP, or PDF up to 25 MB. iPhone HEIC photos are converted automatically, and you can upload from your phone via QR code.
My logo is a JPG with a white background. What now?
You can remove the background right in the editor. If the resolution is too low, though, that won’t fix blurry edges — look for the original file.
Do I need an account to build a mockup?
No. The editor runs in the browser, and you can get the mockup by email without registration. Orders can be placed as a guest or from an account.
Will the printed color match my screen?
Not always: screens show RGB, while printing uses inks with a different range. The final shade depends on the method and material and is confirmed during approval.

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