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Print Design Tips: Get It Print-Perfect

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Designing for print doesn’t have to be a chore. At Lunar Print, we’ve seen it all—here’s how to make your artwork look sharp and print even sharper, no fuss required.

Size It Right
Avoid a messy trim:

  • Start with your product’s final size (e.g., 85 x 55mm for business cards, A3 for posters) and add 3mm bleed on all sides—91 x 61mm or 303 x 426mm. It’s your edge-to-edge safety net.
  • Keep text and logos 5mm inside the edges—no one wants them cropped.
  • In Canva or Adobe Express, resize your canvas to include bleed. Check it before you save.

Colors That Work
Print colors need a little care:

  • Stick to CMYK—RGB is for screens and fades on paper. Canva exports RGB; convert to CMYK in Photopea (it’s free). Adobe Express offers CMYK on paid plans—set it early.
  • Super-bright shades might dull in CMYK—go for rich, printable tones instead.
  • Print a test page at home. If it’s off there, it’ll be off with us too.

Resolution Counts
No one likes a blurry print:

  • Aim for 300dpi—text stays crisp, images stay clear. Canva’s “PDF Print” hits 300dpi; Adobe Express needs a paid plan for it.
  • Low-res web images won’t cut it—grab high-res originals.
  • Open your file and zoom in. If it’s fuzzy, fix it before sending.

Fonts That Hold Up
Text can make or break it:

  • Choose clear, bold fonts—6pt minimum, or it’s too small to read. Test fancy ones at size.
  • Outline or embed fonts in your PDF—Canva needs help here (try Photopea); Adobe Express embeds them fine. Keeps fonts from swapping out.
  • High contrast works best—dark on light, light on dark. Skip faint combos like yellow on white.

Layout That Flows
A little planning pays off:

  • Don’t overload it—space lets your design breathe and stand out.
  • Line things up—grids in Canva or Adobe Express keep it neat.
  • Highlight what matters—big headline or key image—and don’t let clutter steal the show.

Save It Properly
Your file’s the key:

  • Export as a CMYK PDF, 300dpi, with bleed. Stack multi-designs (front, back) in one file for things like business cards.
  • Open it after saving—zoom in, check for errors. If it looks good, we’re set.
  • Grab our templates—they’re pre-set and save you guesswork.

Quick Extras

  • Double Up: Two-sided design? Use both—info on front, style on back.
  • Preview It: Drop your design into a mockup (Canva’s got options)—see how it holds up.
  • Borrow Ideas: Love a flyer you’ve seen? Take inspiration, not the exact thing.

Ready to Print?
Finished? Request a quote with your specs (size, finish, quantity, pickup or delivery), confirm it, pay the invoice, we’ll request your artwork and turn it into print —shipped or ready for pickup in Glasgow.