Print-Ready Artwork for Labels and Packaging: A Simple Checklist

Most print delays have the same cause: artwork that isn’t quite ready. The design might look perfect on screen, but print has its own technical requirements. Spending a few minutes on this checklist before you send your files can save days at the proofing stage and prevent costly mistakes.

Why artwork preparation matters

A screen shows a design lit from behind, in a wide range of colours, with no physical edges. A printed label or box is a physical object, produced on a specific machine, cut to a specific shape and finished by a specific process. The closer your artwork is to what the printer needs, the more accurately it will match your expectations.

The checklist

1. Start with the right template

Ask your printer for a template for your label or box. It will show the cut line, fold lines and safe areas. Designing on top of a template removes guesswork, especially for packaging, where panels must line up when folded.

2. Add bleed

Bleed is extra artwork that extends past the cut line. Printed products are trimmed after printing, and trimming is never perfectly exact. Without bleed, you can end up with thin white edges. A common bleed is around 3mm, but check your printer’s specification.

3. Keep important content inside the safe zone

The safe zone is an inner margin where text, logos and barcodes should sit. Anything too close to the edge risks being clipped or looking cramped.

4. Work in CMYK

Screens use RGB light. Print uses CMYK inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). Bright RGB colours, such as vivid greens, blues and oranges, can look duller when converted. Designing in CMYK from the start shows you what to expect.

5. Flag any critical brand colours

If a brand colour must be exact, tell your printer. They may suggest a spot colour (such as a Pantone shade) or advise how closely CMYK can match. Don’t assume the colour on your screen will be what arrives.

6. Use high-resolution images

For print, images should generally be around 300 dpi at final size. Images saved from websites are usually 72 dpi and look soft or pixelated when printed. Enlarging a small image doesn’t add detail.

7. Use vector artwork for logos and line work

Vector files (such as .ai, .eps or vector PDFs) stay perfectly sharp at any size. Supply logos as vectors wherever you can.

8. Outline or embed your fonts

If your printer doesn’t have the font you used, the file may substitute another, changing the layout. Converting text to outlines or embedding fonts avoids this.

9. Check text size and contrast

Very small text, especially light text reversed out of a dark background, can fill in or become unreadable. As a general rule, avoid very small type on labels, and check legal text for legibility.

10. Be careful with black

For small black text, use pure black rather than a mixed “rich black”, which can look fuzzy if the colours slip out of alignment. Your printer can advise on large black areas.

11. Test your barcodes

Barcodes must be the right size, have clear space around them, and strong contrast between bars and background. Don’t stretch them, recolour them or place them over busy images. Scan a printed test if you can.

12. Mark any special finishes

Varnishes, foils, embossing and white ink usually need separate layers in your file. Label them clearly and ask your printer how they’d like them set up.

13. Proofread everything

Check spellings, ingredients, allergen wording, contact details and regulatory text. Then ask someone else to read it. Fresh eyes find mistakes you’ve stopped seeing.

14. Save as a press-ready PDF

Unless your printer asks for something else, a press-ready PDF with fonts embedded and bleed included is usually the safest format.

Understanding your proof

Always check the proof carefully. Look at spelling, colours, alignment, barcodes and the positioning of any special finishes. Remember that a screen proof is a guide to layout, and may not match final colours exactly. If colour is critical, ask about a physical proof.

Common mistakes we see

• Missing bleed
• Low-resolution images
• Text too close to the edge
• RGB files with colour-critical designs
• Barcodes that are too small or low-contrast
• Last-minute text changes after the proof is approved

Not sure? Ask us

Our team can check your artwork before production and flag problems early. Get in touch today.