Print quality & file prep
Everything that determines whether a file prints the way it looked on screen: resolution, colour space, bleed, format, paper.
9 guides · last updated
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What Print-Ready Actually Means
A practical definition of a print-ready file: the technical requirements a print shop expects.
Read the overviewWhat Bleed Means and Why Your Print Might Get Cut Wrong Without It
A plain-language explanation of bleed, trim, and safe zones — the three concepts that determine whether your print looks right.
2 min read
PDF vs JPG vs PNG: Which to Upload for Printing
PDF keeps your layout, fonts and colour settings; JPG and PNG discard some of them. Which to upload to a print shop, and the cases where the simpler format is fine.
2 min read
Margins, Trim, and Safe Zones Explained with Examples
The three boundaries that define a printed page: margins, trim, and safe zones, with visual examples.
2 min read
How to Check if an Image is Print-Quality Before You Order
A pre-print check for any image: work out its effective DPI at the size you are printing, then spot the red flags that resolution alone will not tell you about.
2 min read
DPI Explained: Why Your Image Looks Fine On-Screen but Blurry Printed
DPI in plain language: what it means, why it differs from screen resolution, and what to do before printing.
2 min read
Why a Print Shop Sends Your File Back
The six file problems that hold up a print order — low resolution, missing fonts, no bleed, wrong page size, protected PDFs, oversized uploads — and the fix for each.
4 min read
CMYK vs RGB: Why Colors Shift Between Screen and Paper
Screens emit light, paper reflects it — which is why a bright blue on your laptop comes back purple. What RGB and CMYK each cover, and how to keep colours from shifting.
3 min read
The Ultimate Guide to Paper Weights, GSM and Finishes for Reports
Understand the difference between 75 GSM, 100 GSM Bond, and Glossy photo stock before ordering your project thesis.
2 min read
Next step: how HDPrint ordering works or upload a file to a nearby shop.