01
Correct size
Build at the final dimensions, or use an agreed scale for very large work. Always state the intended finished size.
ARTWORK GUIDANCE
Print artwork guidance & templatesBuild it clearly.
Print it properly.
Use a Redlex template or prepare your own artwork with the right size, bleed, colour and resolution. This page shows what to send and how to avoid preventable print problems.
If a product template and a general rule differ, follow the template supplied for that product.
THE QUICK CHECK
Four things make
the biggest difference.
A polished design can still print badly if its technical setup is wrong. Check these four essentials before sending anything.
02
Enough resolution
Raster images need enough pixels at the final printed size. Enlarging a small image cannot recreate missing detail.
03
Bleed and safety
Backgrounds extend beyond the trim. Important text, logos and faces stay inside the product’s safe area.
04
Print colour
Production uses CMYK inks. Bright RGB screen colours can shift when converted, so a screen is not an exact colour proof.
FILE TYPES
Send the strongest
version you have.
A print-ready PDF is normally the safest final file. Original editable files are also useful when artwork needs checking or rebuilding.
Quality lives inside the file.
Keep fonts embedded or converted to outlines and include every linked image. Renaming a JPG as a PDF does not make it print quality—the underlying image remains exactly the same.
Best handover: send the final print PDF and the editable source file when available.
PDF Print
Best for finished layouts when exported at high quality, at the correct page size and with the requested bleed.
SVG · EPS · AI
Best for logos, line art, cut graphics and artwork that must scale cleanly without losing sharpness.
TIFF · PNG
Good image formats when saved at the correct pixel dimensions, resolution and colour profile.
JPEG
Send at maximum quality. Repeated saving and messaging-app compression can create visible artefacts.
PSD
Useful as a layered source. Keep a master copy and include linked assets or fonts where licensing permits.
Screenshots & web files
Thumbnails, Word files, social downloads and screen captures normally need checking or recreation.
RGB TO CMYK
Design on a screen.
Prepare for ink.
RGB light can display colours that CMYK ink cannot reproduce exactly—especially neon greens, intense blues and very bright reds.
A screen is a guide, not a colour proof.
Monitors differ, materials reflect light differently and printers use ink rather than illuminated pixels. If an exact brand colour matters, tell Redlex before production so the appropriate proofing or matching route can be agreed.
CCANVAExport a print-ready PDF+
- Start with the exact Redlex template or enter the confirmed custom dimensions.
- Turn on print bleed and extend every edge-to-edge background beyond the trim.
- Select Share → Download → PDF Print.
- Select CMYK when the colour-profile option is available. If it is not available, send PDF Print and tell us the file is RGB.
- Use crop marks and bleed only when the template or Redlex instructions request them. Avoid PDF Standard and compression for final artwork.
PsPHOTOSHOPPrepare the production copy+
- Keep an editable layered master and complete most image editing before the final conversion.
- Confirm the canvas size, bleed and effective resolution at the finished dimensions.
- If Redlex supplies an ICC profile, use Edit → Convert to Profile and select that destination. Do not guess a printer profile.
- Soft proof where appropriate, then inspect shadows, bright colours and fine text.
- Save a production copy as Photoshop PDF, TIFF or PSD with the profile embedded. Keep the original master separately.
Important: If no output profile has been supplied, do not force a random CMYK profile. Send the best original file with the print PDF and Redlex will confirm the safest workflow for the material and machine.
SIZE, RESOLUTION & BLEED
Sharp where it matters.
Safe at every edge.
These are practical starting points at final printed size. Unusual materials, viewing distances and finishing methods may need a different setup.
RESOLUTION AT FINAL SIZE
Useful starting points.
- Business cards, flyers and labels
- 300 PPI
- Posters viewed closely
- 200–300 PPI
- Banners and large signs
- Usually 100–150 PPI
- Logos, text and cut lines
- Vector preferred
- Very large artwork
- Agreed scale, e.g. 1:10
Always state any scale clearly. Viewing distance affects the resolution needed, so ask before building unusually large artwork.
THE THREE BOUNDARIES
Bleed, trim and safety.
- Bleed: extra printed artwork beyond the finished edge.
- Trim: the intended finished size.
- Safe area: where important content remains.
Product rules differ: small-format work commonly uses 3 mm bleed, but banners, hems, eyelets, pockets, frames and installation edges need product-specific safe areas. Follow the supplied template.
SENDING YOUR ARTWORK
One clear handover.
Fewer surprises.
Artwork is faster to check when the file, finished size and project instructions arrive together.
01
NAME IT
Use a clear filename
Include the business, product, size and version—for example: NorthCafe_Banner_3000x1000mm_v3.pdf.
02
INCLUDE DETAILS
State the specification
Give the finished size, quantity, material, finishing, deadline and whether the file is final or still needs help.
03
SEND IT
Upload or share
Use the guided quote for a suitable file. For multiple or large files, send one ZIP or an accessible transfer or cloud link.
04
CHECK ACCESS
Test every link
Canva and cloud links must open without requesting permission and remain active until the job is accepted.
SCREENSHOTS & AI ARTWORK
Visible on screen does not always mean
usable for production.
Redlex will look for the strongest practical route, but some supplied artwork must be recreated before it can print or cut cleanly.
Screenshots and web images
A screenshot contains only the pixels captured from the screen. It does not contain editable fonts, vectors or hidden high-resolution detail. Logos, text and layouts may need to be redrawn. Any design work and cost will be agreed before proceeding.
AI-generated designs
AI images can contain malformed text, inconsistent details, edge artefacts and uncertain resolution. They may need retouching or recreation. The customer must confirm that they have the right to use every supplied image, logo, font and design element.
REDLEX TEMPLATES & DOWNLOADS
Start with the right
working space.
Choose from available Canva links, Photoshop templates and downloadable setup files. Banner and large-format templates may need resizing within the confirmed printer and material limits.
No templates are listed here yet. Contact Redlex for the correct starting file for your product.
SUPPLIED ARTWORK & APPROVAL
The source file sets
the ceiling for quality.
Redlex checks for obvious production issues and explains when a supplied file falls below the requested standard. If a customer chooses to proceed after that warning, limitations already present in supplied or approved artwork—such as blur, compression, colour conversion, spelling, dimensions or missing detail—are not production defects.
Redlex remains responsible for producing the work to the agreed proof and specification. Nothing here removes statutory rights for faulty, incorrect or misdescribed work.