How to prepare your logo for printing
· PrintSide.eu
A clear logo file makes it easier to turn your brand into a well-considered printed gift. Start with the original artwork, then check how it will look at the size and on the surface you have chosen.
1. Start with the original vector artwork
If your logo was created as vector artwork, keep that original file. Vector shapes can be resized without the pixelated edges that appear when a small bitmap is enlarged. PDF, AI, EPS and SVG can contain vectors, but the extension alone does not prove that a file is vector artwork: a PDF may simply contain a placed photograph. Confirm the accepted format for your order before exporting.
2. Make the lettering reliable
Keep an editable master for future changes. For the production copy, text can be converted to outlines so that its appearance does not depend on a missing font. Check the wording first: outlined letters are shapes, which makes later text changes less convenient. Include linked graphics or embed them when the chosen workflow requires it.
3. Check pixels and transparency
If only a raster logo is available, send the highest-quality original rather than a screenshot or an image copied from a website. Ask which resolution is needed at the final print size. Enlarging a small image or changing its resolution setting does not recreate lost detail. Where a transparent background is needed, use a format that preserves transparency, such as PNG; JPEG does not preserve an alpha channel. A white background and transparency are different things.
4. Specify the real print size
State the intended width in millimetres and check the logo at that size. A line or small slogan that looks clear on a large screen can become difficult to reproduce or read when reduced. Minimum line thickness, text size and clear space depend on the product, material and decoration method; there is no single safe setting for every item. Keep the logo within the confirmed decoration area.
5. Supply colour references
Include your brand colour references and, where available, an approved single-colour version. Confirm whether the selected process needs spot-colour references or a particular colour space instead of applying the same conversion to every job. The item colour, surface and production process can affect the result. A screen preview is useful for reviewing placement, but it is not a guarantee of an exact physical colour match.
6. Approve the final version
Before approving the artwork, check the spelling, logo version, size, position, orientation and product colour. Make sure the file and preview refer to the same item. If a detail is unclear, resolve it before production rather than relying on an earlier email attachment.
A useful file package
- The original logo file and a clearly named production version.
- An editable master, kept separately from any outlined copy.
- Brand colour references and available colour variants.
- The chosen product and intended print width in millimetres.
- A note explaining which areas should be transparent.
- The final approved artwork preview and version date.
Include the logo and intended product in your request to PrintSide.eu. File requirements can then be checked against the actual decoration area and method before the artwork is approved.