Artwork guide
Getting your file right means it prints sharp and nothing gets cut off. Here's what we look for. Don't stress it, though: we check every file before it prints, and if something's off we'll tell you and help fix it.
The short version
- Make it the exact finished sizeA 3 × 2 ft banner is a 36 × 24" file. No bleed needed.
- 300 dpi, every timeThat's what we recommend for everything. Banners and signs are OK at 150.
- Keep text inside the safe areaThe dashed line in our preview. Anything past it can get trimmed.
- Send the original fileNot a screenshot, and not a photo sent through a text message. Both shrink it.
Resolution: how big your file needs to be
DPI is how many pixels land in each inch of the print. Set everything up at 300 dpi to be safe. Banners, signs and anything 2 ft or bigger are read from a few feet away, so 150 is OK there. Below that it can print soft, and our builders will warn you.
| Item | Print size | Best: 300 dpi | OK: 150 dpi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 3.5" × 2" | 1,050 × 600 px | Use 300 |
| Postcard | 6" × 4" | 1,800 × 1,200 px | Use 300 |
| Flyer | 8.5" × 11" | 2,550 × 3,300 px | Use 300 |
| 3" sticker | 3" × 3" | 900 × 900 px | Use 300 |
| Yard sign | 24" × 18" | 7,200 × 5,400 px | 3,600 × 2,700 px |
| Poster | 24" × 36" | 7,200 × 10,800 px | 3,600 × 5,400 px |
| Banner 3 × 2 ft | 36" × 24" | 10,800 × 7,200 px | 5,400 × 3,600 px |
| Banner 6 × 3 ft | 72" × 36" | 21,600 × 10,800 px | 10,800 × 5,400 px |
| Retractable banner | 33" × 81" | 9,900 × 24,300 px | 4,950 × 12,150 px |
Quick math for any size: inches × dpi = pixels. A photo straight off a recent phone (about 4,000 pixels wide) is 300 dpi up to about 13" wide, and OK at 150 up to about 27". A logo pulled off a website or social media is usually only a few hundred pixels, so send the original or a vector file.
Safe area: keep text away from the edge
Cutting machines move a hair, and banners get hemmed. Let your background run all the way to the edge, but keep words, logos and phone numbers inside these margins. Our previews show it as a dashed line.
File types
Up to 100 MB per file. Bigger than that? Email us and we'll send you a link.
Color and text
- Screens glow and paper doesn't, so bright neon colors print a little calmer than they look on your phone.
- RGB or CMYK both work. We handle the conversion.
- Keep text at least 8 pt on cards and stickers, and thin lines at least 0.5 pt, or they can disappear.
- Sending a PDF? Embed or outline your fonts so nothing swaps out.
No file, or not sure?
Send what you have: a logo, a sketch, even a mockup you made in ChatGPT. We'll set it up for print and send you a proof before anything prints.
Start a project
Tell us what you need and attach any files you have. We reply the same business day. Texting is the fastest way to reach us.