Designing for print requires careful attention to detail. While digital designs offer flexibility for last-minute tweaks, print materials demand precision from the start. Overlooking key elements can lead to costly errors, wasted materials, and an unprofessional finish.
Here are some of the most common print design mistakes and how to avoid them.
Ignoring bleed and safe margins
One of the biggest errors in print design is neglecting bleed and safe margins. Bleed ensures that the design extends beyond the trim edge, preventing unwanted white borders when the material is cut. The safe margin, on the other hand, keeps important elements like text and logos away from the trim line, reducing the risk of being cut off.
How to avoid it: Always set up your document with at least a 3-5mm safe margin on all sides, with saddle-stitched booklets requiring around 5mm. For booklets with over 60 pages, consider an even larger margin to account for displacement during binding.
Using low-resolution images
Printed materials require high-resolution images to maintain clarity. A common mistake is using images that look sharp on screen but appear pixelated or blurry when printed. This happens because digital screens display at 72dpi, whereas print requires at least 300dpi for optimal quality. When exploring printing ideas, always ensure your images meet the necessary resolution standards.
How to avoid it: Always use high-resolution images and check their quality before finalising your design. If you’re unsure, zoom in to 300% to see if any pixelation occurs.
Misusing RGB and CMYK in print design
RGB is an additive colour model based on light, where red, green, and blue combine to create white. This is ideal for digital screens but does not translate directly to print. CMYK, on the other hand, is a subtractive colour model using cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. Unlike RGB, CMYK cannot produce true white by mixing inks, which is why printing is typically done on white backgrounds. Additionally, CMYK has a more limited colour range, meaning many vibrant colours seen on screen cannot be accurately reproduced in print.
How to avoid it: Always set your design software to CMYK mode before starting your project to get a more accurate representation of printed colours. However, even with CMYK mode, colours on screen may still differ from the final print due to variations in ink, paper type, and printing processes. To ensure consistency, request physical print samples, especially when strict corporate branding guidelines are involved.
For the most precise colour matching, provide official Pantone codes. However, note that achieving an exact Pantone match typically requires offset printing, which is best suited for larger print runs. Not all Pantone colours can be accurately reproduced using digital printing, so if colour accuracy is critical, discuss printing options with your provider in advance.
Choosing the wrong font size or style
Typography plays a crucial role in readability and aesthetics. Using fonts that are too small, overly decorative, or have poor spacing can make your print materials difficult to read.
How to avoid it: Use fonts that are legible at various sizes, especially for body text. Keep decorative fonts for headlines or accents, and always check how your text appears when printed. Usually font size 6 is recommended for most types of fonts.
Forgetting to proofread
Typos and grammatical errors can undermine the credibility of your print materials. Unlike digital content, printed materials cannot be edited once they are produced, making proofreading essential.
How to avoid it: Proofread multiple times and ask a colleague to review the design before sending it to print. Reading the text out loud or printing a test copy can also help catch errors.
Overloading with too much information
Cramming too much text or imagery into a design can make it overwhelming and difficult to digest. A cluttered layout distracts from the key message and diminishes visual appeal.
How to avoid it: Keep designs clean and balanced. Use whitespace strategically to guide the reader’s eye and ensure key information stands out. If you're looking for professional assistance, Go-to Print Singapore provides high-quality printing solutions, including cheap flyer printing, ensuring your materials maintain an effective and visually appealing design.
Not embedding fonts and images
Missing fonts and images can lead to unexpected issues when the file is printed. If fonts are not embedded, they may be substituted with a default typeface, altering the design’s appearance. Similarly, linked images that are not included can result in blank spaces or errors.
Using borders too close to the trim line
Borders can add structure to a design but placing them too close to the edge can lead to uneven results due to minor shifts during the cutting process.
How to avoid it: Keep borders at least 10mm away from the trim line to avoid any noticeable imbalances in the final product.
Skipping a test print
Viewing a design on screen does not always reflect how it will look in print. Colours, spacing, and alignment can appear different once printed. Furthermore, certain borders or backgrounds, which might not be visible in RGB screens, may only be visible when printed. This is usually the case for logos when pasted onto new artworks.
How to avoid it: Always print a test copy before approving the final version. This helps identify any adjustments needed to achieve the best possible result.
Artwork to be sent in PDF vector format
Usually when artworks are sent in ai or psd, printing companies will need to open these artwork files using their own software. These artwork files may displace certain graphics or text when opened. Therefore, artwork should be sent in pdf as this file type is ready for printing. In addition to being in PDF format, ensure that artwork is in vector format, so that quality of prints is preserved, this is especially important for printing artworks for large banners as the quality of the artwork is preserved regardless of what size it is printed. One way to know if it is vector is to keep zooming in and artwork that do not lose their
Conclusion
Creating professional print materials requires careful planning and attention to detail. By avoiding these common mistakes, your designs will look polished, professional, and effective. If you need high-quality prints, Go-to Print offers reliable services to ensure your materials make the right impression.
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