How to Prepare Artwork for Sign Printing

• Vector: PDF, AI, EPS and SVG
• Image (raster): PNG, JPG and TIFF

Each file can be up to 50MB. Word and PowerPoint files are not on the list, so save them as a PDF first.

A vector file describes your design as shapes and lines, so it stays sharp at any size, from a door sign to a full fascia. Logos, lettering and simple graphics should be vector wherever possible. Files from design software such as Adobe Illustrator are usually vector, as are most PDFs exported from it.

A raster file is made of pixels, like a photo. It prints well when it has enough pixels for the size of the sign, but enlarged too far it looks soft or blocky. If you only have a PNG, JPG or TIFF, send the highest-resolution version you have. A small logo copied from a website or social media profile is rarely big enough for a sign. If a file is not good enough to print well at your size, we will contact you before printing.

Set your artwork up at the finished size of the sign. If that is not practical, supply it to a clearly marked scale.

• Bleed: extend your background colour or image 3mm past every edge. Signs are cut to size, and the bleed means no white edge shows if the cut is a fraction out.
• Safe area: keep text and logos at least 5mm in from the edge, so nothing important is lost in cutting.

Your proof shows both guides, so you can check nothing important sits too close to the edge.

Convert your text to outlines (or embed the fonts in your PDF), so it prints exactly as you designed it even if we do not have the same font.

Screens show colour differently from print, so slight variation is normal. If your brand uses Pantone or RAL references, include them in your file and we will match them as closely as possible. If an exact match is critical, contact us before you order.

For double-sided signs you choose the same artwork on both sides, which needs one file, or different artwork on each side, which needs one file for the front and one for the back.

When you upload your artwork on a product page, we show it on the sign at the size you have chosen, so you can see how it fits before you order. Where the product allows, you can also set its position, scale and background colour, and that layout goes through with your order.

• Free artwork check: every file is checked by a real person before printing, and if anything looks off we will contact you before we print.
• Artwork check and setup: if you have a file that needs preparing for print, choose this on the product page and we will set it up for you.
• Design from scratch: tell us what you would like and we will create your artwork from your brief.

The price of either service is shown on the product page before you add it to your basket. You can also order now and add your artwork later: we hold production until it arrives, and you can upload it from the track order page with your order number and email.

We email you a link to your proof, and nothing is made until you approve it. Check the spelling, sizes and colours carefully. If something needs changing, tap the proof to drop a pin and add a note, and we will send a revised version. Production starts once you approve, so a quick approval means a quicker sign, as our guide to how long a sign takes explains.