Get your artwork right the first time.
Every specification we print to, in one place. Set your file up from these guides and your job runs without a phone call.
Set it up like we would.
Bleed & trim marks
If it touches the edge, it needs bleed. Two millimetres, every time.
Read the guide →Start herePrint-ready file checklist
Seven quick checks before you upload — the things that hold up most jobs.
Read the guide →Design toolsSetting up in Canva
Canva works well for straightforward jobs — with a few settings you must turn on.
Read the guide →FinishesEmbellishing: foil & raised varnish
Build the finish as a spot colour named Varnish, overprinted, on its own layer.
Read the guide →FinishesWhite toner on Colorplan
White becomes ink rather than paper. Two of the three options need no special file setup at all.
Read the guide →Cutting & shapingFuture Cutter (laser cutting)
Finishing lines go on their own page at the end, 0.5pt, coloured by what each line does.
Read the guide →Product guidesLabels on rolls
Finished size plus 2mm bleed, a K100 die line on its own layer, and “AL230” on the end of the file name.
Read the guide →Product guidesFolded flyers & brochures
Set up the flat sheet, size the panels for the fold, and keep folds marked outside the trim.
Read the guide →Product guidesBooks, covers & spines
Inside pages as single pages in reading order, and the cover as one spread with the spine in the middle.
Read the guide →Product guidesPosters & pull-up banners
Full size or exact scale, images sharp at the size they print, and nothing important at the bottom of a banner.
Read the guide →Product guidesFolders, envelopes & letterheads
Folders go on the folder template, envelopes stay clear of edges and windows, letterheads leave room to write.
Read the guide →Product guidesCoasters & stubby holders
Coasters at 96mm with bleed, stubby holders on the 190 × 95mm print area — clear of the stitching.
Read the guide →Start from the correct size and shape.
Free PDF templates with the trim and shape already drawn.