Artwork guide
Set up your leaflets, business cards or paper floor mats at the chosen finished size. Give us a print-ready PDF with 3 mm bleed on every edge and keep important content clear of the cut.
Choose your leafletsGive the cutter room to work.
Extend backgrounds, photographs and any colour touching an edge 3 mm beyond the finished trim on all four sides. Keep text, logos, QR codes and other important detail at least 3 mm inside the trim. The bleed is cut away; the safe area remains on the leaflet.
For example, an A5 leaflet finishes at 148 × 210 mm, but its PDF page including bleed should be 154 × 216 mm.
Set the PDF to the right size.
These measurements are in millimetres. A2 is for paper floor mats. The PDF size includes 3 mm bleed on each edge. Keep every page the same size and orientation.
| Leaflet | Finished trim | PDF with bleed |
|---|---|---|
| Business card | 85 × 55 mm | 91 × 61 mm |
| DL | 99 × 210 mm | 105 × 216 mm |
| A6 | 105 × 148 mm | 111 × 154 mm |
| A5 | 148 × 210 mm | 154 × 216 mm |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm | 216 × 303 mm |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm | 303 × 426 mm |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm | 426 × 600 mm |
One PDF is ideal. Two files are fine.
For double-sided printing, our preferred format is one two-page PDF: front on page 1 and back on page 2. If your software cannot make a multipage PDF, choose the separate-files option after payment and upload one front PDF and one back PDF for that basket item.
For single-sided printing, upload one PDF. Please do not place the front and back side by side on one page.
One multipage PDF in reading order
Upload both PDFs under the same order item
Check before you export.
Use 300 dpi images at the size they will print. Enlarging a low-resolution image or exporting it at 300 dpi does not restore missing detail. Keep logos and text as vector artwork when possible.
- PDF for print: export a high-quality print PDF, not a screen or web preset.
- Fonts: outline all fonts before export to prevent substitutions. Save an editable copy first because outlined text is no longer easy to edit.
- Colour: design in CMYK for predictable print colour. RGB colours can shift when converted.
- Edges: extend edge-to-edge artwork into the bleed; keep crop marks outside the artwork if your software adds them.
- QR codes and small type: keep them in the safe area and test QR codes from the exported PDF.
- No security: do not password-protect or lock the PDF.
Supplying folded artwork?
Design each side at the selected flat sheet size, showing the panels in their unfolded position. Keep important text clear of fold lines as well as trim edges. Half folds and tri folds change the panel order; if you are unsure which panel is the cover, ask us before you export.
Need help with your file?
Upload what you have after payment. We’ll check your artwork before production and contact you if something needs fixing.
Choose your leaflets