Artwork file checklist for canvas and frame printing

The most useful rule is the one printers repeat most. Send the artwork at the largest size you have, in its original file format. A print can only be as sharp as its source, and an enlarged small file stays soft however it is processed.

ArtzFolio asks for the same thing on its wall art and sample pages: the final artwork, at the largest size you have, in its original file format. Avoid files that came through a chat app, a social post or a screenshot, because those are usually compressed and reduced.

Resolution is the amount of picture detail per inch of print. As a general rule, printers want a high-resolution file, and the bigger the print, the more pixels it needs; very large pieces viewed from a distance can often use a lower resolution. This is a general guide, not an ArtzFolio specification, so ask the factory to confirm what it needs for your size.

Prefer a lossless or high-quality format such as TIFF, PNG or a high-quality JPEG saved at maximum quality, or a layered or vector file for logos and text. Do not re-save a JPEG repeatedly, because each save loses detail.

• Final print size written as width by height in inches.
• The original file, not a screenshot or a preview.
• Fonts converted to outlines, or the fonts supplied, if the file has text.
• Logos and line art as vector files where you have them.

How the picture meets the edge depends on the build. A gallery-wrapped canvas continues the image round the edge, so the file needs extra image beyond the front, or you must say how the edge should look. A framed piece hides a small strip of the border under the frame, so keep faces, text and logos clear of it.

For a set, say how many panels you want and whether they are equal. The factory can then plan where the cuts fall, so a face or horizon does not land on a join. For a photo frame, state the inside picture size, because the outside of the frame is larger by the moulding width.

Colour on a screen differs from colour in print, because a screen glows and paper or canvas reflects. For brand colours, send a reference such as a swatch or a code and ask for a printed sample. The printed sample you approve becomes the standard for the order.

Surface changes the look too. ArtzFolio prints on cotton canvas in gloss, matte or satin, matte polyester canvas, paper including handmade paper, and polyester-family fabrics. The same file looks different on each, so name the surface in your brief and check the sample on the real material.

Put the file with a short brief: the product, the size, the surface, the frame colour if any, where your label goes, and how you will pack and sell it. ArtzFolio replies with questions about the artwork or with a quote, and the quote carries the sample plan and the sample price.

Samples are paid, and by agreement the sample cost can be reimbursed or adjusted in your final order. Approve the sample in writing and keep it with the artwork file and written specification, then give the same set for every repeat order. Price, minimum order and lead time are confirmed in your quote.

A few errors cause most reprints. The first is a low-resolution image enlarged to fit, which prints soft. The second is the wrong colour mode: files made for screens use light-based colour, while printing uses ink, so strong blues and greens can shift. Ask the factory which colour mode it prefers.

The third is text and logos too close to the edge, where a frame lip or a wrapped edge can hide them. The fourth is sending several versions of one file with similar names, so nobody is sure which is final. Name the file clearly, keep one master, and say which version is approved.

A last tip is to keep a record. Store the approved sample, the written specification and the artwork file together, and send the same set with every reorder. That is the simplest way to get the same result twice.