Poster Artwork & Design Guide: How to Prepare Print-Ready Files

Quick answer: Print-ready poster artwork should be supplied as a PDF, in CMYK colour, at 300dpi resolution, with 3mm bleed on all sides, built to the exact dimensions of your chosen size and product. Don't have artwork yet? Print Studio Scotland's in-house design team can build it from scratch at £35 per hour.

The Four Things Every File Needs

1. The right file format: PDF

A print-ready PDF is the standard we work from — it preserves fonts, colours and layout accurately regardless of what software created it. If your artwork is currently in Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign, export or "save as" a PDF before sending it over.

2. The right colour mode: CMYK

Screens display colour in RGB; printers reproduce colour in CMYK. If your file is built or exported in RGB, colours will shift once converted for print — often becoming duller or noticeably different from what you saw on screen, particularly with bright blues, greens and oranges. Set your document to CMYK from the start if you're designing it yourself.

3. The right resolution: 300dpi

At 300dpi (dots per inch) and full print size, images stay sharp rather than pixelating. This matters more than people expect on a poster because viewers can often stand close to it — a low-resolution logo or photo that looked fine on a website will often look noticeably soft blown up to poster size, especially on our larger Wide Format sizes.

4. The right bleed: 3mm

Bleed is extra artwork extending 3mm beyond the final trim edge on every side. It gives the finishing process a small margin for error so you never end up with a thin white line at the edge of your poster. Any background colour, image or design element that touches the edge of your poster needs to extend into this 3mm zone.

Building to the Right Size

Every poster size in our range has its own downloadable artwork template, available on the relevant product page, built to the exact dimensions and bleed for that size. Small Format templates cover A4 and A3; Wide Format templates run from A4 up to A0 and 60x40"; Window Poster templates cover A3, A2 and A1. Starting your file from the template is the easiest way to avoid a sizing mistake — see our Poster Sizes Guide for the full chart if you haven't settled on a size yet.

Material Notes Worth Knowing Before You Design

• Blue Back and Power Semi-Matte (Wide Format): Standard paper stocks — no special design considerations, though very dark, ink-heavy backgrounds will use more ink and take slightly longer to dry before finishing.
• Endure / Endure Light (Wide Format & Window Posters): A rigid, grey-backed waterproof material with 100% opacity — colours print solid and true even on light or white backgrounds, with no show-through.
• Satin Matte and High Gloss (Wide Format, premium): Photo-grade papers with a very wide colour gamut — ideal for photography and artwork with rich tonal range and subtle gradients.
• Window Posters: Remember your design will be viewed through glass from the outside, so keep it simple to avoid glare and reflection issues, and leave clear space near the corners where the suction cups and pre-punched holes sit.

Common Artwork Mistakes We See

• RGB files sent as if they're CMYK. The most common cause of "why do the colours look different" queries. Convert to CMYK before exporting your final PDF.
• Web images stretched to poster size. A photo pulled from a website or social media is usually far below 300dpi at full poster size. Ask whoever supplied the image for a high-resolution version.
• No bleed included. Designs built exactly to the trim size, with no 3mm allowance, risk a thin unprinted edge after trimming.
• Wrong template for the size. A design built for A3 doesn't simply scale cleanly to A1 — always start from the correct template for your chosen size.
• Key text too close to the corners on Window Posters. The suction cup positions sit near the corners — keep important text and logos away from these areas.

Don't Have Artwork? We'll Build It

Our in-house graphic design team creates poster artwork from scratch at £35 per hour — from a simple, clean layout using your existing logo and brand colours through to a fully bespoke design. Because design and print happen under the same roof, there's no back-and-forth between a separate agency and printer: the person designing your poster understands exactly how it will print, at what size, and on what material. Contact us before placing your order for a quick, no-obligation quote and estimated timescale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What file format do you need for poster artwork?

A print-ready PDF, built in CMYK colour at 300dpi resolution with 3mm bleed on all sides, at the exact size of your chosen poster.

Can I send a JPEG or PNG instead of a PDF?

We can generally work with high-resolution JPEG or PNG files if a PDF isn't available, but a print-ready PDF built to the correct template is always the most reliable option and reduces the risk of colour or sizing issues.

Why do my colours look different once printed?

This is almost always caused by artwork built in RGB (the colour mode used by screens) rather than CMYK (the colour mode used for print). Converting your file to CMYK before export gives the most accurate preview of how colours will actually print.

What resolution do my images need to be?

300dpi at the final print size. An image that looks sharp on a website or in an email is very often well below this once scaled up to poster size, particularly on our larger Wide Format sizes.

Do you offer artwork templates for every poster size?

Yes — every size in our Small Format, Wide Format and Window Poster ranges has its own downloadable PDF template, available on the relevant product page, built to the correct dimensions and bleed.

How much does your design service cost?

Our in-house graphic design team creates poster artwork at £35 per hour. Contact us before placing your order for a quick quote and timescale.

Ready to Order?

Download the template for your size from the relevant product page, browse the full poster collection, or read our Posters Scotland buying guide for help choosing the right product first. Need design help? Get in touch and we'll quote your artwork.