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

Quick answer: Print-ready roller banner artwork should be supplied as a PDF, in CMYK colour, at 300dpi resolution, with 3mm bleed on all sides, built to the exact width and 2150mm height of your chosen banner. 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 roller banner because viewers can stand close to it — a low-resolution logo or photo that looked fine on a website will often look noticeably soft blown up to banner size.

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 banner. Any background colour, image or design element that touches the edge of your banner needs to extend into this 3mm zone.

Building to the Right Size

Every roller banner width 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 — starting your file from the template is the easiest way to avoid a sizing mistake. As a general guide, most full-size roller banners in our range print at 2150mm tall, with width depending on which product and size you've chosen; see our Roller Banner Sizes Guide for the full chart. Desktop banners have their own A4 (210 × 327mm) and A3 (297 × 450mm) templates.

Keep Key Content Away From the Edges

Roller banners roll into a base cassette at the bottom and are handled and repositioned regularly, so it's good practice to keep your logo, headline and any critical text safely within the central two-thirds of the design rather than tight against the very edges or bottom of the artwork. Each size template includes guide lines showing the safe area for text and key visuals — always check these before finalising your file, since the visible printed area can differ slightly between our desktop and full-size ranges.

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 banner size. A logo pulled from a website is usually far below 300dpi at full banner size. Ask whoever supplied your logo for a high-resolution vector or print file.
• No bleed included. Designs built exactly to the trim size, with no 3mm allowance, risk a thin unprinted edge after trimming.
• Text too close to the bottom edge. Anything positioned very low on the design can end up harder to read once the banner is assembled — keep important text within the safe zone marked on the template.
• Wrong aspect ratio for the chosen width. A design built for 850mm doesn't simply stretch cleanly to 1200mm — always start from the correct template for your specific size.

Don't Have Artwork? We'll Build It

Our in-house graphic design team creates roller banner 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 banner 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 roller banner artwork?

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

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 roller banner size — always use the highest-resolution version available.

Do you offer artwork templates for every roller banner size?

Yes — every width in our range 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 roller banner 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 roller banner collection, or read our Roller Banners Scotland buying guide for help choosing the right product first. Need design help? Get in touch and we'll quote your artwork.