File setup / A practical checklist
You do not need to know every print term. These are the few that help your job arrive as expected.
01 / Size
Use inches and build the document at full size: 3.5 × 2 for a business card, 8.5 × 11 for a flyer, 36 × 72 for a banner, or 18 × 24 for a yard sign.
A folded holiday card starts as a 10 × 7-inch spread with a center fold.
02 / Edges
For cards and flyers, extend background color or pictures 0.125 inch beyond every cut edge. That extra area is the bleed. Keep text at least 0.125 inch inside the cut edge.
Keep yard sign text 0.5 inch from edges and banner text 2 inches from edges for hems and grommets. We confirm large-format bleed in the quote.
03 / Detail
Aim for 300 pixels per inch at finished size for cards and flyers; 150 for banners and yard signs. Enlarging a small screenshot does not add detail.
Keep logos as vector artwork when available. We flag low-resolution files before you approve the proof.
04 / Export
Embed fonts or convert lettering to outlines. Use CMYK color when available and keep the bleed in your export. Supply front and back as separate PDF pages in reading order.
Do not add crop marks unless requested. Keep an editable original in case a correction is needed.
Bring what you have to the counter. Basic setup starts at $25; a new design is quoted separately. We describe any paid changes before doing them.
The quote form asks about your file. It does not upload it. At the shop, we would agree on a file handoff after reviewing the job.
Finished artwork, a rough layout or just the words: we can start a quote from any of them.