On this page 9 sections
These artwork guidelines are the difference between stickers that sail through and a file that bounces back with questions. Every file you upload gets an automatic check that tells you if something will not print well, but getting it right first saves you a day.
Sticker artwork guidelines: the 60-second check
- Right size: the finished size you ordered, for example 50 × 50 mm or A4 for a sticker sheet.
- Bleed: 3 mm of background past the cut line on every edge.
- Safe area: keep words and logos at least 3 mm inside the cut line, more on small labels.
- Sharp enough: 300 dpi at full size. Stickers are read close up.
- Colour: CMYK, with Pantone numbers for brand colours.
- Fonts: outlined or embedded, one design per PDF page.
Which file to send
A PDF is best, with the fonts embedded or turned into outlines. AI, EPS and SVG are fine, and so are high-resolution JPG, PNG and TIFF files. Made it in Word, PowerPoint or Canva? That is a fine place to start: export a full-quality PDF rather than sending the original.
Bleed, cut lines and safe areas
Bleed is the bit of background that runs past the cut line, so there is no white sliver if the cut is a hair out. The safe area is the zone inside the cut line where nothing important should sit.
| Product | Bleed | Keep words and logos |
|---|---|---|
| Round, square and rectangle stickers and labels | 3 mm each edge | at least 3 mm inside the cut line |
| Die-cut stickers (cut to the outline of your design) | 3 mm past the outline | at least 3 mm inside the outline; avoid thin spikes and gaps narrower than 2 mm |
| Sticker sheets | 3 mm around each sticker | at least 3 mm inside each sticker |
| Vinyl, wall, floor and window stickers | 3 mm each edge | at least 10 mm inside the edge |
| Vehicle magnets | 3 mm each edge | at least 10 mm inside the edge, clear of rounded corners |
Document sizes
Set the page to the finished size you chose on the product page, then add 3 mm bleed on every edge. A 50 × 50 mm sticker becomes 56 × 56 mm with bleed; an A3 magnet (297 × 420 mm) becomes 303 × 426 mm.
Resolution: how sharp is sharp enough?
Stickers and labels are read at arm’s length, so photos need 300 dpi at the finished size. Logos and text are best as vector artwork, which stays sharp at any size; a logo copied off a website usually is not. A large vinyl or wall sticker seen from a few metres away can use 150 dpi at full size.
Clear and coloured surfaces
On clear stickers and window stickers the surface behind shows through, so pale colours look lighter than on white. Use strong colours and bold shapes, and think about what the sticker will sit on: a dark bottle, a white wall or a shop window.
Getting colours right
Printers use CMYK inks, screens use RGB light. RGB files are converted for print, and very bright greens, blues and oranges can come out a little flatter. If a brand colour matters, give us the Pantone reference and it will be matched as closely as the material allows.
Words people can read
On small labels keep text at 6 pt or larger and use a plain typeface. Check every spelling, phone number and web address twice, because we print the file you send. Write-on labels (service, PAT and inspection labels) need enough space on each line for a pen.
No artwork? Four ways round it
Every product has an Artwork choice. Upload your own file, send the right file later, add File Check (£4.99) so a person checks it and the order is held until the right file arrives, or pick a fixed-price design option: typesetting, design from your brief, a logo redraw or a new logo. The fee appears as its own line in your basket and covers the whole quantity of that item. The Artwork & Design Service can also be booked on its own, and includes 1 design and 2 rounds of changes.
Not sure which size or material? See the help centre or ask us.