File Preparation

What are print-ready files? It’s one of the most common terms printers use every day, but it can mean different things. Most digital or online printers agree that there are essential elements your file needs to ensure it translates from your computer to the printing press accurately and consistently. If you’re already an Adobe InDesign […]

Wondering how to set up your file for print? Each Smartpress product includes one or more Artwork Guideline documents to demonstrate how to set up your artwork. You can find links to these files on each product page. These files are in PDF format and can be viewed and printed with Acrobat Reader. When in […]

There are many ways to create a PDF file, but not all of them work well for professional online printing. The way in which you create a PDF can dramatically alter the quality of your printing…

Large format file setup for online printing can seem daunting, but with a little know-how and a few tips and tricks, you can print banners, canvases, posters and more quickly and easily. Because you’re working at a much larger scale, the minimal DPI is closer to 150 DPI. Small format print items have a minimum […]

When creating files for online printing, you can edit and manipulate them using various elements, such as panels, bars and windows. Any arrangement of these elements is called a workspace. While you’ve probably heard of workspaces like Photoshop and InDesign, there are other useful options that can help you, too. The workspaces of the different […]

A packaged InDesign file makes it easy to gather all your project’s elements, fonts and images together in one place to prepare it for print. Before packaging InDesign files, you’ll want to go through this checklist to ensure they’re ready to be sent to an online printer. Size Your project must be the exact size […]

In online printing, ICC profiles refer to a set of data that describes color characteristics, limitations and the gamut of a device that captures, displays or prints color. Developed by the International Color Consortium (ICC), these color profiles are very important in order to manage color properly between different devices, as it travels from the […]

Large File Uploads If your files are too large to upload for online printing or you are experiencing difficulty using our browser-based upload tool, you can utilize our FTP Service. Also know as File Transfer Protocol, it’s part of our convenient online printing services and can be used to upload files up to 2 GB […]