9 common printing mistakes and how to avoid them

Blurry logos, text cut off at the edges, wrong colours and spelling errors: the most common printing mistakes and simple ways to avoid each one.

1. Low-quality logo. A logo copied from WhatsApp or a website looks blurry on paper. Send the original file.
2. No bleed. Backgrounds that stop exactly at the edge leave thin white lines after cutting. Extend them 3 mm past the edge.
3. Text too close to the edge. Keep text at least 5 mm inside.
4. Designing in RGB. Very bright screen colours print duller. Design in CMYK.
5. Tiny text. Anything below 7 pt is hard to read on a card.
6. Too much on one page. A pamphlet with one clear message works better than one with ten.
7. Not checking the proof. Most errors are spelling and numbers. Read the proof carefully.
8. Ordering too few. Small quantities cost much more per piece. Order what you will use in the coming months.
9. Leaving it too late. Calendars and festival printing get busy. Order early.

Our online studio warns you about many of these as you design, and every file is reviewed by our team before printing.