How to Prepare Print-Ready Files for a Printing Shop

If you’re planning to print posters, banners, or promotional materials from a professional printing shop, preparing your file correctly is extremely important. Small mistakes in color mode, size, or resolution can affect both print quality and cost.

At Sharalipi Printing Shop, we regularly receive files that look perfect on screen but create issues during production. To help you avoid that, here’s a complete guide to preparing your design properly before sending it for print.

1️⃣ Always Use Adobe Illustrator for Printing Design

For professional printing, we always use Adobe Illustrator. We do not design in other software for final print production.

Why Illustrator?

• Vector-based design
• Sharp text output
• Accurate scaling
• Proper color control

If someone sends a PDF or PSD file, we can convert it. However, sometimes those files do not fully convert into proper CMYK format, which can affect the final printed color.

To avoid color problems, always prepare your design directly in Illustrator.

2️⃣ Use CMYK Color Mode (Not RGB)

This is one of the biggest mistakes customers make.

Screens use RGB.
Printing uses CMYK color mode.

If your design is in RGB:

• Colors may appear dull
• Shades may shift
• Final print may look different from screen

Always switch your document to CMYK before designing for any poster printing service.

3️⃣ Set Artboard Size in Inches (Not Feet)

This is very important for large-format designs.

In our printing process, we always set artboard size in inches, not feet.

Example:

If your banner is 10 feet wide,
you should create artboard as 10 inches (scaled proportionally).

Why?

• Easier file handling
• Better plate preparation
• Smooth printing machine setup

This method ensures your large-size designs print accurately without technical errors.

4️⃣ Choose Colors Wisely (More Colors = More Cost)

Many people don’t know this — printing cost depends on number of colors.

For Cord Machine / Dimai Plate:

• 1 Color Print → 500 TK
• 4 Color Print → 2000 TK

Each additional color increases plate cost.

If you don’t need full-color design, 1-color or 2-color printing can reduce your total cost significantly.

Mini plates are less expensive.
Double Dimai plates are more expensive.

So before designing, think about your budget and choose colors smartly.

5️⃣ Use High-Resolution Images (Very Important)

If your design includes images:

• Use high-resolution files
• Minimum 300 DPI recommended
• Avoid Facebook or WhatsApp compressed images

Low-resolution images may look fine on mobile, but in print they can appear faded or pixelated — especially in 4 color printing.

6️⃣ Final Checklist Before Sending Your File

Before sending your file to a trusted printing shop in Bangladesh, confirm:

✔ Designed in Adobe Illustrator
✔ CMYK color mode selected
✔ Artboard size set in inches
✔ Colors selected carefully
✔ High-resolution images used
✔ Fonts converted to outline

If you’re unsure about your file setup, it’s always better to confirm before printing.

You can directly contact our printing team for file checking and guidance before placing your order.

Final Advice

Preparing a proper print-ready file saves:

• Time
• Money
• Reprinting costs
• Color correction issues

Most printing problems happen before the machine even starts.

Follow this guide carefully, and your printing experience will be smooth, professional, and cost-effective.