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Artwork & color
Send the strongest original artwork with its existing embedded color profile intact. We preserve that profile during preparation, add the cut line, and let the RIP process colors for the physical output.
Start with your situation
| Your project or question | What to check |
|---|---|
| Lettering looks blurry | Check the original pixels at finished size. Changing the resolution label does not restore missing detail. |
| A PDF or .ai file contains a photograph | The container does not turn pixels into paths. Keep the best original source and review its real contents. |
| Color looks different in print | Check the profile sent with the artwork, then compare material, finish and neutral viewing light. A digital proof is not a physical color sample. |
Learn in this order
Worked example: 900 pixels at two sizes
A 900-pixel-wide image provides 300 effective PPI at 3 inches, but 150 at 6 inches. The original detail has not changed. RGB originals are accepted with their known profile intact. Some luminous screen colors fall outside the printable gamut even with an expanded-gamut print setup.
A common question
Should I convert every file to generic CMYK?
No. Preserve the source profile rather than assigning an arbitrary replacement. Output conversion happens in the RIP for the selected print setup. Missing profiles need clarification because the intended color interpretation is ambiguous.
Before you continue
Keep the exact artwork version, finished measurements, selected construction and intended use together. If the product or surface is uncertain, resolve that question before approval. Ask our team about your project.
Search artwork & color articles and guides
The library includes eligible published articles. If it is unavailable, use the complete Sticker Tips archive and Ideas archive.
Take the checklist with you
Printable artwork preflight (PDF). Version 1.0, October 8, 2026. The download supplements this guide; check the current product instructions before use.
A file extension does not prove vector artwork
Read the diagram
- Raster: the visible enlarged edge is built from discrete pixels. The original detail and final print size determine how that edge will look.
- Vector: the example edge is defined by a path with endpoints. An actual vector file may also contain photographs or placed bitmap images.
- PDF containing raster: the document wraps an image, but the embedded pixels remain pixels. The same applies to a bitmap placed in an .ai document.
- Check the original file contents and preserve the strongest editable source. Renaming a file or placing it in another container does not restore missing detail.