Help with design & file prep

What happens to my file after I upload it?

A person opens it. Before anything goes on press we check resolution at final print size, colour mode, the cut line, bleed, and whether any text or detail sits too close to the edge to survive trimming — and if something will not print the way you expect, we email you before we print, not after.

That check runs on every order at every size, including a ฿149 Try 10 First. It is why most of the questions below have a “we will tell you” rather than a “your order will fail”.

Can you help edit artwork or create designs?

We do not offer a creative design service — we cannot design a label from scratch for you. What we do do is prepare your supplied artwork for print: colour mode, cut line, bleed and resolution are all checked and corrected before printing.

If you have specific instructions, put them in a .txt file and upload it with the artwork, or type them into the remarks box in the editor. No cut line in your file? Describe the shape in the remarks box and we will set it up during the file check.

What’s the recommended resolution for artwork?

300 DPI at final print size for photos and other raster images. The last part is the one people miss: an image that is 300 DPI at 2 cm is not 300 DPI once it is enlarged to 10 cm.

Supply logos and text as vectors, which have no resolution to get wrong.

What if my artwork is low resolution?

We will tell you before we print. Low-resolution artwork usually still looks acceptable at sticker size — the smaller the print, the more it forgives — but fine text, thin lines and hard edges are where it shows, and you get to decide whether to proceed or send a better file.

For a clean result, supply raster images at 300 DPI at final print size, or a vector PDF, which has no resolution to be wrong.

What file formats do you accept?

We accept PDF, PNG, JPEG, SVG, TIF, AI and PSD. For the sharpest result and the most accurate colour, send a CMYK PDF with vectors preserved and text converted to outlines.

One thing to know: saving a photo as a .ai or .pdf does not make it a vector — the image inside stays a raster at whatever resolution it already was. If your logo only exists as a JPEG or PNG, it will print as one.

Will the fonts in my design be printed correctly?

Yes, if you convert all text to outlines before you upload. Outlined text is a set of shapes rather than a font, so nothing can go missing or be swapped for another typeface.

If a file arrives with live fonts, we flag it during the file check. Thai text is the usual casualty: when a font is substituted, stacked vowels and tone marks shift out of place.

Do you have templates for the cut line?

Not as downloads at the moment, and you do not need one. Set your artboard to the finished size, draw the cut line as shown in creating a custom cut line, and upload.

If you would rather not draw it yourself, upload the artwork and describe the shape you want in the remarks box. We set the cut line during the file check and you see it on the proof before anything is printed.

How do I submit my design?

Upload it in the editor while you set up your order, and it goes through checkout with the rest of the order. We accept PDF, PNG, JPEG, SVG, TIF, AI and PSD, and a CMYK PDF gives the most reliable result.

Want someone to look at a file before you order? Send it on LINE @heyprint or through the contact form.

Do you accept artwork files that include Pantone colors?

Yes, but everything prints in CMYK, so Pantone (PMS) colours are converted to the closest CMYK match. Bright greens, bright oranges and neons are the hardest, because CMYK inks cannot fully mix them.

If a brand colour has to be right, print it before the full run: Try 10 First is ฿149 with free shipping.

Getting your file ready to print

Here is how to set a file up so it prints the way you designed it. If a step looks unfamiliar, leave a comment in the editor and we will handle it — you are not expected to know press vocabulary to place an order.

Document Color Mode
To get the best print results, make sure to design in CMYK mode from the start. While you can switch from RGB to CMYK later, the colors might change, and we can’t promise it’ll print exactly as you expect.
Here’s how to switch to CMYK:
In Photoshop:
Open your file
Go to Image → Mode → CMYK
In Illustrator:
Open your file
Go to File → Document Color Mode → CMYK

Cut line
The cut line is the outline that tells us where to cut your labels or stickers. Make sure your design matches the size you want for accurate cutting. Here’s a basic guide to creating a custom cut line:
1. Open your artwork in Adobe Illustrator.
2. Create a spot color (0, 100, 0, 0) and name it Cut.
3. Draw your cut line as a closed path. Set the Stroke Color to Cut and the Fill Color to None.

Should I include cut line or bleed in my file?

Yes — mark the cut line clearly so we know where the piece is trimmed, and if the design runs to the edge, extend the artwork 1.5 mm past the cut line so no white slivers appear if the cut drifts.

1.5 mm is smaller than the 3 mm asked for on offset work. Digital die-cutting registers to a printed mark rather than a guillotine stack, so the tolerance is tighter and you lose less of your design. Keep important detail 1.5 mm inside the cut line for the same reason.

What should I know about creating custom cut line?

Here’s what to keep in mind:
– Keep important stuff at least 1.5 mm away from the cut line (keep 1.5 mm of safety margin)
– If your design has a full bleed, include a 1.5mm bleed by extending your artwork 1.5mm beyond the cut line.

Steps to Create Your Custom Cut Line:
1. Open your artwork in Adobe Illustrator.
2. Create a spot color (0, 100, 0, 0) and name it Cut.
3. Draw your cut line as a closed path. Set the Stroke Color to Cut and the Fill Color to None. Set Stroke Weight to 0.15 mm.
4. Important: Set Cut to Overprint Stroke.

How do I make a transparent background on my artwork?

Leave the area empty in your artwork, with no background colour and no white fill. On clear material we print no ink where the file has nothing, so the surface shows through.

Two things to check. Export as PDF or PNG, because JPEG cannot hold transparency and fills the background with white. And CMYK inks are slightly see-through on clear stock, so if you want solid colour on top, ask for a white underprint in the remarks box.

Can we make stickers without the white border?

Yes. Extend your design 1.5 mm past the cut line on every side. This is the bleed, and it means the cut lands inside the artwork rather than on its edge.

Keep text and important detail at least 1.5 mm inside the cut line.

How do I choose which parts show the material effect?

On holographic, clear and metallic silver, the material shows through anywhere you do not lay down white ink — so choosing the effect means choosing where the white goes.

The simple way: leave a note on your order saying which areas should show the material and which should be solid, and we will build the layer for you. The precise way: build it yourself with a White underprint layer, as in the next answer.

Either way we send you a content proof before production, so you see what we understood before anything is printed.

What’s the best way to make colors stand out on non-white materials?

Print white ink underneath. On a non-white face stock, CMYK inks are semi-transparent and the material tints everything printed on it — a white underprint gives the colours an opaque base so they read as designed.

To set it up: create a layer called White Underprint, make a spot colour named White at (0, 15, 10, 0), set it to Overprint, and fill the areas that need to be opaque. Save as a CMYK PDF and leave a note about the white layer so we check it before printing.