Printingready

Printing-ready, or print-ready, describes artwork prepared to be sent directly to a printer without further modification. It ensures consistency and reduces production delays by meeting a printer’s technical specifications, including color, layout, and typography.

Core requirements include using an appropriate file format (commonly PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 for print; TIFF or EPS in some workflows), embedding or outlining fonts, and ensuring linked images are embedded at the required resolution (typically 300 dpi for raster images at final size). The color mode should match production requirements, usually CMYK for offset printing; RGB may be accepted for digital prints but must be converted prior to production, with color profiles (ICC) specified.

Layout considerations include bleed and trim: a bleed area (commonly 3 to 5 mm or 0.125 to 0.25 inches) beyond the final page size, crop marks to indicate trim, and safe margins to protect critical content. Transparency should be flattened or preserved according to the printer’s capability; if transparency is used, it must be compatible with the intended workflow.

Proofing and packaging: printers typically require preflight checks to detect issues, and a final proof for client approval. Packaging may involve collecting fonts and linked images into a single archive or using a packaged InDesign file.

The term contrasts with proof and low-resolution draft. A print-ready file is intended to require no substantive edits by the printer, aside from routine impositions or color adjustments during production.