Banner Artwork Checklist: How to Send a File That Prints Properly
A 10-point print-ready artwork checklist covering banner size, resolution, logos, QR codes, fonts, colours and PDF export.
A banner can only print as well as the artwork allows. A blurry logo, incorrect proportions or tiny text will not improve simply because the file is printed larger. Before sending artwork for a PVC banner, roll-up, backdrop or exhibition display, check the technical file carefully.
This guide focuses on print-ready file preparation. If you need help with layout, hierarchy, fonts and visual communication, use our separate banner design guide.
Print-ready banner artwork checklist
| Check | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | Artwork uses the correct final proportions |
| Images | Original high-quality files are used |
| Logos | Vector files used where possible |
| Safe area | Critical text is clear of edges and finishing |
| Fonts | No missing or substituted fonts |
| QR codes | Tested and large enough for the intended distance |
| Colour | Critical brand colours identified |
| Content | Names, dates, contacts and prices checked |
| Export | Print PDF reviewed before sending |
1. Set the artwork to the correct proportions
If the finished banner will be 3 metres × 1 metre, the artwork must maintain the same 3:1 proportion. For very large files, the document can sometimes be created at a reduced scale, but the relationship between width and height must remain exact.
Do not design a square graphic and expect it to stretch cleanly into a wide horizontal banner. Resizing after the design is complete can distort logos, photographs and text.
2. Confirm the exact finished dimensions
Do not rely on descriptions such as “large”, “normal” or “standard”. Get the actual width and height from the printer or display hardware before finalising the artwork.
This is particularly important for roll-up banners, teardrop banners and pop-up displays because the hardware determines the visible graphic area.
3. Use vector logos where possible
Vector formats such as AI, EPS, SVG and properly prepared PDF files can scale without pixelation. They are ideal for logos, icons and line artwork.
A small JPG or PNG copied from a website or messaging app may look fine on a screen but become visibly soft when enlarged. If the client has an original brand pack, request that file before designing the banner.
4. Use the highest-quality original photographs
A photograph taken from the original camera or phone file usually contains more detail than an image downloaded from social media, copied from a website or forwarded repeatedly through WhatsApp.
Do not judge image quality only by how it looks at 100% on a phone. The final print may be several metres wide.
5. Understand image resolution in context
There is no single DPI number that applies to every large-format job because final size and viewing distance matter. A graphic viewed from ten metres away is different from an exhibition display viewed at arm's length.
The practical rule is to avoid unnecessary enlargement of small raster images and provide the highest-quality source available. If you are unsure, send the original file and let the printer assess it at the intended output size.
6. Keep important content away from the edges
Large-format graphics may require eyelets, hems, pole pockets, trimming or attachment to hardware. Leave a safe margin around important text, QR codes and logos so finishing does not interfere with them.
For a roll-up banner, part of the printed graphic may extend into the cassette. For a PVC banner, eyelets may sit near the perimeter. The safe area therefore depends on the final product.
7. Allow for eyelets, hems and pockets
If you already know how the banner will be installed, tell the designer before the artwork is finalised. Finishing is easier to plan when the file is still editable.
Ask the printer whether any extra image area, bleed or finishing allowance is required for your particular product rather than applying a generic rule.
8. Make text readable at the intended distance
Technical print quality cannot rescue text that is too small. A banner may be viewed from several metres away, so make sure key information is large enough for the real environment.
If the artwork contains several paragraphs, reconsider the communication strategy. The banner design guide explains how to simplify the message.
9. Test every QR code before export
Open the final artwork on another device and scan the QR code. Confirm that it leads to the correct live page and that the code is not obscured by design elements.
Keep clear space around the code. Avoid placing it directly on a busy photograph, and consider the distance from which a user will need to scan it.
10. Check fonts before sending the file
If an editable design file is opened on a computer that does not have the required font, text can change unexpectedly. A properly exported print PDF can help preserve the intended appearance.
Where appropriate in professional design software, fonts may be outlined in the final print file while an editable master file is retained separately. Do not discard the editable version in case corrections are needed later.
11. Understand RGB and CMYK differences
Phones and monitors create colour with emitted light. Printers reproduce colour with inks. That means some very bright screen colours cannot be reproduced exactly in normal print.
If your organisation has critical brand colours, provide the official brand references and tell the printer that colour matching matters. Do not use an uncalibrated phone screen as a print proof.
12. Check black text and fine details
Small text, fine lines and delicate design elements should remain clear at the final output size. Avoid making important information unnecessarily thin.
For large fields of dark colour or brand-specific blacks, discuss the print setup if colour appearance is critical.
13. Proofread content at full attention
Large-format spelling mistakes are expensive because the error is repeated at full physical size. Review the final file independently rather than relying on the person who designed it to catch every error.
- Names and job titles
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses and URLs
- Event dates and times
- Venue details
- Prices and offers
- Social handles
- Sponsor and partner logos
14. Check the final artwork at realistic zoom levels
Review the whole layout and also zoom into important images, logos and QR codes. The goal is to catch both composition problems and technical quality issues.
For a multi-metre banner, it can also help to print a small paper proof to review spelling and hierarchy, although this will not reproduce the final physical scale.
15. Export a print-ready PDF when possible
PDF is a useful delivery format because it can preserve page dimensions, vector graphics and layout. Keep the editable source file separately so changes can be made if the printer identifies a problem.
Before sending the PDF, reopen it and check that the page size or proportions are correct, no text is missing, images display correctly, nothing has shifted and the correct version was exported.
Can I send a Canva file for banner printing?
Yes, Canva can work for many banner designs if the document proportions and uploaded assets are suitable. The common problems are low-resolution logos, photographs that are too small and documents created at the wrong proportions.
Export a high-quality PDF where appropriate and keep the original Canva design available in case adjustments are needed.
Can I send JPG or PNG artwork?
Raster files can work if they have enough resolution for the final size, but they are less flexible than a well-prepared PDF containing vector logos and text. If JPG or PNG is the only file available, send the highest-resolution original rather than a screenshot or compressed copy.
Can I send artwork through WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is convenient for communication, but image compression can reduce quality. For final production files, use a method that preserves the original file where possible, especially for high-resolution artwork and large PDFs.
What if I only have a low-resolution logo?
Ask the organisation, previous designer or branding agency for the original vector logo. If it cannot be found, discuss whether the logo needs to be recreated before large-format production.
Artwork checks for different banner formats
PVC and mesh banners
Confirm the custom dimensions, finishing zones and installation method. Keep important information clear of edges and eyelet positions.
Roll-up banners
Use the exact stand dimensions and keep key content high enough to remain visible. Allow for the section of graphic that connects into the cassette.
Backdrops
Design around people and camera framing. Do not place all logos where guests will stand. Use sufficiently high-quality brand assets for the larger output.
Flags and teardrop banners
Follow the supplied template or shape because the printed area is not a simple rectangle. Keep critical content away from curved edges and attachment zones.
Final preflight before you approve printing
- Is the file the correct size or proportion?
- Are all logos and images good enough for the final scale?
- Have the content and contacts been proofread?
- Is important information clear of finishing and hardware areas?
- Have I opened and reviewed the final exported file?
Need Xpress to check your artwork?
Send the file together with the final dimensions and product type. If design changes are required, use our design services before production.
Send your artwork with your quote request and include the size, quantity and required date.