These are general guidelines to set up your design (artwork) correctly for digital printing. Canva updates its platform regularly, we always try to keep our instructions up-to-date. For specialist program info visit Canva's help section.
1. Make sure it's the correct size in mm
Click Create a design button, top right. Make sure you select mm, not px (pixels). Add your size in the height and width boxes. If you add the size (eg 120x180mm) and then change from px (pixels) to mm then the artwork will default to pixels and be much smaller than you need. Make sure you always choose mm first.
2. Crops marks, bleed (full page edge-edge design)
If your design covers all of the page, or has flowers, text etc that are partially 'off the page' you will need add crop marks and bleed.
Your Canva document should show the bleed area like this:
If it doesn't then follow the steps below.
Choose File (top left) and then View Settings, select Show Print Bleed. It's also handy to choose Show Guides and Rulers so you can line up text and images to make your design as professional as possible.
3. Colour
If you are using the free version of Canva you can save your PDFs in the screen profile RGB (red, green, blue). If you're using Canva Pro then you'll be able to save your PDFs as CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) which is the preferred option for professional printing. (see below)
Digital printing is made up of four colours - CMYK. Remember that what you see on screen will be very different from the actual prints, as your screen is displayed in RGB and not CMYK. More info here on that...
White ink, gold and silver:
For digital white ink, gold or silver print please supply your artwork in black HEX code #000000
Digital Gold and Silver with CMYK printing:
If your artwork has black or coloured elements AND digital gold or silver then you'll need a slightly different way to set your artwork up. Canva can’t create spot colours so any elements in the artwork that you want to be gold OR silver (we can't have both on the same artwork) please colour using these HEX values:
Gold: #ff0000 (Red)
Silver: #00ffff (Cyan)
The rest of your artwork should be in the colour that you want printing.
Unfortunately, it’s not currently possible to print with Digital Metallics with Canva. Illustrator or InDesign is required for metallic printing.
4. You've finished the design and are ready to save the print-ready PDF:
To save your artwork in a high resolution PDF ready upload or email, click the Share button, choose Download and choose PDF Print.
Check the tick box for Crop marks and bleed and choose CMYK (best for professional printing) from the Color Profile option.
Your downloaded PDF will then be in the right colour format, and have crop marks and bleed if required ready for Peterkin to print :)
Related articles:
Adding bleed to your design in Canva
Using our die cut shape, pocket and sleeve templates with Canva
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