Choose vector logos and sharp photos
Use a vector original for a logo, the full-resolution original for a photograph, and editable text for names and dates. Put them on the production template for the selected fan. A product photo or a generic semicircle is useful for showing an idea, but it is not a cutting or folding guide.
| Artwork | Useful starting file | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Logo or line drawing | Original vector artwork, such as AI, EPS or SVG, in the printer’s accepted format | A screenshot enlarged to fill the fan |
| Photograph or painted image | Full-resolution image with enough pixels at the final size | An image copied from a small website preview |
| Names, dates or schedule | Editable text in the layout, then correctly embedded or outlined for delivery | Flattening all text into a low-resolution JPEG |
Vector artwork scales cleanly; pixel-based images need enough resolution at the final print size. The extension alone is not proof: a PDF or AI file can still contain a small, blurry bitmap. Open the file and inspect what is actually inside it.
Confirm the template’s units, leaf shape, printed sides and fold map. Lock its guides on a separate layer. Check one labeled dimension after importing it so an inches-to-millimetres mistake does not resize the whole design.
Keep bleed, safe areas and folds separate
| Template line | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Cut line | The finished leaf edge; it normally stays out of the printed design |
| Bleed boundary | Extend backgrounds past the cut line to this boundary |
| Safe area | Keep essential wording, faces and logos inside it |
| Fold or attachment guide | Check where details bend, disappear into a fold or are covered by a guard |
A common print bleed is 3 mm, but use the amount specified on your fan’s template. Follow its curved boundaries; a rectangular page margin does not automatically supply bleed around a curved leaf.
Bleed protects the background at the edge. It does not protect a word running across a fold. Avoid narrow borders that depend on perfectly equal spacing all around the fan, and keep critical details clear of the attachment zones.
Check photos at their final printed size
Prepare close-viewed images at 300 pixels per inch unless the printer specifies another resolution. Use that as a preparation target, then confirm it for the actual leaf and process.
| Printed image width | Approximate pixels across at 300 ppi |
|---|---|
| 100 mm | 1,181 pixels |
| 200 mm | 2,362 pixels |
| 300 mm | 3,543 pixels |
Calculate the required pixels as printed width in millimetres ÷ 25.4 × pixels per inch. Use the image area on the fan, not its overall width. Enlarging an image lowers its effective resolution; cropping reduces the pixels available.
Changing the resolution label cannot restore detail missing from the original. Use a better source, reduce the image size or simplify the design. Keep crisp logos as vectors instead of turning the entire layout into one picture.
Print and fold a full-size mock-up
Print at actual size using the template. Turn off fit-to-page scaling. Measure a labeled dimension on the print to confirm the scale before judging the layout.
Fold along the guide and read the fan as someone will hold it. Check the event date, smallest text, faces and any map labels. A long line of text may read well flat but break up across the folds. Shorter lines and simpler blocks often leave more usable space than shrinking everything.
For two-sided artwork, mark Side A and Side B, keep the pivot at the bottom and demonstrate the intended turn. Send normal-reading previews; the printer should apply any process-specific mirroring. An office-paper mock-up checks size and placement, not production color or fabric behavior.
Inspect the PDF you will send
Use the printer’s requested PDF settings, including color conversion and spot-ink handling. Embedding fonts helps preserve their appearance across computers. If outlined text is requested, keep an editable original before making the delivery copy.
| Check in the exported PDF | Correction if needed |
|---|---|
| Dates, spelling and line breaks | Fix the source text and export again |
| Image detail at final size | Resolve missing links or excessive downsampling |
| Named spot-color inks | Preserve them if the job needs spot inks; do not silently convert them to CMYK |
| Guides and marks | Remove unwanted template lines; include only requested production marks |
| White letters over a dark area | Check for accidental white overprint |
Check that ordinary white objects are not accidentally set to overprint. A deliberately specified spot-white ink is a different case. Have the printer check that layer before changing it.
Send the PDF, preview and artwork version
Send the production PDF with a preview showing how each side should look. Include the design name, side and revision in each filename, and identify which front and back belong together. Include the native file and linked images when requested.
Mark any brand-critical colors and the intended leaf material in the sample request. The color guide explains physical color matching; the double-sided guide covers reverse artwork and show-through.
