Artwork Technical Checks
We know setting up your artwork for print can be tricky, particularly if you don’t have any print or design knowledge.
To ensure all your orders pass through our production process as smoothly as possible, we provide two levels of artwork technical checks to help avoid any issues, delays or rejections on your orders. Our goal is to ensure you always get the best results possible on every order you place with WTTB.
Please be aware that any errors that are detected during your artwork checks may cause your order to be delayed. Your delivery date may be later than your original delivery date stated when your order was placed.
All of our checks cover technical aspects of your print file only. We DO NOT check spelling, grammar or any aspect of your artwork. Design and positioning of elements within your artwork are your responsibility. We strongly recommend that our artwork guides found on our product pages are used and followed to prevent any issues, delays or artwork rejections.
Design elements and technical elements refer to two distinct aspects of your file being assessed. The design elements refer to the visual appearance and creative intent of your artwork. These elements listed below are NOT part of your artwork checks:
Ensuring your printed products are the best they can possibly be.
As standard every item in your order undergoes a FREE, automated, 23-point Essential Artwork Technical Check. These checks cover all the essential technical aspects of your artwork file:
• Page size matches trim size
• Size matches final output or is scalable (large format products only)
• No crop marks unless specified (large format products only)
• Correct number of pages are present
• Check for bleed box
• Safe zones are clear of text
• RGB identified and amended to CMYK*
• Spot colours identified and amended to CMYK (unless required for special finishes)*
• Overprint settings reviewed
• Fonts embedded or outlined
• No missing or substituted fonts
• 6pt Minimum font size
• Minimum resolution of 250dpi (Optimum is 300dpi)
• Minimum resolution of 150dpi (Optimum is 300dpi) for large format products
• RGB and indexed colours identified and amended to CMYK*
• Transparencies are flattened
• PDF/X-4 compliant
• No annotations or interactive elements
• No layers are present (unless required for special finishes)
• No hairlines (<0.1 pt) are present
• No white objects are set to overprint
• Spine width and alignment (book products only)
• Covers (front, spine & rear) are correct (book products only)
* With the exception of Mugs, Coasters and Mouse Mat products, all identified RGB and spot colours in your supplied artwork WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY CONVERTED TO CMYK. To avoid any colour issues ensure that you supply your files already converted to CMYK. If you have specified the following print finishes: Cut to shape, foiling, spot UV or selected white we do require spot colours for these areas and they will not be covered to CMYK.
For your complete peace of mind, each item in your order can be upgraded (for a small fee) to our in-depth 41-point Expert Artwork Technical Check. This check includes everything in our Essential Check plus your files are personally and carefully inspected by our prepress technicians for the following:
• Advanced margins and safe zones inspected
• Bleed included and correctly extended on all edges
• Check content shifts between front and back sides
• Running order checked (books only)
• Page numbers in correct position and consistent (books only)
• Creep allowance checked for thick books (saddle stitched books only)
• Fonts are clean and legible at actual size (especially thin/light fonts)
• No rasterised text or blurry characters
• Fonts readable at distance and scaled appropriately (large format products only)
• No excessive outlines or thin fonts that disappear at size (large format products only)
• Images and logos appear sharp at print size
• Colour consistency across spreads (books products only)
• Image alignment across facing pages (book products only)
• Flattened file or structured logically
• Crop marks and colour bars included where relevant
• Placement of key artwork avoids print finishing
• Alignment of double-sided artwork checked
• Spine text not too small or likely to shift with binding tolerance (book products only)
The price per item for an Expert Artwork Technical Check varies depending on the complexity of the item you are ordering. We have 3 tiers: £2.50, £5.00 and £10.00 per version. If you have multiple versions of an item the fee is charged per version. E.g. If you have 4 versions of an item you will be charged x4.
Print Perk Points can be redeemed to purchase Expert Artwork Technical Checks. Each point you have is the equivalent of £2.50.
