YOUR PRINT QUESTIONS.
ANSWERED.

We accept the following high-resolution file formats:

• PDF (.pdf)Preferred
• TIFF (.tiff)Recommended
• EPS (.eps)Recommended
• JPG (.jpg)
• Adobe Photoshop (.psd)

File requirements can vary by product. If you’re unsure which format to use, contact us before uploading.

We recommend artwork at 300 dpi at its final printed size for most commercial printing projects. The resolution needed can vary by product and viewing distance.

After you upload your file, our team will review its resolution and contact you if we find a problem. Image quality depends on the number of pixels in the file and how large it will be printed.

Enlarging an image without adding genuine detail lowers its effective resolution; reducing it raises the effective resolution. Simply changing the dpi setting does not restore missing detail.

As a general guideline, we don’t recommend enlarging an image by more than 30%. If your image is below 300 dpi, send it for review so we can check it at your intended print size.

Bleed is artwork that extends beyond the final trimmed edge. It allows us to cut the printed sheet to size without leaving an unwanted white border.

Extend backgrounds, photographs, and any design elements that should reach the edge into the bleed area.

Keep text and important details inside the safety zone—not in the bleed. If we provide a product-specific template, follow its dimensions.

The safety zone is the margin inside the final trimmed edge that protects text and important details from being cut off.

Background images may extend through this area, but keep text, logos, and essential content farther inside the design.

Bleed extends outside the trim line; the safe margin sits inside it. Follow your product’s template if it specifies a different margin.

RGB (red, green, blue) creates color with light and is used by screens. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) creates color with printing inks.

Screens can display some bright, saturated colors that standard CMYK printing cannot reproduce. An RGB design may shift in color when converted for printing—for example, a vivid blue may appear more purple.

For commercial print artwork, choose CMYK colors when possible and use the color profile specified for your job. Our supplied guidelines reference US SheetFed Coated v2; check with us before applying it to a different product or printing process.

A CMYK build of C100 / M65 / Y0 / K0 is a starting point for a clean blue, although the final appearance depends on the paper, ink, and printing process.

A color-managed CMYK preview can help you assess likely changes, but a screen is not an exact print match. If color is critical, talk to us about proofing before production.

We don’t currently offer an instant online preview.

If you’d like to review your artwork, call (213) 286-9000 or email order@downtownlaprinter.com and ask for a low-resolution proof.

A low-resolution proof helps you review the layout and content; it is not an exact representation of printed color.