Prepare your print file
Choose the artwork template for your product, check the export settings and review the finished file. Start here for banners, textile graphics and display systems.
Three steps before production
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Choose the right template
Find your product in the catalogue and use its artwork download. Match the size, printed sides and finishing to your order. Keep important content inside the marked safe area.
Find your artwork template -
Check and export
Work through the requirements below. PDF is preferred. Check dimensions, colour profile and image resolution before saving. For double-sided print, export separate front and back files.
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Review the finished file
Open the exported file and check it against the checklist below. Review all pages, dimensions and important content. Keep the order reference and product name with the artwork.
Use the final checklist
Print file requirements
Use the product-specific template and the agreed order specification together with the general guide. If they conflict, resolve the difference before exporting.
File format and naming
Preferred formats: PDF version 1.3 or later, or flattened TIFF with LZW compression. EPS, AI, flattened PSD and JPEG are also accepted under the guide's export conditions. For EPS/AI, convert fonts to outlines and flatten transparency. Keep filenames within 70 characters and use separate files for different artworks or sizes.
Dimensions and scale
Specify width × height in centimetres. The artwork size must match the order. The guide specifies 1:1 for graphics smaller than 500 cm and 1:10 for larger graphics. At 1:10, the file dimensions are one tenth of the final dimensions and the required image resolution is ten times the final-size value. Follow the template or order specification at the exact 500 cm boundary.
Double-sided print
Supply two separate files: one for the front and one for the back. Identify the side in each filename, for example Order123_Front.pdf and Order123_Back.pdf. Both files are required even when the artwork is identical on both sides.
Colour and ICC profile
Prepare colour artwork in CMYK with the ISO Coated v2 (ECI) profile; prepare black-and-white graphics in greyscale. RGB files are converted to CMYK and colours may change. Convert spot colours to process colours. A profile does not guarantee an exact match to a screen or physical colour sample; agree any required colour matching with Nordsign before production.
Bleed and safe area
The general guide specifies 2 cm bleed on each side. For UV print, allow at least 1 cm safety distance from the finished edge. For sublimation on textiles, keep key content 2.5% of the relevant dimension inside each edge: 5% in total. Seams, pockets and other finishing need the product's specific safe-area markings. Cut-to-shape jobs use the separate 5 mm bleed rule below.
Image resolution
Check resolution at the final printed size, using the guide's table below. For a 1:10 file, multiply the indicated ppi by ten. Enlarging a small image does not recreate missing detail.
Cut-to-shape artwork
Place the cutting contour in a separate layer named CutContour and provide 5 mm bleed. Detailed cut-letter sizes and contour requirements are shown in section 5 of the downloadable guide.
Large graphics and pallet wraps
If a print needs joining into panels, the guide recommends sending the complete graphic so production can handle the panelling. For pallet covers, prepare each element as a separate file. Match the files to the layout and finishing in the order.
Resolution at final printed size
| Print size | Recommended resolution |
|---|---|
| A4 | 150 ppi |
| Under 10 m² | 100 ppi |
| 10–25 m² | 80 ppi |
| 25–50 m² | 50 ppi |
| Over 50 m² | 30 ppi |
Source: Nordsign print-file guide v1.7, section 2.3. At 1:10 scale, use ten times these values in the file.
Download the preparation tools
ISO Coated v2 (ECI)
The supplied CMYK ICC profile, unchanged from the original file.
Download ICC colour profile (.icc)Complete print-file guide
Version 1.7, dated 25 November 2024. English PDF; includes process-specific black recipes, cutting diagrams and finishing details.
Download the English guide (PDF)How to install the ICC profile
- Windows: download the .icc file, right-click it and choose Install Profile.
- macOS: copy the .icc file to /Library/ColorSync/Profiles or your user's Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder.
- Restart your design application. Select ISO Coated v2 (ECI) when preparing the CMYK export. For an existing image, use colour conversion rather than simply assigning a different profile, then check the result.
Review your finished file
Confirm these points yourself before submitting the file. This checklist does not inspect the artwork automatically.
Still need help after the checks?
Send your order reference, product, size, finishing and the point you are unsure about. For a replacement print, include the original frame order: Nordsign checks that order to help supply a replacement that fits.
If preparation needs correction, production timing may be affected. Resolve an uncertain specification before submitting the final artwork.