Professional Fine Art Printing
August 12, 2024

Set Up Your Print Files

There are lot’s of ways to set up a file ready for printing. This is one way that we feel is an easy step by step to follow for print perfect files ready for online ordering.

Getting Started:

  • open PHOTOSHOP
  • Go to FILE and select NEW from the dropdown.

Creating Your overall print File:

  • Name your print file with the Name of Image and Size of Overall Print.
  • Enter the overall print HEIGHT and WIDTH, this size should include any borders you want around the image.
  • The overall print size = Take the image size and (if adding a border) add the border size x2 on the height & width.
  • Set the RESOLUTION to 300 pixels/inch and 8 bit.
  • Set the BACKGROUND to white
  • Set COLOUR MODE to Adobe RGB (1998) or sRGB.
  • Set PIXEL ASPECT RATIO to square pixels
  • Click CREATE

Creating the size of your image:

  • Go to FILE > select NEW from the dropdown again.
  • Enter the HEIGHT and WIDTH of your image that will sit within the overall print.
  • Repeat the file settings mentioned above (resolution, background, colour mode, pixel aspect ratio), click CREATE.
  • Go to LAYERS (windows > tick layers to view them) and unlock the background layer on layers panel.
  • Select any colour and fill the backgound with the paint bucket tool.
  • Go to SELECT > click ALL from the dropdown (shortcut Cmd & select layer), then EDIT and COPY (Shortcut Cmd-C)

Adding Image To Print File:

  • Go to your Print file you created first.
  • Go to EDIT and PASTE (shortcut Cmd - V)
  • Make sure your colored box you pasted sits in the center of your file (you can use guidelines to check).
  • Go FILE > select OPEN and select the image you want to print and click OPEN.
  • Make sure your image has no borders added and is flatterned with no extra layers.
  • Go to SELECT > click ALL from the dropdown. Then select EDIT and COPY.
  • Go back to your Print File. Hold Cmd and click on the layer of the coloured box in the layers panel to select it.
  • Once selected go to EDIT > PASTE SPECIAL > select PASTE INTO (the image will appear within the coloured box).

Adjusting Image:

  • Once your image is within the box. Go to EDIT > TRANSFORM > select SCALE (shortcut Cmd-T).
  • Scale your image to fit within the coloured box how you wish (your image size).
  • Make sure no colour from the coloured box is showing when scaling the image down/ up.
  • Once scaled, click on the eye next to the coloured box layer on the layers panel to HIDE it.
  • Make sure your happy with your print file layout and save the file.

Saving Files:

  • Go to FILE > SAVE AS. Save a file with the layers as a PSD or TIFF and add on the end of your file name EDIT.
  • Then go to your layers panel, right click on a layer and select FLATTEN IMAGE.
  • Then go FILE > SAVE AS again. Save the file as a Photoshop PDF from the format dropdown.
  • Make sure to click Embed colour profile and check it is RGB. Then click SAVE.
  • A SAVE ADOBE PDF box will show up. Go to COMPRESSION and make sure IMAGE QUALITY is set to MAXIMUM.
  • Click SAVE PDF. You can now upload this file online to order prints of this image in this size.

For further assitance on setting up your files please get in contact with the team. We are always happy to help and chat through any questions.

CONTACT US