Preparing Business Card Artwork

Short answer

Prepare the print PDF to the agreed trim, bleed and export settings. Confirm correct fonts, image detail at final size and separate artwork for any foil or spot varnish. A technically valid file does not establish that contact details, translations or QR destinations are correct.

A PDF extension alone does not make artwork print-ready: it can contain a low-detail image or incorrect page dimensions. Check the intended physical card first, then fonts, colour and finishing layers. Keep an editable source separately so later corrections do not depend on rebuilding an exported file.

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Key facts

Format: Agreed production PDF
Images: Effective resolution at final size
Fonts: Correct embedding or agreed outlining
Sides: Explicit front and back order

Dimensions, images and fonts

Measure bleed from the trim line and keep important text inside the safe area. Enlarging a raster image reduces its effective resolution; vector shapes do not have a photograph’s PPI requirement. Check Georgian glyphs and embedding permissions. If fonts are outlined, preserve a separate editable original for later text corrections.

Colour settings and black elements

Colour conversion and the output profile must match the production workflow. An arbitrary CMYK profile or an online rich-black recipe is not a universal solution. Agree small-text, large-black-area and critical brand-colour settings separately; inspect the result before approving an automatic conversion.

Faces, masks and the final check

Put front and back in the agreed order and orientation. A foil or UV mask must use the same dimensions and alignment; agree its naming and colour convention. Recheck numbers, email and the QR destination in the final PDF. A desktop print can check layout but cannot establish another production device’s colour result.

File checks before sending

File checks before sending
Item	Check
Dimensions	Trim and bleed separately
Fonts	Georgian glyphs, embedding and permission
Images	Detail at the final printed size
Finish	Separate, aligned mask
Approval	Final version and correct copy

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a PDF from Canva or another editor work?

It can if the exported result meets the agreed specification. Check dimensions, bleed, fonts and images. Add crop marks only when the production instructions request them.

Must everything be 300 dpi?

No. Raster images need suitable effective PPI and detail at final size; the same measure does not apply to vector artwork. Agree image requirements for the actual production process.

Must every font be outlined?

Outlining is one approach. Correctly embedded fonts may be acceptable when licensing and the production workflow permit them. Keep an editable original either way.

What should I send after a revision?

Send one new final PDF with a clear version name and a short change list. Explicitly replace the previous approval; do not label several different files as final.

Related Services

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