Preparing Business Card Artwork
Short answer
Print-ready business card artwork must be a vector PDF, AI or EPS file in CMYK, at 300 dpi, with 2 mm bleed on each side and outlined fonts. These five conditions are the baseline preflight requirement, and failing any one of them stops the job before printing.
Roughly half of the files sent to press come back with a technical problem — and it is almost always the same five mistakes. This page is the complete list of what preflight checks at Craftarea, with exact figures and the reasoning behind each. Whether you prepare artwork yourself or commission a designer, running through this list will save more than a day. At the end there is a checklist to walk through before you send the file.
Key facts
- Preferred format
- PDF (vector), AI, EPS
- Colour space
- CMYK (not RGB)
- Resolution
- At least 300 dpi
- Bleed
- 2 mm per side
- Fonts
- Outlined / embedded
- Safe area
- 3 mm from the edge
- Rich black
- C40 M30 Y30 K100
- Preflight
- Free, on every order
The five things preflight checks
First, colour space. The file must be CMYK; automatic conversion from RGB shifts colour, especially bright blues and greens. Second, resolution: raster elements at a minimum of 300 dpi at final size. Third, bleed: the background must extend 2 mm past the trim line. Fourth, fonts: either embedded in the file or converted to curves. Fifth, safe area: text and logo at least 3 mm in from the edge.
- CMYK colour space
- 300 dpi at final size
- 2 mm bleed
- Fonts outlined or embedded
- Text 3 mm from the edge
Rich black and large solid areas
100% black (K100) is the right choice for small text, but not for a large black field: printed, it goes grey and uneven. Large areas use rich black — for example C40 M30 Y30 K100, which prints deep and even. Conversely, small text should never be set in rich black: registering four inks precisely at small sizes is hard and a coloured fringe appears at the letter edges. The rule is simple: text in K100, large fields in rich black.
File checklist before sending
Before you send the file, run through this list. Size 94x54 mm (90x50 plus bleed). Colour space CMYK. Every raster image at 300 dpi. Fonts outlined. Text 3 mm in from the edge. If double-sided, both sides as separate pages in one PDF. Logo in vector. If the brand has an exact corporate colour, state the CMYK values or Pantone code. This checklist takes a minute and saves a day on average.
- Size with bleed: 94x54 mm
- CMYK, 300 dpi, fonts outlined
- Double-sided — two pages in one PDF
- Logo in vector
- Corporate colour — CMYK or Pantone specified
Artwork technical specification
| Parameter | Requirement | What happens if ignored |
|---|---|---|
| Colour space | CMYK | Colours shift in print |
| Resolution | 300 dpi | Blurred imagery |
| Bleed | 2 mm | White sliver at the edge |
| Fonts | Outlined / embedded | Typeface substitutes |
| Safe area | 3 mm | Text gets trimmed |
| Large black field | C40 M30 Y30 K100 | Grey, uneven black |
| Small text in black | K100 | Coloured fringe on letters |
How It Works
- 1
File received
Send artwork by email or a link — there is no size limit.
- 2
Automated check
We verify colour space, resolution, bleed and fonts.
- 3
Visual inspection
We look for text sitting too close to the edge and small elements at risk of disappearing.
- 4
Verdict
If everything is in order it goes to press. If not, we return it with specific, fixable notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
I made the artwork in Canva — will it work?
Do you accept Word or PowerPoint files?
How do I outline the fonts?
What is Pantone and do I need it?
How should I send a double-sided card?
I have no artwork and do not want design work — what now?
Related Services
Ready to order?
Send your artwork, quantity and preferred deadline — we will confirm pricing and production details after reviewing the project.
Get a quote