Free tools by Printkeg

Prep your artwork.
Print with confidence.

A growing collection of free tools for artists, designers, and photographers — built to help you get print-ready and price your work with confidence.

Available Tools
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Photo Print Size Checker
Upload your photo and instantly see every print size it supports at professional quality — no math needed.
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Bleed & Safe Zone Guide
Generate a visual bleed and safe zone diagram for any print size. Upload your artwork to preview it with zone overlays.
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Color Mode Checker
Upload your image and instantly see if it's RGB or CMYK — with a clear warning if it needs converting before print.
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Photographer Session Rate Calculator
Enter your time, expenses, and profit margin to get a suggested session rate with a full pricing breakdown.
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Photography Print Pricing Strategies
Market-based print package tiers, client positioning copy, and pricing psychology by shoot type and market level.
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Print Size Calculator
Enter your pixel dimensions and DPI to find the ideal print size — or work backwards from a target size.
● Printkeg.com
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Printkeg Portal
A Shopify app that connects your store directly to Printkeg. When a customer places a print order, it routes to us automatically — we handle the printing, packing, and shipping. You just sell.
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Color Profile Converter
Preview how your RGB artwork will shift when converted to CMYK — side by side, before you send to print.
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Color Palette Extractor
Upload any image and extract the dominant colors as hex codes and RGB values — perfect for branding and print series consistency.
○ Coming Soon
9+
Tools available or in progress
100%
Free — no account required
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Cost to use any tool
Think of this as an experimental toolkit for artists — still growing, and designed to take the guesswork out of getting print-ready. No software required, no design degree needed. Just upload your file, see where you stand, and get back to making art.
01 — Resolution

DPI matters more than file size

A large file doesn't guarantee a sharp print. What matters is pixel density at your target print size. 300 DPI is the professional standard — below 200 DPI and most prints will look noticeably soft.

Check your photo's print sizes →
02 — Bleed

Without bleed, you get white edges

Print cutting machines aren't perfectly precise. Bleed — typically 0.125" of extra artwork beyond the trim edge — ensures your background fills the entire print even if the cut is slightly off.

Generate a bleed guide →
03 — Color Mode

RGB looks different in print

Screens use RGB light to create color. Printers use CMYK ink. Vivid screen colors — especially bright blues, purples, and oranges — can shift significantly when converted to CMYK for press printing.

Check your color mode →

How to prepare a print-ready file — step by step

01

Set up your document at the correct size with bleed

Create your document at the final print size plus 0.125" bleed on all sides. For an 8×10 print, your canvas should be 8.25" × 10.25". Use our bleed guide to get the exact dimensions for any size.

02

Work in CMYK color mode from the start

In Photoshop go to Image → Mode → CMYK before you start designing. Starting in CMYK means no surprise color shifts at the end. Use our color mode checker to verify your file.

03

Design at 300 DPI

Set your document resolution to 300 DPI at the final print size. Use our print size checker to see what sizes your photos support before committing to a canvas size.

04

Keep critical content inside the safe zone

Text, logos, faces, and any element you don't want cut off should stay at least 0.125" inside the trim edge. Backgrounds can extend all the way to the bleed edge.

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Export as CMYK TIFF or high-quality PDF

For best results save as a TIFF (no compression) or PDF/X-1a. If saving as JPG, use maximum quality. Avoid PNG for press printing — it uses RGB and doesn't support CMYK profiles well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What DPI do I need for a quality print?
300 DPI is the professional standard. 200–299 DPI is acceptable for larger prints viewed at normal distance. Below 200 DPI will usually look noticeably soft. Use our Photo Print Size Checker to see what sizes your image supports.
What is bleed and why do I need it?
Bleed is extra artwork that extends beyond the final trim edge — typically 0.125" on each side. It ensures no white unprinted edges appear if the cutting machine is slightly off. Any background that goes to the edge of your design must extend into the bleed area.
What is the difference between RGB and CMYK for printing?
RGB creates color from light — it's for screens. CMYK creates color from ink — it's for print. Some RGB colors fall outside the CMYK color gamut and will shift when converted. Always work in CMYK for print projects. Check your file with our Color Mode Checker.
How do I calculate my photography session rate?
Add your total labor hours multiplied by your hourly rate, add all direct expenses, apply your desired profit margin, then add tax. Our Session Rate Calculator does all of that automatically with a full breakdown.
Are these tools really free?
Yes — all tools on this site are completely free with no account, sign-up, or usage limits. They're built and maintained by Printkeg as a resource for artists, designers, and photographers.

Ready to print your artwork?

Printkeg prints fine art prints, posters, greeting cards, stickers, booklets, and more — shipped fast across the US.

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