Free tools by Printkeg
Prep your artwork.
Print with confidence.
A growing collection of free tools for artists, designers, and small businesses — built to help you get print-ready faster and avoid costly mistakes before you order.
Print tools built for artists,
not print engineers.
Getting a file print-ready shouldn't require a design degree. These tools cover the most common mistakes artists make when preparing artwork for professional printing — wrong resolution, missing bleed, RGB color mode — and make them easy to catch and fix before you place an order.
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 →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 →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
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.
Work in CMYK color mode from the start
In Photoshop go to Image → Mode → CMYK before you start designing. In Illustrator go to File → Document Color Mode → CMYK. Starting in CMYK means no surprise color shifts at the end. Use our color mode checker to verify your file.
Design at 300 DPI
Set your document resolution to 300 DPI at the final print size. If you're using photos, check their resolution first — a low-resolution photo can't be sharpened by increasing the DPI setting. Use our print size checker to see what sizes your photos support.
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 and non-critical design elements can extend all the way to the bleed edge.
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 (12 in Photoshop). Avoid PNG for press printing — it uses RGB and doesn't support CMYK profiles well.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Printkeg prints fine art prints, posters, greeting cards, stickers, booklets, and more — shipped fast to artists and small businesses across the US.