CETTEC Insights

Fonts causing issues on press? Learn when to embed, when to outline, and how to prep clean, print-ready PDFs that match what you see on screen.

Saddle-stitched booklets (folded and stapled along the spine) are a great way to package information: manuals, programs, catalogues, training materials, and small magazines. They’re also one of the easiest formats to misjudge if you’re not thinking like a press. Here’s a practical guide to getting them right the first time. 1. Page count: always in multiples of 4 Saddle-stitched booklets are made from folded sheets. Each folded sheet gives you 4 pages , so your total page cou

If you send artwork to print, you’ve probably seen a request like: “Please supply a PDF/X-1a” or“Export as PDF/X-4 with bleed and crop marks.” It sounds technical, but PDF/X is simply a set of rules that make PDFs safer for print. Once you understand the basics, it’s one of the easiest ways to cut down on file problems, surprises on press, and back-and-forth with your printer. What Is PDF/X? PDF/X is a family of PDF standards designed specifically for graphic arts and printin

You design a piece with a big, dramatic black background.On screen it looks deep and inky.In print it comes back… charcoal. In most cases, nothing “went wrong” on press. That’s just what happens when you treat black on screen (RGB) and black on paper (CMYK) as if they’re the same thing. If you remember one rule from this post, make it this: Use K-only black for small text, a controlled rich black for big areas – and never use registration black in your design. Why “100% K” o

You open a fresh box of brochures, flip one over, and see it: the old web address, the previous logo, last year’s promo line. The printer did exactly what it was told. The problem wasn’t the press. It was the file. Most expensive reprints come down to one simple issue: someone grabbed the wrong version. If you use print regularly, cleaning up your artwork is one of the easiest wins you can give yourself this year. Here’s a practical, no-drama way to get your files under contr

A lot of print headaches can be avoided simply by asking the right questions up front. Before you sign off on your next job, ask your printer: Is my file truly print-ready? Are size, bleed and margins set correctly? Any low-resolution images or font issues you can see? Is this the right paper for how we’ll use it? Will this stock fold well, mail well, or hold up in a binder? Is there a better option for the look/feel we’re after? How will colour be handled? Is this printing C

Canva is great for quick design work, but it wasn’t really built with commercial presses in mind.If you’re sending Canva designs to a print shop, here’s how to keep things running smoothly. 1. Start with the right size and bleed Set your Canva document to the final print size  (8.5" × 11", postcard, etc.) Turn on Show print bleed  and Show margins Extend backgrounds and images right through the bleed area so there are no white edges after trimming 2. Make sure your images hav

Ever ordered “80 lb” paper and been surprised that it felt way thinner or thicker than you expected? You’re not alone – North American paper weights can be confusing. . Here’s the short version: The “lb” is a basis weight  – the weight of 500 sheets of a specific parent sheet size Different paper types use different parent sizes That means 80 lb text  and 80 lb cover  are not  the same thing So “pounds” only make sense if you also know the paper type. That’s where GSM (g/m²)

If you design for print, you’ve probably seen this requirement in specs:“Please use 300 ppi images.” On its own, that line is incomplete . What actually matters is: the size of the image in your layout , and the number of pixels  the image has. You can have three images at 300 ppi, 72 ppi and even 10 ppi that look identical in a print-ready PDF, as long as they all have the same pixel dimensions . The PPI field in the file is not the hero here – pixel count at the final print

Bi-fold – programs, sell sheets, simple menus Tri-fold – classic brochure or mailer Z-fold – step-by-step guides, statements, maps that reveal in sequence Accordion – timelines, multi-option menus, product tiers Gate fold – dramatic reveal for a hero image or launch Double gate – poster-style reveal packed into a small piece Roll fold – staged storytelling, onboarding, tours Double parallel – dense specs, bilingual layouts, policy inserts French fold – invitations, maps, even

Minimum size: 0.8" (20 mm) square for hand-held pieces; 1.2"+ (30 mm+) for posters viewed from a few feet Quiet zone: leave at least 4 modules of clear space on all sides (no logos or patterns bleeding in) Contrast: dark code on light background; avoid low-contrast brand colours and busy images behind the code File prep: supply vector (PDF/SVG/AI) or a 1000×1000 px PNG at 300 dpi; no JPEG compression Error correction: use level Q or H if you’re overprinting, laminating,

Designing an 8.5″×11″ (216×279 mm)  tri-fold? Use these panel widths so the fold-in panel tucks perfectly: Outside (back—fold—front): 3.6354″ • 3.6667″ • 3.6979″ 92.34 mm • 93.13 mm • 93.93 mm Inside (left—middle—right): 3.6979″ • 3.6667″ • 3.6354″ 93.93 mm • 93.13 mm • 92.34 mm Specs that save headaches Bleed:   0.125″ (3.17 mm)  all around. Safe area:  keep text/logos ≥0.125″ (≈3 mm)  from folds/trim. Crossover images:  don’t span folds; if you must, give 1/16″ (1.59 mm)  c