DIY Graphic Design

“Get it right, first time”

Doing graphic design yourself – No Problem. Intertype will review and pre-flight print ready artwork you supply before releasing to production.

Supplying Print Ready Files

Preparing print-ready PDF artwork yourself comes with a number of technical hurdles that can easily catch you off guard if you’re more accustomed to designing for screen. The most common pitfalls involve colour mode and resolution — screens display in RGB at 72dpi, while commercial printing requires CMYK colour conversion and a minimum of 300dpi. The shift between the two may produce noticeably different colours and soft, pixelated images if not handled correctly.

You also need to account for bleed and safe zones, typically adding 3mm of artwork beyond the trim edge so that background colours and images extend to the cut line, while keeping text and key elements safely inside the margins to avoid them being trimmed off. Fonts must be embedded or converted to outlines, and transparency effects need to be properly flattened to avoid rendering errors at the time of printing.

Beyond the technical setup, getting the PDF export settings right is equally important as well as compression and colour conversion settings. If you are unsure, it is always best to talk to us to ensure your files are right, first time.

Speak to a Publish and Print Expert

Great service, fast and efficient.. and lovely people to deal with.

Neil Shultz

Schwab Consulting

Common Errors In Supplied Artwork

Understanding where things go wrong is the first step to preventing it. The most frequently encountered issues include:

Colour space errors

Print uses CMYK ink, not RGB light. Files built in RGB must be carefully converted with the correct colour profile. Without this, colours can shift dramatically between screen and print.

Insufficient image resolution

Images that look sharp on screen are often only 72 dpi — well below the 300 dpi required for quality print. Scaling a low-resolution image up doesn’t recover detail; it makes the problem worse.

Missing Bleed

Printed materials are trimmed after printing. Without bleed — artwork extended slightly beyond the trim line — cutting tolerances can leave unwanted white edges on the finished piece.

Non-compliant PDF files

The PDF/X-1a standard ensures files are self-contained, colour-managed, and consistently reproducible. Files that don’t comply introduce unpredictable variables into production.

Incorrect trim sizes and safe zones

Content placed too close to the trim edge risks being cut. Understanding the relationship between bleed, trim, gutters, printable areas (ie: safe zone) is essential for a print result that meets your graphical design intention.

Missing Fonts

When a print file uses a font that is not embedded or outlined, the printing press system will substitute to the nearest alternative it has available. The result is changed text spacing, unexpected line breaks, and a layout that no longer looks the way it was designed. To avoid this, fonts should always be embedded when exporting the PDF, or outlined in the design application before the file is sent.

Print Ready Checklist

Below is a handy checklist to keep in mind prior to submitting your print ready artwork to us.

Document Setup

Colour

Fonts and Text

Images and Resolution

Transparency & Effects

PDF Export

We are here to Help

If you are in doubt or need some help, we are only a phone call or email away. We offer three different levels of artwork design support, including DIY support, collaborative design, full service artwork design and Advanced CMYK+ design. Or simply reach out and have a chat with a publish and print expert.

How to Get Started

When you are ready, simply book a free consultation with Intertype to talk to a real person about your needs. You will receive a detailed proposal of relevant options so you can make an informed decision. And when you are ready, simply contact us and Intertype will guide you the rest of the way. Or if you know exactly what you want simply contact us and we will respond with a quick quote.

Step 1:

Free Consult

Book a Free Consultation to discuss your needs and explore the best options for you.

Step 2:

Proposal

We provide a detailed proposal based on our discussion for you to make an informed decision.

Step 3:

Begin

Book a Consultation

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 25 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Lavina Botha 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Hey everyone, I want to give a huge shout-out to Joe Cremona and his team for providing the kind of service I thought didn't exist anymore. They have real integrity and did exactly what they promised; Joe walked me through everything step by step and never once made me feel like a bother. His communication is just on another level compared to everyone else. Honestly, words can't describe what a great experience it was. He’s clearly an expert, which is why I trusted him from the start. Joe and the team, you guys are the best, and thanks for making my dream a reality.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   David Rosenbaum 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Everything that was promosed was delivered, both in terms of process and quality. Joe and his designer were absolutely fantastic to deal with and no problem or issue was too great for them. As this was my first expereince with self-publishing, my debut novel has started to sell. Joe's insights into the industry were invaluable and as I continue to promote my book and start the planning for the sequel, I am convinced that I will go through this publishing process again with Intertype. Thanks Joe and the team. You made a nervous first time fiction author very comfortable and confident.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Frank Panetta 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am delighted to provide a review following the publishing of my memoires "A Boy from Ferruzzano". I had previously tried another publisher, but after a long delay, there was no interest shown-waste of time. However, Joe Cremona at Intertype made me very welcome, listened to my request, made excellent and very useful suggestions , and within a week the whole process was started. Joe and his team were very cooperative, and helpful in enabling me to make changes  along the way, with prompt feedback on several revisions, and without any form of pressure, until I was satisfied with the final product. For me it has been an enjoyable and satisfying experience, seeing my book being published within a relatively short period of time. All aspects of having the book published have been of high quality, particularly attractive and durable material such as the cover, and facilitating promotion of the book. It is with great pleasure that I highly recommend Intertype Publishing and Printing for stress free process of having one's work published.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Amber van Sloten 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Joe and his team at Intertype did such a wonderful job producing quality hard cover books for me. I appreciate their care and patience throughout the whole process and the advice provided for best results. The outcome is really special and I know the books will brighten up my family too. Very reasonable price and top quality.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Steph Deague-Hall 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am delighted with the way my memoir was produced by Intertype. The team at Intertype were friendly, prompt, professional and creative at every step of the process. The cost was very competitive compared to other printing and publishing companies that quoted for the production of 40 books. I love the color the Senior Designer chose for the front and back cover and the way she arranged and put together the whole book. The designer put together my story, illustrations and photos in a very creative way with the finished product that looks like a professional memoir of 397 pages. I would definitely use Intertype again and recommend them to anyone wanting to publish their books.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Shane Darke 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Intertype are an excellent company that I would recommend to anyone trying to publish. The staff are courteous, professional and incredibly efficient. The entire process from initial discussion to the publishing of my book was seamless. The book itself looks wonderful. I will certainly publish with them again.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Dee Brooks 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had a hard deadline to launch at a conference and Joe, and his team, from Intertype made it happen! They were so fantastic to work with and ensured every step of the way of our self-publishing journey and our first book was understood, ease-full and took the time to (re)explain the process many times. Joe was available whenever we needed him and offered suggestions and next steps that we would not have thought of. The level of generosity, expertise and thoughtfulness was incredible and we will definitely be using Intertype again!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Imogen Griscti 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the team at Intertype.  I have used their services for many years. They are very responsive, always work hard to achieve a deadline and haven't disappointed me yet.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Olivia R 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The binders turned out perfectly! Joe and Lyndal from the Intertype team were truly so wonderful, they helped us at each step of the way from design to final manufacture to make sure the colour, quality and look of our binders was perfect and exactly what we imagined! We were also working on a tight deadline and they went above and beyond to make sure we received the binders on time. Thank you!!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Tessie dowling 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great customer service and attention to detail and quality on my book 👌

Connect with a Publish and Print Expert

Trending Now

Popular Products

Product Results

Sign In

Create an account

Reset password