Preparing your artwork for a custom print

A good custom print starts with a clean source file. You do not need to be a designer, but a few checks before upload will help the final piece look sharper and avoid awkward cropping.

Use the largest original you have

A screenshot or compressed social-media image may look fine on a phone, but it can soften when printed. Upload the original camera file, artwork export, scan, or highest-resolution version available.

Check effective resolution

For prints viewed close up, 300 DPI is a strong target. Larger posters can still look good at lower effective DPI because people stand farther away, but very small files will show softness. As a quick check, divide your image pixel width by the print width in inches to estimate DPI.

Match the shape to the product

Portrait images suit A4, A3, and A2 posters. Wide artwork works better on desk mats and panoramic layouts. If the shape is very different from the product, leave room for cropping around the edges.

Avoid important details at the border

Keep faces, text, signatures, and key artwork details away from the very edge. This gives the production team room to align and finish the print cleanly.

Export cleanly

Use JPG or PNG for most uploads. Keep quality high, avoid heavy filters after export, and use a normal RGB color profile such as sRGB for predictable screen-to-print review.

After upload, PixelWall reviews your artwork before production. If something looks risky, we will contact you before printing.