When you order custom stickers or labels, you can always trust that printing won’t begin until you’ve had a chance to review and approve your proof. Proofing your artwork is an essential step to ensure your design looks exactly how you envisioned it, and we make the proofing process simple and stress-free. Here's a guide on reviewing your proof effectively and what details to check before giving the go-ahead to start printing.
What’s Included in Your Proof?
1. Dimensions:
Your proof will display the exact dimensions of your artwork. Viewing and printing your proof at 100% zoom can help you better understand the final product size.
2. Cutline:
Your cutline, shown in magenta, indicates where our lasers will cut your stickers or labels. Any part of your design inside the cutline will print, so ensure that important elements like text, logos, or images are not too close to this line.
3. Bleed Area:
A bleed is the extra printed area that extends beyond the final cut line, ensuring your design reaches the edge of your sticker without unintended borders. It accounts for slight variations in cutting, preventing any unwanted white edges. If your artwork extends to the edge without a white border, you'll notice a background area beyond the magenta cut line—this is the bleed. Double-check that your artwork fills the bleed properly, with no key elements placed outside the cutline.
4. Color and CMYK Values:
We convert all artwork to CMYK color mode for printing. While your screen uses RGB colors, the printed version may appear slightly different. Keep in mind that colors on-screen are approximate and may not perfectly match the printed colors. If you are concerned about color accuracy, we recommend setting up your artwork in a file using the CMYK color mode.
5. Specialty Materials and Notes:
If you’ve selected a specialty material like clear, holographic, or kraft, this will be noted on your proof. Review these details carefully to ensure they match your expectations. Your proof will also include a second image layer showing which parts of your design will display the specialty material and which will have a white backup layer.
6. “Proofed By” Details:
A professional Graphic Production Artist reviews each artwork proof to ensure it meets all manufacturing requirements. The “Proofed by” section on your proof will indicate which team member prepared it and verified its quality.
Helpful Tips for Reviewing Your Proof
To make your review process easier, follow these steps:
- View and Print the PDF at 100% Zoom: Physically print or view your proof at 100%! This ensures you see all the details, including text legibility and design clarity, at actual size. Double-check that all text is readable and that the design matches your expectations.
- Confirm Key Design Elements: Look closely at the placement of important elements, such as logos or text, ensuring they are within the cutline but not too close to it. Verify that nothing essential is outside the safe area or in the bleed.
- Review for Accuracy: Check all spelling, grammar, and layout details in the design. This includes ensuring that all information, such as dates, names, or branding elements, is correct.
- Consider Printing Implications: Colors on your screen may look different when printed. To ensure the best results, focus on your design’s layout and make sure your color choices match your vision, keeping in mind that CMYK printing will slightly alter shades.
Why Reviewing Matters
Approving your proof is the final step before production, so your careful review ensures that the final product matches exactly what you approved. Once approved, your stickers or labels go directly to production, and changes cannot be made.
Additional Information on StickerGiant Proofs:
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Artwork Adjustments:
Sometimes, we adjust your artwork slightly to meet manufacturing requirements. For example, designs may be resized or repositioned to fit within the cutline or bleed properly. Any such modifications will be reflected in the proof and communicated by our Art Team. -
Material Selection:
If you've chosen specialty materials (such as holographic, glitter, clear, etc.), these will be separately noted in your proof. Confirm that the material type and any special features are correct before approving. -
Customizable Across All Products:
Whether you’re ordering Die Cut Stickers, Holographic Labels, or other products, the proofing process is consistent across all items.
Final Approval
After carefully reviewing your proof, you have two options:
- Approve the Proof: If everything looks good, click “Approve” to give us the green light to start production.
- Request Changes: If adjustments are needed, let us know, and we’ll make the updates for you to review again.
We want your custom stickers and labels to be perfect. Taking a few moments to review your proof thoroughly ensures that your finished product will look exactly as you imagined. Still have questions about your proof? Reach out to our Customer Service team!
Happy proofing!