How to Best Set Up My Files Using Canva

Melissa
Melissa
  • Updated

Creating print-ready artwork for stickers and labels doesn’t have to be complicated, even if you’re not a design professional. If you use Canva for its user-friendly tools, there are a few helpful tips to ensure your artwork is print-ready. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to ensure your designs are formatted correctly and ready for production, saving you time and avoiding costly printing mistakes.

Setting Up Your Design

  1. Go to “Create A Design."
  2. Select Custom Size: this allows you to enter the exact size you need.
  3. Set the Units to Inches (IN): We process everything using Inches, and setting the units will ensure consistency and compliance with our requirements.
  4. Once you have entered your size, click "Create New Design."

A screenshot of a computer

Description automatically generated

Setting Up Bleed and Safety Margins

To make sure everything gets processed properly by our machines, we require all designs to be set up with a 1/8” of bleed on each side as well as a safety margin between the artwork and the cutline. Our minimum safety margin is 1/16” (0.0625”). Bleed is required when you want your background color, image, or pattern to go to the edge of your product to ensure it has a clean edge. Safety Margins are required to ensure that no important content like text or logos gets cut off during manufacturing. 

Setting Up Bleed

Go to File, then under Settings, select "Show Print Bleed."

A screenshot of a computer

Description automatically generated

Setting Up Safety Margins

  1. Go to File, then to Settings, and make sure "Show Rulers and Guides" is on.
  2. Select “Add Guide.”
  3. Select "Custom."
    • Set Both Columns and Rows to 1.
    • Set Gap to 0.
    • Set Margins to 0.13" for standard insets and 0.06" for narrow insets.

Pro Tip: We can only accommodate narrow insets for sizes over 1" for stickers and over 0.75" for labels.

Pro Tip: If you enter 0.125" or 0.0625", Canva will round them to 0.13 and 0.06, respectively.

4. Once you have entered the sizes, click "Add Guides."

A screenshot of a cell phone

Description automatically generated

Things To Keep in Mind When Designing

Now that you have set up your template to the correct size with the necessary print guides, there are some things to remember when working on your design. To use the Bleed and Safety Margins properly, you must make any background images or colors that you want to go to the edge of the sticker and extend to the outer bleed line of your template. Then, ensure that essential elements remain within the safety margins created using the guides.

Color is another important factor to consider when creating your design. We print using CMYK inks, but Canva primarily uses RGB colors. Some colors may appear different when converted to CMYK for printing. To avoid this issue, we recommend creating your file in a program like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, which offers more refined print options. We can still accept RGB files from Canva and convert them to CMYK on our end; however, this may cause some of the colors to appear differently in the final proof.

Downloading Your File from Canva

One crucial step in ensuring a smooth ordering process is providing the correct file type for printing. Once you have finished designing your product, you should download a copy of your file.

  • Go To File, then to Download.
  • For the file type, Select Print PDF.

Pro Tip: SVGs can also work if you have Canva Pro.

  • Make Sure “Crop marks and bleed” is checked.
  • Make sure “Flatten PDF” is NOT checked.

Pro Tip: If you have Canva Pro, we recommend setting the Color Profile to CMYK.

A screenshot of a computer

Description automatically generated

Ensure Print-Ready Perfection Every Time

Creating print-ready artwork with Canva is a simple and effective way to bring your sticker and label designs to life. By setting up your design with proper dimensions, bleed, and safety margins, and following best practices for colors and file formats, you can ensure a smooth printing process and avoid timely mistakes. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting out, these tips will help you create stunning, professional-grade products that are ready for production. Ready to turn your Canva designs into high-quality stickers or labels? Order your custom stickers and labels today!

Shop Products.png

Share Your Story