You have spent time putting your design together. The layout looks right, the colours match your brand and everything reads well on screen.

You upload the file, place your order and wait for it to arrive.

Then you receive a message saying the artwork needs changes before it can go into production.

This situation is more common than you might think. Many artwork files that look fine on a computer monitor contain issues that stop them from printing correctly. The good news is that most of these problems are straightforward to fix, especially if you catch them early.

TW Printing’s free Artwork Check & Fix Tool is designed to help you identify common artwork mistakes before your order reaches the press.

Here are five of the most frequent artwork problems we see, and how the tool can help you resolve them.

1. Missing bleed

Bleed is the area of artwork that extends beyond the final trimmed size of your printed piece. It helps ensure that when the paper is cut down to size, there are no unwanted white edges left around the border.

If your design stops exactly at the edge of the finished size, even a tiny shift during cutting can leave a thin white line.

For example, a standard business card is 85mm x 55mm after trimming. To include bleed, your artwork should extend to at least 91mm x 61mm, with any background colours or images continuing into that extra margin.

The same principle applies to flyers, leaflets, posters, banners and many other printed products.

The Artwork Check & Fix Tool checks your file for missing bleed. If it detects that your artwork does not extend far enough, the Auto-Fix option can add bleed for you, creating a corrected version ready for print.

2. Low-resolution images and pixelated logos

Images that look clear on screen may appear blurry or blocky when printed. This usually happens when the image resolution is too low for the printed size.

For professional print, images should usually be at least 300dpi at the final size they will be used.

Logos sourced from websites or social media profiles are often saved at a lower resolution, which is fine for digital use but can look pixelated on a printed flyer, business card or banner.

A pixelated logo can quickly undermine the professional appearance of your marketing materials.

The Artwork Check & Fix Tool scans your file for low-resolution images and warns you if any fall below the recommended threshold. This gives you the chance to replace them with higher-quality versions before your order goes ahead.

3. RGB colour mode instead of CMYK

Colours on screen are created using RGB, which stands for red, green and blue. Printers use CMYK, which stands for cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

If you design in RGB, the colours can shift when converted to CMYK for printing. Bright blues may appear less vibrant, and vivid greens can look duller than expected.

Setting your document to CMYK before you start designing gives you a more accurate idea of how the final printed item will look.

If you have already created your artwork in RGB, the tool can detect this and flag it for correction before your order moves forward.

4. Text too close to the edge

Any text or important graphic elements placed too close to the trim line risk being cut off during finishing.

Printers usually recommend keeping all important content at least 3mm to 5mm inside the trim edge. This area is often referred to as the safe zone.

For example, imagine a leaflet where your contact number sits just 1mm from the edge. After trimming, part of the number could be missing.

The Artwork Check & Fix Tool helps identify elements that fall outside the safe zone, so you can reposition them before printing.

5. Incorrect document size

It is surprisingly easy to set up a document at the wrong size.

You might create an A5 flyer when you intended to order an A6 postcard, or your dimensions might be a few millimetres out. An incorrect document size can lead to wasted materials, layout issues, delays and unnecessary reprints.

The tool compares your file dimensions against the product you are ordering and alerts you if there is a mismatch.

This simple check can save time and avoid unnecessary back-and-forth before your order goes into production.

How the Artwork Check & Fix Tool helps

TW Printing’s free Artwork Check & Fix Tool is available on our website.

You upload your file, and the tool runs a series of checks covering bleed, resolution, colour mode, document size, safe zones and other common artwork issues.

Where eligible problems are found, the Auto-Fix option can apply corrections automatically, generating a proof for you to review before your order moves to production.

The tool is designed to make ordering print online simpler and more reliable. It does not replace a full pre-press check by our team, but it gives you a useful first line of defence against artwork errors that could delay your delivery.

Check your artwork before you order

Spending a few minutes running your file through the Artwork Check & Fix Tool can save time, avoid frustration and reduce the risk of reprints.

Whether you are ordering business cards, flyers, posters, banners or leaflets, it is a practical step that helps ensure your materials arrive looking the way you intended.

Try the free Artwork Check & Fix Tool before placing your next order.