How to Create a Print-Ready Design in Canva: A Step-by-Step Guide
Designing for print can be a challenge, especially if you're just starting out. Thankfully, tools like Canva make the process much more approachable. Whether you're preparing business cards, leaflets, brochures or posters, ensuring your artwork is print-ready is essential for a professional finish.
At SW19 Design and Print in Wimbledon, we work with many customers who use Canva for their designs. To help you get the best possible results, we’ve put together this simple, step-by-step guide to preparing your Canva files for professional printing.
Step 1: Set Up Your Design
Start by opening Canva and clicking “Create a design”.
- Select “Custom size” and enter your required dimensions.
- Be sure to include bleed in your size if your design extends to the edge of the finished product.
- You may also choose one of Canva’s pre-set templates, which often include standard sizes with bleed already built in.
Tip from SW19 Design and Print: If you’re unsure about sizes or how to set up bleed correctly, our team is always on hand to help—just get in touch before placing your order.
Step 2: Design Your Project
With your canvas set up, you're ready to begin designing.
- Use CMYK colour mode where possible, as this is the standard for professional printing and ensures more accurate colour reproduction.
- Make sure all images used are high-resolution—we recommend a minimum of 300 DPI.
- If you're using Canva Pro elements, ensure you’ve licensed them before downloading to avoid watermarks or download issues.
Top tip: When printing with SW19 Design and Print, we’re happy to review your design before printing to check image quality, colours and layout.
Step 3: Download Your Design for Print
Once you're happy with your design:
Click “Share” in the top-right corner
Select “Download”.
Choose “PDF Print” as the file type.
Tick “Crop marks and bleed” to include these important features.
Tick “Flatten PDF” to ensure your file is print-optimised.
Then click Download.
Key Considerations for Print-Ready Designs
- CMYK Colour Mode: RGB colours (used for screens) can look very different when printed. CMYK ensures your colours appear more consistently in print.
- Bleed: This is the extra margin around your design which is trimmed off to ensure no unprinted edges appear.
- Crop Marks: These lines help guide our cutting equipment to trim your print to the exact size.
- Image Resolution: Blurry prints are often caused by low-resolution images. Always aim for 300 DPI for professional results.
- File Type: Download your file as a PDF Print—it’s the most reliable format for high-quality print.
- Flattening Your PDF: This helps avoid problems with fonts or layers shifting during the printing process.
Want to find out more?
If you are looking for quality, competitive, brochure
printing, speak to our team for an instant quote and advice.
SW19 Design and Print Ltd.
Wimbletech Zone 2, Marlborough Hall, Compton Road. Wimbledon. SW19 7QA