Photoshop and PDF Poster Setup
Embedded fonts, a little bleed, and high-res images — the three things that separate a studio PDF from a flattened screenshot.
Upload Print PDFQuick answer: For Photoshop or InDesign posters, export a PDF with fonts embedded (or outlined), images at ~300 PPI, and 3 mm bleed if artwork reaches the edge. sRGB or well-converted CMYK both work; avoid tiny live fonts under 8 pt on A3. Upload the PDF to PrintPosters.in.
Designers lose more posters to missing fonts and 72 PPI smart objects than to “wrong” colour mode. Build the document at the trim size, add 3 mm bleed on each side if colour or photos go to the edge, and keep important type 5–8 mm inside the trim. Convert or rasterise effects before export so our RIP does not reinterpret a layer style. Embed every font or outline display type; never rely on a typeface that exists only on your laptop. Colour: we print with a 12-colour archival workflow, so a clean sRGB PDF from Photoshop is usually safer than an unprofiled CMYK file from a random Japan sheet preset. If you must send CMYK, embed the profile and avoid 100% of four inks in small type.
PDF export settings that survive print
- PDF/X-4 or High Quality Print with fonts embedded
- Images resampled no lower than 300 PPI at final size
- Bleed 3 mm; crop marks optional — we trim to the size you ordered
- Transparency flattened only if you use older PDF/X-1a
- No password, no printer’s marks in the live image area
Photoshop path
Document
New file at print inches, 300 PPI, 3 mm bleed if needed.
Type
Keep body copy above 8–10 pt on A3; outline or embed on export.
Save as PDF
Adobe PDF Preset: High Quality Print. Upload that PDF, not a JPEG of the canvas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must the file be CMYK?
No. A tagged sRGB PDF is fine for our 12-colour lab. Unprofiled CMYK is riskier than a good RGB file.
What if I used a display font I cannot embed?
Outline the type in Illustrator or Photoshop (type → convert to shape) before making the PDF.
Do you need crop marks?
Optional. Order the finished size; we trim to that. Bleed matters more than marks when art hits the edge.
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