Five mistakes in packaging artwork come up in order after order: RGB colour mode instead of CMYK, missing bleed, artwork built without the die-cut outline, low-resolution images and finishing effects not separated into layers. Each of them stops the job at the preflight stage: the file goes back for corrections, and your slot in the production queue moves on. Here is how to avoid them and hand over a print-ready file on the first try.
Mistake 1. RGB instead of CMYK and fonts not outlined
Your screen shows colour in RGB, an offset press prints in CMYK — an RGB file shifts its hues during conversion, and the brand colour on the finished run is not the one you expected. The second classic is fonts that have not been converted to outlines: on another computer the font gets substituted and the whole layout falls apart. What to do: work in CMYK from the start (total ink coverage no more than 300%) and convert all fonts to outlines before handing over the file.
Mistake 2. No bleed, and key elements sitting on the trim line
Bleed is the background extended 2–5 mm beyond the trim line. Without it, die-cutting leaves white slivers of bare board along the edges of the box. The mirror error is text and logos placed right against the cut or crease line: every machine has a minimum tolerance, and an element sitting on the edge risks going under the knife or onto the crease. What to do: run the background past the trim line, and keep important elements at least 2–3 mm away from it.
Mistake 3. Artwork ignoring the die-cut layout
A box is not a rectangle — it is a flat layout with flaps, creases and glue areas. Artwork drawn from a picture, without the die-cut outline, almost always needs to be rebuilt: the design lands on a glue flap, a pattern breaks at a fold, a window does not line up with the cut-out. What to do: request the die-line from us before you start the design — with 3000+ ready-made cutting dies in our library, the outline for a standard construction is sent straight away. Keep the die-line in your file on a separate layer as a separate spot colour, not rasterised.
Mistake 4. Low resolution and heavy effects
An image taken from the internet or a website turns to mush in print: a production run needs raster images at 300 dpi at 1:1 scale. Transparencies, lens effects and complex vector gradients behave unpredictably on output — it is safer to flatten them to raster. What to do: check the resolution of every image and make a control PDF with flattened effects.
Mistake 5. Finishing not separated into layers
Foil stamping, spot UV varnish, embossing and a window are separate production operations, and each needs its own layer with its own spot colour on top of the printed elements. When the varnish is baked into the general artwork, the die cannot be made and the unit cannot be set up — the file comes back. What to do: one layer per operation, clear layer names (FOIL, UV, EMBOSS, WINDOW), and nothing extra on the finishing layers.
How to hand over your file right the first time
The full technical requirements are collected on the Layouts requirements page. And the shortest route is to send us your artwork for checking before launch: Pergament prepress specialists review every incoming file, and most issues are resolved in a single iteration. If the construction is new, start with a prototype: a plotter sample takes about 30 minutes, and your design goes onto a verified die-line.
Frequently asked questions
In what format should we send packaging artwork?
Preferably a PDF with bleed and the die-line on a separate layer; source files — Adobe Illustrator or InDesign. Fonts outlined, images in CMYK at 300 dpi.
What happens if mistakes are found in the artwork?
We return the file with a specific list of comments. The job goes into production only after an approved control proof — this protects your print run from expensive surprises.
Can you prepare the artwork for us?
Yes: we develop the design and the structural layout for your task — from the CAD die-line to the final print-ready file.