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Artwork guide

Prepare artwork for print

Trim, bleed and safe content describe different parts of a print layout. Their actual dimensions, file setup and any special-ink instructions depend on the product you choose.

Layout concept

Three boundaries, three jobs

The cut or finished edge is the trim. Background artwork may extend past it into bleed. Keep important details inside the safe area. This diagram explains the relationship only; it has no scale and does not supply a template or measurements.

Schematic of bleed, trim and safe contentA colored artwork field extends beyond a dashed trim rectangle. A smaller inset rectangle marks the safe content area. Labels identify each boundary. Diagram is not to scale.BleedSafe contentTrimNot to scale
Conceptual diagram; not a print template or product-specific specification.
Bleed
Artwork continues beyond trim.
Trim
Intended finished edge.
Safe
Keep key details inside.

What each area means

Bleed
Artwork beyond the intended trim, commonly used when color or an image should reach the finished edge.
Trim
The intended finished boundary. A visible cut line or template boundary must come from the selected product's instructions.
Safe area
An inset planning region for details that should remain away from trim, folds or finishing. Follow the product's confirmed spacing.

Special print separations

White ink is a production layer

On transparent or metallic materials, a print provider may use a white-ink separation beneath or around color artwork. That separation defines where an additional ink is intended; it is different from white pixels, a white canvas, or a layer merely named “white.”

Its recognized name, file format, coverage, order and overprint or knockout behavior depend on the product and print workflow. Confirm those details in the selected product's current instructions before preparing a separation. This guide does not define Angels Print's production layer names or approve a white-ink file.

Clear Plastic Business CardsClear Window Decals

Packaging products

Review the selected box and its current artwork or dieline instructions.

Corrugated Mailer BoxesTuck Top Boxes

Product-specific planning

Selected product guides

These existing product-page guides follow the current selection where available. They help compare options and plan artwork; they do not replace a confirmed production template.

SKU artwork setup

Foam board and large poster files

These dimensions come from the selected product size. The rectangular reference files below use our adopted 0.25 in-per-edge artwork-extension standard. Older supplier notes disagree between a per-edge instruction and their worked example; these references state the chosen arithmetic explicitly. They do not state a cutting or printing tolerance, and they are not proof of a finished physical result.

Foam Board · product 194

  1. Use the chosen W × H as the finished trim size; keep the selected rectangle, square, circle or custom shape distinct from the artboard bounds.
  2. Extend background artwork 0.25 in beyond each trim edge. For a W × H rectangular trim, the artwork bounds are (W + 0.5) × (H + 0.5) in.
  3. Include the approved cut path in the same print-ready file and keep it hidden for print. The selected-shape size guide is only a schematic; it does not generate a cut contour.
  4. Keep vector cut data intact. Add a white-support separation only when that option and its current layer specification are confirmed for the job.

AxiomPrint product page and current size/material/shape options: Foam Board 194. Confirm an irregular cut path and any special separation against the order instructions.

Wheat Paste Poster · product 838

  1. Use the configured W × H as the finished poster trim size. Build at the chosen orientation and keep the file page bounds labeled in inches.
  2. Extend background artwork 0.25 in beyond each trim edge. A W × H rectangular trim therefore needs artwork bounds of (W + 0.5) × (H + 0.5) in.
  3. Prepare print artwork at 150 dpi at final size; a 72 dpi file is for proofing only. Keep any required cut data in the print-ready file and hidden for print.
  4. The current visible configuration is front-only. Do not prepare or promise reverse-side printing from the one-sided option.

AxiomPrint product page and current paper/size/side options: Wheat Paste Poster 838. This page does not specify paste recipe, install surface, weather life or a fit/trim tolerance.

Foam board36×24in referencePDFPoster24×36in referencePDF

Example: a 24 × 36 in finished rectangle uses a 24.5 × 36.5 in artwork field under this 0.25 in-per-edge basis. This is the adopted file-setup arithmetic, not a manufacturing tolerance. The PDFs are blank rectangular references, not irregular cut contours. Print at100% for1:1; magenta is trim and cyan is the outer artwork extent.

Choose by product

Trim, bleed and safe by SKU

These digital profiles keep each product's margins and file route separate. All dimensions below are inches; bleed is per edge and safe is inward from trim. Unknown means no numeric margin is established here. Use references at 100% scale and review the file for the selected item.

Paper card template export

Classic Business Cards

Finished trim
3.5 × 2 in
Bleed per edge
0.25 in
Safe inset
Unknown

Generated PDF: Trim 3.5 × 2; Bleed 4 × 2.5; Media 4.25 × 2.75 in.

Owner-adopted paper-card margin. The extra 0.125 in beyond bleed holds marks. This export is a raster review file; the chosen template must load successfully. A separate Axiom source documents a 0.125 in inward safe guide only for the 3.5 × 2 in rectangle with no rounded corners. Its 0.125 in bleed does not replace our 0.25 in paper-card rule. A second exact source documents a 0.125 in safe inset for the selected 3.35 × 2.16 in rectangle with no rounded corners: a 3.10 × 1.91 in safe area. Its 3.6 × 2.41 in page contains drawn guides; the product Studio retains 0.25 in bleed per side. The separate four-corner 1/8 in rounded sources for 3.5 × 2 and 3.35 × 2.16 in have their own curved trim and safe outlines; neither supplies a Studio safe rule. A separate 3.5 × 2 in four-corner 1/4 in source has nominal 0.25 in trim and safe corners and a 3.25 × 1.75 in safe boundary; it is not a uniform inward offset or a Studio safe rule. The 3.35 × 2.16 in table row for four 1/4 in corners links to a PDF headed 1/8 in; both drawn outlines use nominal 0.25 in corners. That label conflict is preserved and does not confirm a production cut or Studio safe rule. The exact 2 × 2 in square with no rounded corners has a separate source safe area of 1.75 × 1.75 in, inset 0.125 in. Its 2.25 × 2.25 in page boxes are an artboard; our selected product Studio retains 0.25 in bleed per side. Circle, custom sizes and other corners are not covered by this square guide. The separate exact 2 × 2 in four-corner 1/8 in source has nominal 0.125 in trim and safe corners. Its 1.75 × 1.75 in curved safe boundary is not a uniform inward offset and supplies no Studio safe rule. A distinct exact 2 × 2 in four-corner 1/4 in source has nominal 0.25 in trim and safe corners, matching its own table row and heading. Its 1.75 × 1.75 in curved safe boundary is not a uniform inward offset and supplies no Studio safe rule. A distinct exact 2 × 2 in Circle source provides its own cubic trim and 1.75 × 1.75 in safe boundary. The source artboard is 2.25 × 2.25 in; these curves are not an exact mathematical circle or a uniform safe offset. Round Corners is inactive for Circle. Studio safe remains unverified, with 0.25 in bleed per side; the rectangular raster review PDF does not export the source cut curve. Other selections and standalone template exports retain unverified safe areas.

2 × 2 in square safe source PDF2 × 2 in rounded-corner source PDF2 × 2 in four-corner 1/4 in source PDF2 × 2 in Circle source PDFChoose a paper card template3.5 × 2 in square-corner safe source PDF3.35 × 2.16 in square-corner safe source PDF3.5 × 2 in four-corner 1/8 in rounded source PDF3.35 × 2.16 in four-corner 1/8 in rounded source PDF3.5 × 2 in four-corner 1/4 in rounded source PDF3.35 × 2.16 in rounded source PDF · conflicting corner labels

Source template guides

Clear Plastic Business Cards

Finished trim
3.5 × 2 or 3.35 × 2.16 in
Bleed per edge
0.125 in
Safe inset
0.125 in

Source PDF pages: 3.75 × 2.25 or 3.6 × 2.41 in. Follow the drawn trim and safe guides.

The source PDF page boxes coincide; they do not separately encode the finished trim. The 0.125 in margins come from the drawn guides. Keep the two sizes distinct and review White instructions separately.

3.5 × 2 in source PDF3.35 × 2.16 in source PDF

Adopted rectangular reference

Foam Board

Finished trim
36 × 24 in example
Bleed per edge
0.25 in
Safe inset
Unknown

Reference PDF: Trim 36 × 24; Bleed and Media 36.5 × 24.5 in.

Our adopted per-edge arithmetic for this blank rectangle. Other sizes and custom shapes require their own matching geometry. This file does not supply a custom cut contour or finishing tolerance.

36 × 24 in reference PDF

Adopted rectangular reference

Wheat Paste Poster

Finished trim
24 × 36 in example
Bleed per edge
0.25 in
Safe inset
Unknown

Reference PDF: Trim 24 × 36; Bleed and Media 24.5 × 36.5 in.

Our adopted per-edge arithmetic for this blank rectangle, with the current front-only choice. Other sizes need a matching file. This does not establish paste, installation or finishing tolerances.

24 × 36 in reference PDF
Other Studio margin records

The remaining records below have no established numeric SKU bleed or safe margin in the Studio registry. A legacy 0.125 in editor review default is kept separate from a product specification. Box, hardware, fabric and installation guides use their own geometry.

Digital setup reference, reviewed October 11, 2026. These profiles do not qualify supplied material, ink separations or a finished physical order. The general editor default remains separate from these SKU rules.

Before exporting

  1. 1. Choose the exact product.

    Options and artwork rules can differ across products and configurations.

  2. 2. Check its current instructions.

    Use a supplied template or confirmed requirements when available; do not infer dimensions from this guide.

  3. 3. Review the exported file.

    Check page bounds, important content and any required special separations against those instructions.

File preparation FAQ

What is the difference between trim and bleed?

Trim is the intended finished edge. Bleed is artwork that continues beyond that edge so a small shift during printing or trimming is less likely to leave an unprinted sliver. The required bleed amount depends on the selected product and its current instructions.

What belongs in the safe area?

Keep text, logos and other important details inside the product's safe area, away from the intended trim or other finishing boundaries. The safe area is a planning guide; use the selected product's confirmed template or requirements for its actual boundary and spacing.

Does a white layer automatically mean white ink?

No. White ink is a separate print separation or layer only when the selected product and process support it. The required name, format, coverage and stacking or knockout behavior are vendor-specific; follow the current instructions for that product. A white page background alone does not define a white-ink separation.

Can this guide approve my file for production?

No. This is a general explanation, not a template, preflight result or production approval. Check the selected product's current options, artwork instructions and confirmed template before exporting or ordering.

Sources