Preparing Your Canva Design for Print

Learning Objectives

• Choose the correct file format for printing your designs
• Set up accurate colours that look right when printed
• Adjust print settings to avoid white borders or cut-off elements
• Export your design for crisp, professional print results

Introduction

Creating a design in Canva is just the first step. Getting it to look perfect when printed requires knowing a few essential techniques. This chapter shows you how to prepare your Canva designs for print, covering everything from file formats to colour accuracy. You'll learn the practical steps to ensure your printed designs match your digital vision.

Lessons

Choosing the Right File Format

The file format you choose affects how your design looks when printed. Here's how to pick the right one:

Step 1: Complete your design in Canva first.

Step 2: Think about what you're printing – is it a business card, flyer, or poster?

Step 3: Choose PDF for most print jobs. It keeps high resolution and works with professional printers.

Step 4: Use PNG for designs with lots of images or graphics to maintain visual quality.

For example, if you're printing a poster with bright photos, PNG often keeps the graphics looking sharper than JPG.

Always preview your PDF in Canva before sending it to print. This helps you spot any issues while you can still fix them.

Getting Colours Right

Colours often look different when printed compared to your screen. Here's how to avoid disappointment:

Step 1: Switch to CMYK colour mode in Canva when designing for print. This matches how printers actually create colours.

Step 2: Ask your printer for a test print or proof before doing a full print run.

Step 3: Use Canva's colour palette tool to get exact hex codes for your brand colours. This helps you stay consistent across digital and print.

This approach prevents nasty surprises and saves money on large print runs.

Setting Up Print Requirements

Getting your margins and spacing right prevents white borders or cut-off text:

Step 1: Turn on bleed in Canva's settings when you start your design (if available for your design type).

Step 2: Keep important text and images at least 5mm from the edges of your design.

Step 3: Check that background colours or patterns extend to the very edges of your design area.

While Canva has limited options for detailed print settings, being careful with your margins helps create printer-friendly designs.

Exporting for Print

Getting your export settings right ensures sharp, clear prints:

Step 1: Click 'Download' in the top right corner of Canva.

Step 2: Select your chosen format (PDF or PNG based on your earlier decision).

Step 3: For PDFs, choose 'Print quality' to get the highest resolution.

Step 4: Check your design at 100% zoom before exporting to catch any blurry elements.

This final check can save you from printing designs that look pixelated or unclear.

Practice

Take one of your existing Canva designs that you want to print. Follow these steps:

1. Switch it to CMYK colour mode
2. Check the margins and move any text away from the edges
3. Export it as a PDF using 'Print quality' settings
4. Print a test page to see how it looks

Compare the printed version to what you see on screen. Note any differences in colour or layout.

FAQs

What resolution should I use for printing from Canva?
Always export at 300 dpi (dots per inch) for sharp, professional prints. Canva's 'Print quality' option automatically sets this.

Why do my printed colours look different from my screen?
Screens use RGB colours (light) while printers use CMYK (ink). Switch to CMYK mode in Canva and request a test print to check colours.

Can I print directly from Canva?
Canva doesn't print your designs, but you can export the files and take them to any professional printer or print them at home.

What's the difference between PDF and PNG for printing?
PDF is better for text-heavy designs and works with all printers. PNG is good for image-heavy designs but creates larger files.

Jargon Buster

CMYK: The four ink colours used in printing – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black). This creates all printed colours.

Bleed: Extra background that extends beyond where the paper gets cut. This prevents white edges on your finished print.

DPI: Dots per inch – how many ink dots fit in one inch. 300 DPI gives sharp, professional prints.

Trim: Where the paper gets cut to its final size after printing.

Wrap-up

You now know how to prepare your Canva designs for professional printing. Remember to use the right file format, set up CMYK colours, mind your margins, and export at print quality. These steps make the difference between amateur-looking prints and professional results.

Start with test prints for important projects, and don't be afraid to ask your printer for advice on specific requirements.

Ready to take your design skills further? Join Pixelhaze Academy for more advanced techniques: https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership