designing Your Artwork on Canva: What to Keep in Mind for High-Quality Print
Designing your own marketing materials has never been easier thanks to Canva. It’s an excellent tool for small businesses, tradies, and local organisations who want to create professional-looking designs without expensive software.
However, when it comes to printing your designs, there are a few important things to keep in mind to ensure your final product looks just as good on paper as it does on screen. At Allprint Brisbane, we often receive Canva files for printing — and we’re here to help you get the best possible result every time.
1. Start with the Correct Document Size
Before you start designing, make sure your Canva canvas matches the exact size of your final printed product. Whether it’s a business card, flyer, brochure, or banner, using the correct size ensures your layout and proportions print correctly.
Tip:
You can set a custom size in Canva (in millimetres) when you create a new design. For example:
DL brochure: 99 x 210 mm
If you’re unsure which size to use, our team at Allprint Brisbane can help confirm the correct print dimensions.
2. Add Bleed and Safe Margins
One of the most common mistakes in print design is forgetting the bleed area. Bleed ensures your background or images extend slightly beyond the trim line so there are no unwanted white borders after cutting.
In Canva:
Go to File > Show Print Bleed to display the bleed area.
Extend your background or images all the way to the bleed edge.
Keep important text and logos at least 3–5 mm inside the safe area to prevent trimming issues.
If you send us your file with proper bleed, it guarantees a clean, professional edge on your printed product.
3. Use High-Resolution Images
Canva is great for accessibility, but not all images on the platform are suitable for print. Low-resolution images may look fine on your screen but will appear pixelated or blurry once printed.
To ensure sharp printing:
Use images that are at least 300 DPI (dots per inch).
Avoid screenshots or small web images.
Upload your own high-quality photos if possible.
Remember: the better the image resolution, the better the print outcome.
4. Choose the Right Colour Mode – CMYK vs RGB
Screens display colours in RGB (Red, Green, Blue), while printers use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) inks. This means colours can appear slightly different when printed.
Currently, Canva designs are created in RGB by default. While printing presses uses advanced printer machines that handle colour conversion accurately, it’s a good idea to:
Avoid overly bright or neon colours (they can’t be reproduced exactly in CMYK).
Do a test print on your home printer to check how colours translate.
If you need exact brand colour matching, let us know — we can help adjust your artwork for accurate print colour results.
5. Export Your Design in the Correct Format
When your Canva design is ready for print, export it properly to maintain quality.
Best export settings:
File type: PDF Print
Tick Crop marks and bleed
Tick Flatten PDF if available (helps prevent font issues)
Avoid sending PNG or JPEG files for print unless requested — PDF Print files give the best results and preserve the sharpness of your text and graphics.
6. Double-Check Spelling and Layout
Once your artwork is exported, take a few minutes to proofread your text and check alignment. A simple typo or off-centre logo can be costly to fix after printing. Canva’s “Preview” mode lets you see how your design looks without gridlines or guides.
Our team also performs a quick artwork check before printing, but final proofreading is always best done by you.
7. Need Help Getting It Print-Ready?
At Allprint Brisbane, we make the printing process easy — even if you’ve designed your artwork yourself on Canva. You can simply share your Canva link or upload your PDF Print file, and we’ll handle the rest.
We can assist with:
- Setting up bleed and margins correctly
- Colour adjustments for better printing
- Layout tweaks for trimming accuracy
Our goal is to ensure your final printed piece looks professional, crisp, and exactly how you envisioned it.
Final Thoughts
Creating your artwork in Canva is a fantastic way to take control of your brand visuals — but small details can make a big difference in print quality. By following these simple guidelines, you’ll ensure your designs look stunning when printed by Allprint Brisbane.
Need expert advice?
Contact our friendly team today for help preparing your Canva artwork for print. We’re here to make sure your marketing materials leave a lasting impression.
Call today to discuss about your project
Ph: 07 3261 8869
Email us at sales@allprintbrisbane.com.au
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