(a friendly reminder from your local print broker)
Let’s be honest — we’ve all been there. You’ve designed your new business cards in Canva, picked a nice font, chosen your brand colours (ish), and proudly hit download for print. It looks great on screen… what could possibly go wrong?
At Tiny Fish, we love when our clients get creative. But after more than 20 years in the printing industry, we’ve learned that what you see on your screen and what comes off the press aren’t always the same thing. That’s why letting a print professional check your files before printing can save you time, money, and a small heartbreak.
Here’s why it matters (and how we make it easy).
Fonts Have Feelings Too
That beautiful handwritten font might look elegant on your laptop, but if it’s too thin or too small, it can disappear completely in print. What looked like “exclusive minimalism” suddenly reads as “invisible text.” We make sure your fonts are legible, correctly embedded, and ready to shine — not vanish.
Colours Don’t Speak RGB
Your screen shows colours in RGB (light), while printers use CMYK (ink). Translation: that bright electric blue you loved might turn out more like polite navy. A quick professional check ensures your colours print the way you intended — not the way your monitor decided.
Bleeds, Margins, and Other Little Mysteries
If your artwork goes right to the edge, it needs a “bleed” (extra image area) so you don’t end up with white lines around your beautiful design. And margins? They’re not just decoration — they keep your logo from being accidentally trimmed. We make sure your layout survives the cutting stage in style.
File Formats Matter
A file that’s perfect for social media is not perfect for print. (We’ve received more than a few screenshots in our time!) We’ll double-check that your file is in the correct format, resolution, and colour mode before it heads to the printer.
It’s Quick, Easy — and Worth It
At Tiny Fish, we always do a quick check before sending files to print. It’s a small step that can save a lot of stress. If something needs adjusting, we’ll let you know right away — so you get the result you imagined, not a surprise in a box.
The Bottom Line
DIY design tools like Canva are fantastic for creativity — but they’re not a substitute for professional print knowledge. Think of it like cooking: just because you can make a good salad doesn’t mean you’re ready to run a restaurant.
Let us handle the technical stuff — fonts, colours, bleeds, and print specs — so your design looks as good on paper as it does on screen.