How to Prepare Artwork for Printing on Boxes and POS Displays | Complete Guide 2026
Well-prepared print-ready artwork means perfect results — no distortion, no misregistration. This guide covers everything you need to know: how to set up your files correctly, place text and images, and account for production tolerances. Follow these rules and your print will turn out exactly as intended.
Artwork Requirements for Print
To achieve the best print quality, please supply artwork in the correct format and specification — without modifying the original dieline template we provide.
✅ File format: Print-quality PDF (minimum version 1.3)
✅ Artwork type: Vector for maximum sharpness
✅ Image resolution: Min. 300 DPI at 1:1 scale
✅ Colour mode: CMYK for accurate colour reproduction
✅ Fonts: Converted to outlines or embedded in the PDF
✅ Template: Place your artwork directly into our dieline template (on a separate layer)
✅ QR and barcodes: Converted to vector format
✅ Minimum font size: 9pt (approx. 3 mm cap height) for legibility
How to Use the Dieline Template for Artwork Placement
The structural dieline PDF we provide as an artwork template contains the construction lines of the product, labels for individual panels, and marked bleed areas to ensure sufficient artwork overlap at the cut and fold lines.
The PDF you send back must include our dieline template intact and with no colour changes. We recommend placing your artwork directly into the PDF file we supply, on a separate layer.
Golden rule: never move the structural lines. They are the fixed reference for positioning your artwork.
Step-by-step process:
- Open the dieline in your design application — Affinity Designer or Adobe Illustrator (not Photoshop)
- Lock the layer containing the structural lines — to prevent accidental movement
- Create a new layer for your artwork and place logos, text, and images in CMYK colour mode
- Extend the artwork to the bleed area — this ensures no unprinted edges remain after cutting
- Export as PDF and send it back to us
Alternative Option: Standalone Artwork Without Cut Lines
As a last resort, you may supply a flat artwork sheet without cut lines. However, we do not recommend this approach — it requires manual intervention on our side and subsequent approval of the layout, which delays production. Wherever possible, always use the complete dieline.
Bleed and Safe Zone
Artwork for printing on boxes and POS displays must extend at least 10 mm beyond the cut line on all sides. Without proper bleed, you risk unprinted white edges along the folds and cuts of the finished packaging.
Keep all critical elements (text, logos) at least 5–10 mm inside the cut line.
Most Common Artwork Mistakes to Avoid
Incorrectly prepared artwork can lead to poor print quality, affecting the overall appearance of your packaging or display and creating an unwanted visual impression for your customers. Beyond the basic artwork requirements listed above, these are the most common issues we encounter:
1. Do Not Place Artwork Flush to the Edge
Colour areas should never end exactly at the edge of the packaging (see examples below). Either let the artwork extend smoothly beyond the edge as bleed, or leave a sufficiently large safe margin around the design.
2. Avoid Lines Running Across Joints
Horizontal or vertical lines running around the full perimeter of the packaging may not align perfectly once the box is folded and glued (for example, after closing the lid). Even a slight shift can break the visual continuity of the design. Ideally, lines should not cross glued joints or non-continuous panel connections.
3. Avoid Borders and Lines Parallel to Panel Edges
Due to folding tolerances, borders or lines designed parallel to panel edges can create asymmetric gaps — for example, a noticeably wider margin on one side of a frame. We recommend avoiding this type of design element altogether.
Text Legibility and Image Placement
When designing artwork, always consider how the packaging or display will actually be used. Text must be legible at normal viewing distance, and images must be oriented correctly. A few simple rules during the design stage will ensure the best possible result.
1. Correct Orientation of Text and Images
Beyond the recommended minimum font size for easy reading (ideally at least 3 mm cap height for medium-sized packaging), pay attention to text orientation once the box is assembled. When rotating the box around its vertical axis, the artwork on side panels must not appear upside down.
For rectangular box formats, text on the front panel and lid should be easily readable without having to turn the box into an awkward position.
2. Adapting Artwork for Tall Structures
For POS displays, freestanding totems, or tall prismatic packaging, side panel artwork should be adapted either to the direction of customer movement around the display (text horizontal), or to a front-facing view. Side panel text should be designed for natural reading without the need to rotate the unit.
3. Correct Placement of Images and Photographs
Position images and text elements so that panel transitions do not cause distortion or awkward breaks in the design. No visual element should cross panel edges in a way that compromises legibility or the overall aesthetic of the packaging or display.
4. Production Tolerances and Their Impact on Print Registration
Standard production tolerances allow for a shift of approximately 2–5 mm on single-sided print and 4–10 mm on double-sided print relative to the cut and fold lines. The actual variance depends on the production technology, material type and its properties, and factors such as ambient humidity, which affects the physical behaviour of corrugated board and carton.
For this reason, avoid placing critical design elements (text, logos, borders) too close to panel edges when preparing your artwork.
Struggling with Artwork Preparation? We’re Here to Help.
We know that preparing print-ready artwork for boxes, packaging, and displays is a specialist skill — and it can be tricky. Just like you, we want the final result to look its best and meet your expectations.
If you’re unsure about any aspect of your artwork, get in touch — we’re happy to advise on the best way to prepare your files for print. 😊
If you don’t have an in-house designer, our graphic designer can prepare the artwork for you — with years of experience in packaging design. See our indicative pricing for design services.