How to Prepare Print-Ready Artwork: File Formats, Resolution, and Color Modes

Updated June 2026 · 9 min read · Harborside Print Co.

The single most common cause of delays and disappointing results is artwork that wasn't prepared for print. Here's exactly what we need and why — and what we can fix on our end for free.

Vector vs. raster, in one paragraph

Vector files (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) describe shapes mathematically, so they scale to any size with perfect edges and separate cleanly by color — ideal for screen printing and embroidery digitizing. Raster files (PNG, JPG) are grids of pixels: great for photos and DTF, but they can't be enlarged beyond their resolution.

If you're sending raster, follow these three rules

300 DPI at print size (a 12″ print needs ~3600px width). Transparent background (PNG, not JPG — otherwise your design prints inside a white box). Original file, not a screenshot — screenshots are 72 DPI and look soft at print size.

Color modes

Screens show RGB; presses print differently. Slight shifts between your monitor and the garment are normal — neon and very saturated blues/greens shift most. Your free digital proof is calibrated to what the press actually produces, which is exactly why we send one before printing anything.

Text: outline your fonts

If you send vector art with live text and we don't own your font, the file re-flows. In Illustrator: select all → Type → Create Outlines → save as a copy.

Don't have print-ready art? That's fine

Send what you have — a sketch, an old shirt photo, a description. We'll tell you immediately if it's usable, and in-house design for most simple layouts runs $45–$85, quoted with your proof. Upload your file and we'll take it from there.