Common Artwork Mistakes and How to Fix Them: A Pre-Flight Checklist for Your Logo

You have secured your vector file. You have chosen the perfect product. You are on the home stretch. But this is where many well-intentioned promotional campaigns hit an unexpected roadblock: the artwork proof. Nothing deflates excitement faster than receiving a proof from your supplier with a dreaded "ARTWORK ISSUE" flag, especially when you thought you had provided everything correctly.

These issues are not merely minor technicalities. They are the difference between a product that amplifies your brand's professionalism and one that inadvertently undermines it. The good news is that nearly all of these common mistakes are easily preventable. By understanding what to look for, you can become your own first line of defence, ensuring a smooth and efficient path to a perfect final product.

Let's explore the three most frequent artwork pitfalls and exactly how to resolve them.

Mistake 1: The Low-Resolution Image

This is the most common and critical error. It stems from the confusion between what looks good on a screen and what is required for physical printing.

• The Problem: You provide a logo pulled from your website footer or a small image used in a PowerPoint presentation. On screen, it looks fine. But these images are typically low-resolution (72 PPI) and physically small. When the artwork is enlarged to fit on a pen, t-shirt, or mug, the limited number of pixels are stretched, resulting in a blurry, blocky, and unprofessional print.
• How to Identify It: You have already learned the best tool: The Zoom Test. If your file becomes pixelated when zoomed in to 300-400%, it is not suitable for printing. Another tell-tale sign is a very small file size (e.g., a logo that is only 50 KB).
• The Fix:
• The Only True Fix: Source a true vector file (as outlined in our previous articles). This solves the resolution problem permanently.
• The Workaround: If a vector is absolutely unavailable, you must provide the highest-resolution raster file possible. It should be at least 300 PPI at the exact size you intend to print it. For example, a 3-inch wide logo on a banner needs to be 900 pixels wide (3 inches x 300 PPI) to be print-ready.

Mistake 2: The RGB vs. CMYK Colour Mismatch

Your brand colours are sacred. You have a specific blue, and you expect to see that same blue everywhere. However, the digital world and the physical printing world speak different colour languages.

• The Problem: Digital screens use RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colour mode, which creates colours by mixing light. This spectrum is vibrant and includes colours that cannot be replicated with standard printing inks. Physical printing, however, uses CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black), which creates colours by mixing inks on a substrate. Some bright RGB blues, greens, and reds simply fall outside the printable CMYK colour gamut and will appear muted or dull when printed.
• How to Identify It: You can often see this issue in your digital proof. Does the colour look flatter or less vibrant than the logo on your website? This is a classic sign of an RGB-to-CMYK conversion. You can also check the colour mode in advanced design software like Adobe Illustrator.
• The Fix:
• For Guaranteed Colour Accuracy: Provide your PMS (Pantone Matching System) number. PMS is a standardized colour ink system. Specifying "PMS 300" ensures your supplier uses that exact pre-mixed ink, guaranteeing colour consistency regardless of the printing method. This is the gold standard for brand colour integrity.
• For General Consistency: If you do not have a PMS colour, ensure your designer provides your logo files in CMYK colour mode. While this may still result in a slight shift from what you see on screen, it will be a more accurate representation of the final printed outcome.

Mistake 3: The Missing Fonts

This mistake occurs when you provide a non-vector file (like an editable PDF or a native design software file) but the fonts used in your logo are not embedded or outlined.

• The Problem: Your logo file is sent to the decorator. When they open it, their computer does not have the specific licensed font your designer used. The software automatically substitutes it with a default font (often Arial or Times New Roman). Your beautifully crafted custom typography is suddenly replaced, distorting your brand identity entirely.
• How to Identify It: This is tricky for a non-designer to spot before sending the file. The most common indicator is receiving a proof where the text in your logo looks wrong or uses a completely different font.
• The Fix:
• The Best Practice: Convert to Outlines. In any professional design software, the text in your logo should be "converted to outlines" or "create outlines." This action transforms the text from editable type into a vector shape. It is no longer a font but a unique graphic, eliminating font substitution issues entirely. This is the standard for final print-ready artwork.
• The Alternative: Provide the Fonts. If you must provide an editable file, you will need to include the font files along with your logo. This is more cumbersome and requires ensuring you have the legal license to distribute the font for commercial use.

Your Pre-Submission Artwork Checklist

Before you send your files to your promotional products partner, run through this quick list:

• File Format: Is my logo in a vector format (.AI, .EPS, .PDF from vector software)?
• Zoom Test: Does my logo remain sharp and clear when zoomed in to 400%?
• Colour Mode: Have I confirmed my logo uses CMYK or a PMS colour for print?
• Fonts: Has all text in my logo been converted to outlines?
• Spell Check: Have I meticulously checked the spelling of all text in the design?

A Key Insight: An Ounce of Prevention
Addressing these issues upfront is not just about avoiding delays; it is about taking full control of your brand's visual presentation. A few minutes of diligence before submission can save days of back-and-forth corrections and prevent the manufacturing of products that do not meet your standards. Your promotional products consultant is your ally in this process, but by providing clean, correct artwork from the start, you transition from a client who needs help to a partner who understands the craft.

With your artwork perfectly prepared, you are ready to master the final element of brand consistency: colour. In our next article, we will delve into the world of the Pantone Matching System (PMS) and how it guarantees your brand colours are reproduced perfectly, every single time.