Best Practices Guide For Fine Art Printing

If you’re looking to order a print using your own file there are some important things to consider which we discuss below.  Just know you’re not alone and we’re here to help!  We also review every file manually before it goes to print to ensure the best print possible.

Accepted File Types: We recommend uploading JPG files, as they are more efficient in size without losing quality. However, TIFF files (up to 100MB for online orders) are also accepted. Although TIFF is a lossless format, saving your final image as a high-quality JPG offers virtually identical print quality. For TIFF files, we recommend using 8-bit LZW compression to minimize file size, especially if TIFF is your preferred format.  PNG files are accepted as well!

Please note that our online ordering system does not accept PDF files. If you need to use a PDF, contact us directly to arrange your order.

File Size & Resolution: Please upload your file in its original resolution without resizing, as artificially adding pixels through Lightroom or Photoshop typically doesn’t enhance print quality. If resizing could improve quality, we’ll handle that on our end with industry leading AI enhancement tools. Files up to 100MB are accepted through our online system, but TIFF files without compression may exceed this size limit. For files over 100MB, avoid resizing or apply LZW compression to keep the file size manageable without sacrificing quality.

The minimum required image size is about 600px on the shortest side. Our system will notify you if your file doesn’t meet the minimum resolution requirement for a print as well as let you know the max print size the file will allow. However, if you need a print size larger than what our online system allows please contact us since it’s possible we can resize the image using AI tools to achieve the desired print size.

Viewing Print Size in Photoshop: Viewing your image at print size or 100% in Photoshop doesn’t accurately preview its final print appearance. Follow the steps in this article to adjust your Photoshop settings for a true-to-size print preview. This process mirrors what we use and can save time in determining the best print size. Contact us if you need help setting up Photoshop or don’t have access to it.

Color Spaces (sRGB, Adobe 1998, ProPhoto): Ensure that your files are in RGB, as CMYK files will be converted to RGB for printing. Most labs accept the sRGB color space to closely match on-screen colors. However, Bumblejax also supports Adobe 1998 and ProPhoto color spaces for those with calibrated wide-gamut monitors. While these wider color spaces offer a larger color range, monitor calibration is essential to accurately match print colors. For many users, sRGB will work well, but for professional photography setups, we recommend using Adobe 1998.

TIP: It should be noted that we are increasingly moving some images from sRGB to P3 by default due to a sizable improvement in color.  The P3 colorspace was developed by Apple and offers a wider color gamut (about 25% more than sRGB), while maintaining true colors.  Sometimes, switching to Adobe 1998 or Pro Photo with much wider color gamuts can yield results that require significant editing by a professional.

Bleed Requirement: You don’t need to add bleed to the file since we take care of that. Please note that up to ⅛” may be trimmed from all sides, so keep important details at least ¼” from the edges. If necessary, we can use content-aware adjustments to preserve edge details, but feel free to contact us if you’re concerned about trimming.

Color Accuracy & Brightness (Monitor Calibration, ICC Profiles, Test Prints): Our printers and monitors are calibrated for color accuracy. If you need precise color matching, calibrate your monitor with a professional tool, such as X-rite or Datacolor Spyder, and check settings every 30 days.  For exact color matching, a paper proof is recommended before placing a full order.  For most customers, a paper proof isn’t necessary.

Avoid Dark Prints: Printed photos often appear darker than backlit screens. Before judging print colors or brightness, adjust your monitor’s brightness to 50-60% and view prints in natural or direct lighting. Professional calibration tools adjust for room lighting, but simply lowering brightness may also help for most users. We receive frequent questions about color correction and do so only with customer input to ensure results meet expectations.

When comparing your printed photos to their digital counterparts on a backlit monitor, it’s essential to avoid a common pitfall. Monitors project light, while prints reflect light, so it’s crucial to adjust your viewing environment before making judgments about the print’s color or brightness.

View Your Print in the Right Light Before deciding that the print colors are off or too dark, try the following:

• Adjust your monitor brightness to around 50-60% to get a more accurate representation of the print.
• View the print in plenty of natural light or under overhead art lighting.

While calibration tools can help adjust your monitor brightness according to the room’s lighting, we recommend a more straightforward approach. As for color correction, this is a highly subjective matter, and what looks good to us may not be to your taste. We will only adjust colors after discussing them with you.

Every single file is manually reviewed before going to print and we will contact you if there are any obvious issues.  If you have any concerns about your print file feel free to get in touch!