What is a design proof (2020 update)

A design proof is a digital representation of your sticker.

In other words, it shows you how your stickers will look once printed and you have them in your hands.

Here are some examples comparing the digital proof to the final printed sticker:

You’ll see a number of coloured lines on the design proofs. These indicate where your sticker will be cut. The coloured lines won’t show on your sticker!

Here is what they mean:

1. A pink line shows the thru cut. This is the edge of your sticker.
2. A green line shows the kiss cut. This is where only the vinyl will be cut through and not the backing paper, meaning the border will extend to the magenta line.
3. A grey background is used for clear stickers to represent the transparent part.

Why are design proofs important?

You may have seen us refer to design proofs but you might not know what this means and how you benefit from it.

The design proof stage is an important step in your custom sticker ordering process.

It allows you to confirm that everything looks right before we print. It’s much easier to make changes before printing.

It’s important to check your proof thoroughly.

We will print the image we’ve shown you. If there is a spelling mistake or another error in the proof, expect it to show in the final printed sticker.

How long will it take to get my design proof?

We won’t keep you waiting; our designers work quickly and accurately so you can get your stickers as soon as possible. Within 12 working hours (or sooner) to be exact.

What to do with a proof

Now you know what a proof is, you may still be unsure what you need to do once you get one. This is your chance to ensure that you’re totally happy with the product that you’re going to receive.

Things to check for include:

• Layout - is everything in the right place?
• Spelling - are there any typos or spelling errors?
• Cut lines - are they placed where you want them to be?
• Colours - do the colours match what you want?
• Size - are the dimensions correct?

An important point about colour

The colour on your phone or computer screen will not be 100% identical to the end product.

This is because your sticker is made from ink using CMYK (cyan, yellow, magenta & black) whereas your screen uses light to make colour in RGB (red, green & blue).

99% of the time this is no problem because both methods can create a range of colours that are the same.

It is mainly a problem with fluorescent colours. We will, however, highlight the issue to you when sending a proof if we feel the digital, on-screen colour isn’t a good match. So no need to worry.

If you need a very exact colour, you can send us a sample (or Pantone code) and our designers will match it as close as possible.

Can I request changes to my design proof?

You can ask us to change any detail you like about your sticker as we want you to be 100% happy with the product you’re going to receive.

Whether you want the borders to be wider, to slightly adjust the size, tweak the colours or even switch sticker type, we will endeavour to make all the changes you need or want.

Simply request changes against your design proof and our team will quickly adjust your proof, ready to be sent back to you for approval.