Colour Print Format
The colour model used in lithographic and digital print is known as CMYK. Designs for
The colour model used in lithographic and digital print is known as CMYK. Designs for
Lithographic and digital printing use a wide range of materials and sizes, and it’s important
Preparing your files for print can seem confusing to the uninitiated. Follow our quick checklist
Lithographic and digital printing use a wide range of materials and sizes, and it’s important to know your canvas before you start designing.
The A-series of paper sizes are standard in the UK and are used for everything from large format posters, right down to postcards and smaller. The largest sheet size is A0, which decreases by half as the numbers go up (for example, A5 is half the size of A4).
The table below shows A-series sizes in millimetres and inches, along with an example of the most common uses.
| A0 | 841 x 1189 mm | 33.1 x 46.8“ | Posters, Signs, Wrapping Paper |
| A1 | 594 x 841 mm | 23.4 x 33.1” | Posters, Signs, Flip charts, Architectural Drawings |
| A2 | 420 x 594 mm | 16.5 x 23.4” | Posters, Desk Pads, Wrapping Paper |
| A3 | 297 x 420 mm | 11.7 x 16.5” | Posters, Menus, Folded Leaflets, Placemats |
| A4 | 210 x 297 mm | 8.3 x 11.7” | Booklets, Posters, Flyers, Menus, Letterheads, Forms |
| A5 | 148.5 x 210 mm | 5.8 x 8.3” | Flyers, Folded Leaflets, Postcards, Forms |
| A6 | 105 x 148.5 mm | 4.1 x 5.8” | Flyers, Greeting Cards, Postcards, Compliment Slips, Stickers |
| A7 | 74 x 105 mm | 2.9 x 4.1” | Stickers, Tickets, Labels, Cards |
| A8 | 52 x 74 mm | 2.0 x 2.9” | Stickers |
Other common paper sizes include 210 x 99mm (a third of an A4 sheet) for compliment slips, and 85 x 55mm for business cards (this is the same size as a credit card).
Always check your canvas size when beginning a project, to avoid having to make time-consuming adjustments later.