Introduction
With Print Mode, Pencil supports an end-to-end print workflow, letting you design with print-specific guides, configure bleed and safe areas, and export production-ready files directly from the editor. Print Mode supports a range of print use cases including:
Magazine ads
Flyers
Point Of Sale (POS) and Retail print materials
Out Of Home (OOH) placement - e.g. billboards, posters, print ads on public transport
Corporate & B2B Materials - e.g. Trade show graphics, branded handouts
Event & Sponsorship Print - e.g. branded programmes, lanyards, signage, pop-up stand graphics
Key Considerations & Definitions
The key parameters when it comes to Print consideration are:
Pixel dimensions
DPI (Dots Per Inch)
Physical size (typically quoted in inches)
For a walkthrough of setup and canvas guides, see What is Print Mode and how do you use it?
Pixel Density refers to the number of pixels per inch of printed output or display area. Typically expressed as DPI (Dots Per Inch) or PPI (Pixels Per Inch), Pixel Density determines how tightly packed those pixels are when printed.
Higher DPI = sharper print at a given physical size
Resolution refers to the total number of pixels in an image and is usually expressed as width x height (e.g. 1920x1080px)
It describes the amount of detail in an image overall.
More pixels = higher potential image clarity if paired with sufficient density.
When preparing for Print, both Resolution and DPI need to be taken into account. A file that is large in terms of pixels doesn't mean it will be sharp enough to print at your desired size.
See the PDF at the bottom of the page for some generic sample print specifications
What's available now?
Export for Print is available in the Editor and we currently offer:
Export at up to 16,000 x 16,000 pixels
Choose from preset print formats (A4, billboards and others) with recommended DPI, or build a custom format by setting width, height, units (pixels or inches), and DPI
Export as PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, or PDF/X-4, the industry-standard print-ready PDF formats. You can also export as a .jpg or .png file
Export in CMYK or RGB, with the option to apply an ICC profile for consistent, accurate colour
Print-specific canvas guides, including bleed, trim, safe area, and crop marks
This will allow users to export designs at the correct size and sharpness for professional printing, including large formats like billboards and trade show backdrops.
Embedding
When preparing files for professional printing, especially in formats like PDF, it’s essential to embed both your images and fonts. This ensures your design prints exactly as intended, regardless of which machine or software the printer uses.
What Does 'Embedding' Mean?
Embedding an image means the image is fully included inside the print file, not just linked to it from your computer.
Embedding a font means the full font file (or the characters used) is included in the document itself, so the text appears exactly as designed.
Think of it as “packing” all necessary parts of your design into one self-contained file.
Why Is Embedding Important?
Area | Why It Matters |
Fonts | If your font is not embedded, the printer's system may substitute it with a default font. This changes the appearance, spacing, and layout of your text, even shifting paragraphs or breaking your design. |
Images | If your images are only linked and not embedded, they may not appear at all when opened by the print shop. You’ll get missing image warnings or blank spaces. Even if low-res previews exist, the final print will look blurry or pixelated. |
Color Accuracy | Embedded images maintain their original color profiles (CMYK or RGB), which is critical for getting the correct printed colors. Linked images can lose this metadata during export. |
Reliability | Embedding creates a consistent, portable file. No matter who opens it or where, your document will look and print the same. This is essential in commercial printing, where speed and precision matter. |
What Can Go Wrong If You Don't Embed?
Fonts get replaced by Arial or Times New Roman
Logos look fuzzy or don’t appear at all
Colors shift unpredictably (e.g., a vibrant blue becomes muted gray)
Your print job gets delayed or rejected by the printer
Layouts break, text overflows, or elements move out of alignment
Best Practices
Export your final file as a PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4, which embeds fonts and flattens transparency
In Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, or Canva, ensure you “Package” your files with fonts and images, or embed everything during PDF export
Always convert text to outlines if fonts can't be embedded (though this makes text uneditable)
For images, use high-resolution (300 DPI) and embed them directly. Do not use low-res previews or links to external files
Double-check the PDF by opening it on another computer or device to confirm nothing is missing
Resources
Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA)
https://oaaa.org/Pixel to Print Size Calculator
https://www.pixelcalculator.com/Adobe Print Production Tools
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/print-production-tools.html