What to write in your brief to a UK print shop for digital wall art
By Larkspur Editions
AI-assisted artwork, curated by Larkspur Editions.
Taking a digital art file to a UK print shop starts with a clear description of the result you want. Tell the provider the paper size, supplied file format and whether you want the prepared white space retained. Then confirm its paper options and proof process. You can make those decisions without choosing a named service or relying on a broad quality label.
This is Larkspur Editions' own printing guide. Our artwork is generated with AI from our own written prompts, then screened and curated by us. It is not a photograph or a painting. The linked pieces are digital downloads, with no physical print or frame included. A local print shop or online printer can print these files; confirm the chosen provider's requirements before ordering.
Bring the supplied print file
Use the downloaded JPG for the intended size rather than a listing screenshot, social preview or room mock-up. Each download includes prepared A4, A3 and A2 versions at 300 dpi in sRGB. Keep an untouched copy and give the provider the matching print version. Additional files in a package should not be assumed to be the intended print source.
The Low Tide digital download collection offers coastal scenes to explore, while the Line and Leaf digital download collection offers botanical studies. Whichever piece you choose, identify its exact file name in your order. A collection title alone does not tell the shop which image or size to print.
State dimensions rather than a general label
A4 measures 210 by 297 mm, A3 is 297 by 420 mm and A2 is 420 by 594 mm. Reverse width and height for a landscape sheet. Write both the size label and dimensions in your request. That gives the provider a concrete specification, particularly if its online form also uses terms such as poster or art print.
Tell it whether those measurements describe the finished sheet you expect. The frame exterior is a different dimension and should not become the print size by accident. If a mount is involved, check the supplier's picture opening separately. You can ask the shop to confirm its finished sheet size before ordering the frame.
Explain the prepared border
Our supplied files fit the artwork within the paper without cropping, with white space where needed. Tell the provider you want the complete prepared file preserved. Ask whether its process adds a margin, trims the sheet, scales the image or crops to fill the page. Those are separate changes, and the word borderless does not explain all of them.
For a soft coastal composition, compare the Tidewash digital download collection. Estuary Mouth, Mist uses sea-glass blue, bone white and soft grey in watercolour-style washes. If you choose that piece, include the entire file in your request rather than removing lighter edges because they look empty. The treatment describes the generated image's appearance, not a physical watercolour original.
Ask about accepted files and colour handling
Tell the provider that the supplied JPG is in sRGB and prepared for the intended size at 300 dpi. Ask whether it accepts that file directly. If it requests a different specification, ask it to explain the conversion needed for its equipment before changing the download. Keep the original so you can return to the supplied version afterwards.
A screen preview does not guarantee an identical paper result. The screen emits light, while a print is viewed under the light around it. Ask how the provider handles colour and whether a proof is available. Do not ask for an unsupported promise that any paper or printing process will reproduce every screen colour exactly.
Compare paper samples
Ask which stocks the provider offers for the job and whether you can see samples. Compare surface, texture and sheen as separate features. A smooth matte sheet and a textured matte sheet can give you different appearances. Paper weight, usually expressed in gsm, describes mass per area; it does not by itself establish suitability for every printer or guarantee a preferred result.
The Neutral Arches digital download collection gives you simplified shapes to assess on paper. Single Arch in Sand uses sand, clay and cream. A proof can help you judge the lighter areas and flat shapes on your selected stock. Choose from the provider's supported papers and the samples you like rather than treating a heavier sheet as an automatic improvement.
Request a quote for the complete job
Describe the exact sheet size, paper choice, quantity and any proof you want. Ask the shop to confirm the total and what it includes. Clarify whether collection, delivery or other services are separate. This article quotes no printing prices because those depend on the provider and specification. Use its current written quote as your reference.
If you have a date in mind, ask the provider about its actual production and collection or delivery arrangements. A digital artwork download does not set the print shop's turnaround time. Keep those stages separate when planning, and avoid assuming a general service description confirms availability for your particular order.
Send a short, complete brief
You could write: Please print the attached A3 JPG on an A3 sheet, 297 by 420 mm, preserving the complete supplied file and its white space without cropping. The file is supplied at 300 dpi in sRGB. Please confirm compatible paper options, whether a proof is available, the total for the chosen specification and your collection or delivery arrangements.
Once the print is ready, compare its edges and dimensions with the agreed brief, then view the colour in your room's usual lighting. Keep the file name, paper description and order reference together. Those details make a future companion print easier to specify and give you a clear starting point if you need to discuss the result with the shop.
For more on paper surfaces and what a 300 DPI file means, see Printing at home or at a local print shop: paper, settings and what DPI means.