What a print proof actually checks
2026-08-14 · 3 min read
A code's PNG or SVG file tells a print shop what the artwork looks like. It doesn't tell them the physical size it needs to print at, what colour mode to expect it in, or how much clear space has to stay empty around it — and those are exactly the questions that come back on a proof request.
The print-proof PDF puts crop marks, the size in millimetres at the intended module scale, a CMYK note for the ink, and the required quiet zone directly on the sheet that goes to the printer, next to the code itself. It's the same code you already designed — the proof doesn't change the artwork, it just carries the print-production facts the artwork file alone can't.