How to Prepare Your Artwork for a Custom Playmat (Resolution, Bleed, Safe Zones)

Before you send your art for a custom playmat, check three things: resolution, bleed, and safe zones. A couple of minutes on each keeps your print sharp and your important details where you want them.

Resolution: 300 DPI at full size

Your file should be 300 DPI at the actual print size. A screen needs far less than that, which is why an image can look crisp on your phone and still print soft on a 24" mat. For a standard 24" x 14" playmat with bleed, that works out to 7350 x 4350 pixels. An extended 28" x 14" mat needs 8550 x 4350 pixels.

Stretching a small image in an editor won't add detail that was never there. If your image comes up short, go back to the original file or ask the artist for a larger export.

Bleed: add 0.25" on every side

Bleed is extra artwork that runs past the finished edge of the mat. Production trims about 0.25" off each side, so your file needs 0.5" extra width and height in total. A 24" x 14" mat needs a 24.5" x 14.5" file, and a 28" x 28" square mat needs 28.5" x 28.5".

Fill the bleed with artwork. If you leave it white or put a border right at the edge, even a small shift in trimming will show up as a thin white line or an uneven frame.

Safe zone: keep the important stuff 0.5" to 0.75" inside the bleed

Keep text, logos, faces, and zone markings at least 0.5" to 0.75" in from the finished edge. That keeps them clear of trimming and, on stitched mats, keeps them out from under the thread. Backgrounds, skies and textures can run all the way into the bleed. Only the details you'd hate to lose need to stay inside the safe zone.

Check it before you order

The easiest way to check all of this is to upload your file to Playmat Studio. It shows how your art lines up on the mat you picked so that you can move or resize it before anything prints. If you're still deciding on a size, our playmat size guide covers the options. When you're ready, start with our custom playmats.

If something looks off and you can't tell why, send me the file. I'd rather catch it before it reaches the heat press.