How to Print & Frame Your Christian Art Downloads

What is in your download

Every purchase includes a print-ready PDF and a high-resolution JPEG, prepared at 300 DPI in your chosen size: A5 (148 × 210 mm) or A4 (210 × 297 mm). Both files are free of the watermark shown on our website previews. As a rule of thumb, use the JPEG for home printing and print-on-demand services, and the PDF when a print shop wants trim marks.

Printing at home

A good inkjet printer can produce beautiful results, especially on quality paper. Laser printers are fine for everyday documents but often struggle with rich colour and with photo or fine-art papers.

Printer settings that make a difference

Print at actual size. Choose “Actual size” or “100%” rather than “Fit to page”, so the artwork prints at its true dimensions.
Match the paper type. Tell the printer which paper you are using, such as matte, glossy or fine art. This controls how much ink is laid down.
Choose the highest quality. Select “Best” or “High”. It is slower and uses more ink, but the detail is worth it.
Check borderless options. Many printers enlarge the image slightly for borderless printing, losing a little from each edge. If you want the whole image, print with a narrow white border and trim it.
Print a test first. A quick draft on plain paper confirms the size and position before you use your best sheets.

Choosing paper

Paper weight is measured in grams per square metre (gsm). Everyday office paper is around 80 gsm, which is too thin for art. For prints you want to frame or give, look for:

Matte photo or art paper (about 170–230 gsm): a soft, non-reflective finish that suits icons, folk art and text-led designs.
Satin or lustre photo paper (about 250–300 gsm): richer colour with a gentle sheen, good for Renaissance and Baroque pieces with deep shadows.
Fine-art paper (about 190–310 gsm): textured papers that give a gallery feel. Check that your printer can take heavier sheets; many need the rear or manual feed.

Glossy paper gives vivid colour but can show glare behind glass, so many people prefer matte or satin for framing.

Using a print shop

Any local print shop, copy centre or photo lab can print your files. Email the PDF or bring it on a USB stick, ask for your chosen size on a heavyweight silk or matte paper, and request a single proof if you are ordering several copies. Professional printers give consistent colour, which is useful when a church wants matching prints along a corridor or around a hall.

Print-on-demand with Prodigi

For a gallery-quality finish without leaving home, we recommend Prodigi, a UK-based print-on-demand company. Prodigi offers fine-art papers, framing and delivery, so you can upload your high-resolution JPEG, choose a paper or frame, and have the finished piece sent to you or straight to the person receiving your gift. Check their current options before ordering, as papers, frames and prices change.

Bleed and crop marks explained

When a picture runs right to the edge of the paper, printers face a small problem: no trimming machine cuts in exactly the same place every time, so a hairline of white can appear along an edge. Bleed solves this.

Bleed is an extra 3 mm of image beyond the finished edge on every side. An A4 artwork with bleed measures 216 × 303 mm before trimming.
Crop marks are thin lines outside the image that show exactly where to cut.

The PDF with bleed and crop marks is printed on a slightly larger sheet, then trimmed along the marks with a guillotine, or a craft knife and metal ruler. At home, an A5 artwork with bleed fits comfortably on an A4 sheet. An A4 artwork with bleed needs a larger sheet, so it is best handled by a print shop. If you are not planning to trim, simply print without bleed.

Framing your print

Standard paper sizes make framing easy, and ready-made frames in A5 and A4 are widely available.

Frame sizes at a glance

A5 print without a mount: an A5 frame.
A5 print with a mount: an A4 frame with a mount cut for A5, or an 8 × 10 inch frame with a suitable mount.
A4 print without a mount: an A4 frame.
A4 print with a mount: an A3 frame or a 30 × 40 cm frame with a mount cut for A4.

A mount, the card border between picture and frame, gives the artwork room to breathe and keeps the print away from the glass. Mount openings are usually a few millimetres smaller than the print, so the edges sit neatly behind the card. Ivory or soft white mounts suit most pieces, while a dark mount can deepen a Baroque or iconographic image.

Getting the colour right

Screens glow; paper reflects. That is why prints often look slightly darker than the image on your monitor. A few habits help:

Turn your screen brightness down a little when judging colour.
Use the printer manufacturer's settings for the exact paper you choose.
Run a nozzle check if colours look streaky or wrong.
Let inkjet prints dry for a day before framing them behind glass.
Hang framed prints out of direct sunlight to reduce fading.

If you get stuck, our printing and framing help and frequently asked questions may have the answer, or you can ask us directly.