File Quality Check

TLDR

Use a PDF when you can. It’s the most reliable way to keep sizing at 100% and avoid “my printer did something weird” moments.
Resolution matters: aim for 300 DPI minimum at final card size. 600 DPI is safer for tiny rules text and mana symbols.
Add bleed: extend background art past the cut line (usually 0.125 in / 3 mm on each edge) so you don’t get sad little white slivers.
Keep text safe: don’t park rules text, mana costs, or collector info right on the edge. Cutting has tolerance.
No “Fit to Page.” That setting has ruined more proxy nights than mana screw. Print at Actual Size / 100%.

The painful truth: most “bad prints” are actually bad files

Printers can sense confidence and punish it. Translation: if your file is low-res, cropped tight, or exported with “helpful” scaling, your print will come out blurry, clipped, or slightly wrong-sized.

This File Quality Check is for anyone uploading their own layouts, custom art, or DIY sheet files and wants the finished cards to look clean in sleeves and readable mid-game.

The 60-second File Quality Check (pass/fail)

If you can say “yes” to these, you’re probably good:

Size: My cards are built at the correct final size (and not stretched).
Scale: I exported and will print at 100% / Actual Size (no auto-scaling).
Resolution: My artwork is 300 DPI+ at final size (not upscaled from a tiny image).
Bleed: My background/art extends past the cut line (no white edges after trimming).
Safe zone: Critical text is comfortably away from the edge.
File format: I’m submitting a print-ready PDF (or high-quality PNGs that were built at the correct size).
Compression: I did not use a screenshot, thumbnail, or “small file size” export preset.

If one of those is a “no,” fix it now. You’ll save time, money, and that specific kind of frustration where you stare at a blurry Sol Ring and whisper, “I paid for this.”

1) Size and scale: get the physical card right first

For traditional Magic cards, you’re designing around approximately 2.5 in x 3.5 in (about 6.3 cm x 8.8 cm). That “approximately” matters because different tools and templates round slightly differently. Close is usually fine. “Slightly off” is what makes a deck feel wrong in a stack.

What to check:

Card dimensions: Your file should match the intended card size at export time.
No stretching: Don’t drag-resize art until it “looks right.” Use exact dimensions.
Print at 100%: If your print dialog says “Fit” or “Shrink to printable area,” you are about to create proxies for a different game.

Quick sanity test:

View your exported file at 100% zoom on screen. Text should look crisp, not fuzzy.
Print one test card on plain paper at Actual Size and compare it to a sleeved real card (or a known-good proxy).

2) Bleed and safe zone: avoid white edges and chopped text

Cutting is accurate, but it’s not psychic. Every print shop has tolerances, and a tiny shift during trimming can expose unprinted edges.

Use two invisible boundaries:

Bleed: Extra image area that gets trimmed off. This prevents white edges.
Safe zone: A margin inside the trim where important text should stay.

Rules of thumb that work:

Bleed: Add 0.125 in (1/8 inch) on each edge for full-bleed designs.
Safe zone: Keep critical text comfortably inside the edge. If you’re doing borderless or custom layouts, give yourself extra breathing room.

If you are using classic MTG-style frames, you’re usually safe because the frame already creates a built-in margin. If you’re doing full-art, borderless, or alt frames, you need to be intentional.

3) Resolution: the difference between “clean” and “muddy”

DPI (or PPI) is just “how many pixels you’re cramming into an inch.” Small cards with tiny text are unforgiving.

Baseline guidance:

300 DPI at final size is the minimum for clean printing.
600 DPI is often noticeably better for fine text and crisp symbols.

A quick way to think about it:

At 300 DPI, a ~2.5 x 3.5 in card is roughly 750 x 1050 pixels (ballpark).
If your file is dramatically smaller than that, it will print soft.
If you “increase DPI” without increasing actual pixels, you didn’t improve anything. You just renamed the problem.

Common traps:

Screenshots: They look okay on a phone, then print like soup.
Upscaling: Enlarging a small image doesn’t create detail. It creates bigger blur.
Over-compression: JPEG artifacts love gradients and dark areas. MTG art has both.

4) Color and contrast: your screen is lying (politely)

Print is physical. Screens are bright little liars with backlights.

Practical checks that prevent disappointment:

Readable text wins: If your rules text is low-contrast on screen, it will be worse in print.
Black text: Small black text should be clean and solid. Avoid “almost black” for rules text.
Saturated colors: Neon-bright colors often dull a bit in print. Plan for it.
Dark art: If the whole card is dark, your name line and mana cost need extra contrast.

If your proxies are meant for webcam play too (SpellTable, Discord pods), contrast matters even more. Cameras hate low-contrast text and glare loves shiny sleeves.

5) Export settings that stop printers from doing printer things

This is the “don’t let software help you” section.

Best practices:

Preferred format: PDF for print layouts.
Embed fonts: If your text uses special fonts, embed them or outline them. Missing fonts can reflow text and wreck alignment.
Keep vectors vector: Text and simple shapes should stay vector when possible.
Avoid “smallest file size” presets: They often downsample images.
Flatten weird transparency if needed: Drop shadows and overlays can export strangely if you’re using the wrong PDF standard.

If you have the option: exporting a print-ready PDF standard (like PDF/X) can reduce surprises. If you don’t know what that means, don’t panic. The core win is still: correct size, correct resolution, bleed, and 100% scale.

6) Common problems and the fast fix

Here’s the “diagnose in one glance” table.

What you see	Likely cause	Fix
Blurry rules text	Low-res source image or upscaled art	Rebuild from higher-res art, aim 300–600 DPI at final size
White slivers on edges	No bleed (background ends at trim)	Extend background past trim (add 0.125 in bleed)
Text chopped off	No safe zone	Move critical text inward
Cards slightly wrong size	“Fit to page” or scaling	Print/export at 100% / Actual Size
Banding in gradients	Heavy compression	Export higher quality, avoid aggressive JPEG compression
Washed-out darks	Color conversion + low contrast	Increase contrast slightly, avoid near-black text

7) The tiny test that saves the whole order

Before you submit a full deck:

Print one page on plain paper at 100%.
Cut one card (roughly is fine).
Sleeve it in front of a basic land.
Check readability at arm’s length. If you can’t read it casually, it won’t feel good in play.

This is boring advice. It is also undefeated.

8) Quick note on proxies and sanctioned play

We’re proxy-friendly for playtesting and casual Commander. We’re also not here to help anyone counterfeit. If you’re playing a sanctioned event, you generally need authentic Magic cards, with narrow judge-issued proxy exceptions for damage during that event. If you’re playing casually, it’s a Rule 0 conversation. Ask early, be clear, and you’ll avoid 90% of proxy drama.

FAQs

What’s the best file format to submit?

A print-ready PDF is usually the safest because it preserves layout, sizing, and text clarity.

Is 300 DPI enough for MTG proxies?

Often yes, especially for normal frames. If your layout has tiny text, fine linework, or lots of detail, 600 DPI is safer.

Why do my cards look fine on screen but blurry in print?

Because screens hide low resolution with glow and optimism. Print shows the truth. You likely started with low-res art, used a screenshot, or exported with downsampling.

Do I really need bleed?

If you want full-bleed art with no white edges, yes. Bleed is the difference between “looks pro” and “looks like I cut this at 1 a.m. with scissors.”

Can I use proxies in tournaments?

Not as player-made substitutes in sanctioned events. Judge-issued proxies exist for limited situations (usually damage during the event). Casual play is up to the organizer and the group.