Help / Prepare Your Image Files

Preamble

Our technicians do not modify your files because we respect your file as you have prepared it.
We recommend that you prepare your files in the desired final format by following the instructions and recommendations below.

Accepted file types

File format	TIFF (LZW accepted) without layers JPEG ("maximum quality" recommended) PDF ("maximum quality" recommended)
Color space	RGB CMYK Grayscale
File encoding	8-bit 16-bit

Important: For certified proofs, your files must be in CMYK and 8-bit encoding.

Image dimensions

For the vast majority of our services, prints and finishes are made to measure.
If you wish to include margins or bleed areas, you must include them directly in your file.

For PDF files, we manage by default the visible visual format (TrimBox or Crop Box). We manage the bleed area (BleedBox) if present.

For Certified Proofs, please prepare your files at the exact desired size at a resolution of 300 dpi; see specific information on Certified Proofs.

For prints on Rigid Substrates and Flexible Substrates, see the Large Format Printing section.

File resolution and size

The maximum file upload size is 2 GB.

We recommend preparing your files at the desired print size and adjusting them to the recommended resolution for our printers and imaging devices.

Recommended resolution for our printers and imaging devices

Services	Resolution in dpi
Photo prints	300 dpi*
Printing on Rigid & Flexible Substrates	300 dpi*
Certified Proof	300 dpi*

*This is not the printer's writing resolution but the “useful” resolution needed to achieve a photo-quality print or “large format” quality for rigid and flexible media.

Color space and file encoding

PICTO Online supports RGB, CMYK, and Grayscale color spaces.

The “Lab” and “Indexed Color” spaces are not supported.
Important: For certified proofs, only CMYK is accepted.

Files may be encoded in 8-bit or 16-bit per channel.

File compression

For JPEG, we recommend using "maximum quality" JPEG compression.

We accept TIFF files compressed with LZW. If your TIFF file contains layers, they must be flattened.

For PDF documents, we recommend "maximum quality" JPEG compression for images. See the page Preparing your PDFs.

File names

We accept file names up to 255 characters. However, we recommend avoiding excessively long names, as this may cause errors and disrupt order processing.

Files must not contain special characters (*,$,/,#,@,%,etc.). Only accented characters, spaces, and hyphens are allowed.
Extensions are mandatory (.jpg, .JPEG, .tif, .TIFF, .pdf); otherwise, your file may not be recognized.

File preparation for mounting

Picto Online allows you to order prints or images mounted on various supports: Dibond, Aluminum, PVC, or Foam Board. In this case, you don’t need to modify your files; we will prepare them for mounting.

Special case: image with a thin border or signature near the edge of the print

This situation, such as a 2 mm black border or a signature near the edge of the mounted image, is delicate to handle. We advise against it because without prior adjustment, the border or signature may be cut on some edges. We therefore recommend using margins or borders at least 1 cm wide.

Special case: mounting a B&W Baryta photo print on Aluminum or Dibond

We would like to draw your attention to the risk of mounting baryta paper on aluminum or dibond. Depending on humidity, baryta paper may vary in size by about 2%, unlike aluminum or dibond. Depending on exposure conditions, speed, amplitude, and frequency of humidity changes, the baryta print may crack or slightly peel. By ordering this service, you accept this risk, and our responsibility will not be engaged.

The “Bleed for mounting” option

This option is for those who wish to prepare their print for future mounting, outside Picto Online.
To enable mounting, your print must have an “image bleed,” meaning it must be slightly larger than the final desired size. This bleed compensates for positioning errors during mounting, ensuring optimal trimming. Choosing this option, we will enlarge your image by 2 mm by mirroring its edges and add a 1 cm technical border.
This technical margin in gray contains a marker in each corner to facilitate mounting by you or your finishing workshop.



On the left, print without option. On the right, print with “Bleed for mounting” option.



Detail: The technical border also contains information such as the file name, printing process, and paper type.

The “Check or sign before finishing” option

Picto Online gives you the option to check and/or sign your photo print or image before finishing (mounting, custom aluminum frame, fine art framing, floating frame, etc.). To enable this option, go to your order summary page, click on “No check or signature before finishing, by you,” then select “Check or sign before finishing, by you.”

By enabling this option, you will receive an email once your photo print or image is ready. You can then check and/or sign it at Picto Bastille (or Picto Grand Paris upon request) before it goes to the finishing service. If you do not choose this option, your print will automatically proceed to finishing, and no rollback will be possible. In case of dispute, you will need to reorder.

Prints with unusual dimensions

This refers to prints with exceptional dimensions where the larger dimension exceeds the width of the printing material (the roll width).
This occurs with images that are very wide but very short, or vice versa, requiring printing along the roll length rather than its width.

If you wish to maintain these exceptional dimensions, one trick is to create a layout in photo-editing software by duplicating your image side-by-side, one or more times, or by adding an external margin with our Margin tool, resulting in an image suitable for acceptable print dimensions.

The smaller total dimension divided by the larger total dimension must be greater than 0.2.
For example, if the larger dimension is 200 cm, the smaller dimension must be at least 40 cm (40 divided by 200 = 0.2).

Feel free to contact us for any specific requests, which can be handled outside the Online service with adapted pricing.

File preparation for framing

Good to know: the frame may hide up to 10 mm of your image. Make sure your design accounts for this. Either your image allows for this, and hidden edges are not an issue, or you can add a white margin equivalent to your image.