Pre-Print Checklist
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Your Quick Pre-Print Checklist for AI-Generated Designs
5 Minutes That Will Save Your Order
Published: August 2026
You made a design with AI. It looks great on your phone. Now you're about to order stickers or DTF transfers. Before you click "buy"—take five minutes to check these seven things.
Do this once and you'll avoid the most common printing disappointments. Skip it and you might end up with pixelated prints, weird backgrounds, or transfers that don't say what you thought they said.
The Goal: Your design looks perfect on screen. This checklist makes sure it looks perfect on the shirt or sticker too.
1. Is Your Image Big Enough?
Most AI images come out at 1024x1024 pixels. That's fine for a small sticker. Not fine for a full-chest shirt print.
Quick rule: Multiply your desired print size in inches by 300 to get the minimum pixel count you need.
Real Examples:
3-inch pocket design = 900 pixels (most AI works)
6-inch small chest = 1800 pixels (may need upscaling)
10-inch full chest = 3000 pixels (definitely upscale)
12-inch large chest = 3600 pixels (definitely upscale)
Fix if needed: Free tools like Upscayl can enlarge your AI image without losing quality. Takes about 30 seconds per image.
2. Is the Background Actually Transparent?
If your design has a checkerboard pattern behind it, that's actually TRANSPARENT. That's what you want.
If it has a solid color background (white, blue, whatever), that will print AS that color. So your design shows up as a printed rectangle instead of just the design.
The Quick Test: Save your file as PNG (never JPG for transfers). Open it and look for the checkerboard pattern. If you see solid color instead, use a free background remover like remove.bg to fix it.
3. Does the Text Actually Say What You Want?
AI can't spell. Really. "BIRTHDAY GIRL" often comes out as "BIRTDHAY GRIL" or similar gibberish.
Look closely at any text in your design. If it's AI-generated, assume it's wrong. The fix is easy: remove the AI text and add real text yourself using Canva or a similar free tool.
Bonus tip: Make sure text is at least 0.25 inches tall (about 18pt) so it's readable at print size. Test by viewing your design at 100% zoom and stepping back 6 feet from your screen.
4. Does It Include Anything Copyrighted?
Show your design to a friend and ask: "Does this remind you of anything?" If they name a brand, character, or franchise—don't print it.
Common issues:
Character features (Mickey ears, princess silhouettes, superhero emblems)
Sports team logos or team color combinations
Brand elements like the Nike swoosh or Apple logo
Movie/TV characters (Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Harry Potter)
Band logos or album artwork
Any logo you'd recognize from a real company
Original designs are always safe. Anything derived from a real brand or character isn't—regardless of how "different" it looks.
5. Will the Colors Actually Look Right?
Screen colors and print colors are different. What glows bright on your phone might print duller on fabric.
Watch out for:
Extreme neon or fluorescent colors (they'll dull down)
Near-black colors that blur together (they may look muddy)
Very light pastels on light-colored fabrics (may not show)
Complex gradients (usually fine, but preview first)
Colors will always shift slightly from screen to fabric. That's normal. Just don't expect neon on your shirt if it looks neon on your phone.
6. Is Your File Format Correct?
Best formats for us: PNG (great for transparency), PDF (great for text-heavy designs)
Acceptable: High-quality JPG (only if you don't need transparency)
Avoid: Low-quality JPG, screenshots, GIF, WEBP
Canva Users: When exporting, choose PNG and check "Use print quality (300 DPI)" if available. This exports at the resolution needed for great printing.
7. Have You Previewed at Actual Size?
This is the one most people skip. And it's the one that catches the most problems.
How to do it:
Open your design in Canva or any image viewer
Set the canvas to actual print dimensions (like 12" x 12")
View at 100% zoom
Step back 3-6 feet from your screen
That's approximately how it'll look on the shirt
Look for:
Is text readable from 6 feet away?
Do important details actually show up?
Does the whole thing make sense as a shirt design?
Any pixelation or blur showing?
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
Resolution: 300 DPI at target print size
Background: Transparent PNG (checkerboard visible)
Text: Correctly spelled, at least 0.25 inches tall
Copyright: Original design, no brand elements
Colors: Vibrant but not extreme
File Format: PNG or PDF, high quality
Preview: Viewed at actual print size, still looks good
When You Need Help
You don't have to be a design expert. We're happy to help.
We can fix: Upscaling, background removal, format conversion, color adjustments, size and placement recommendations
You need to fix: Spelling errors in AI text (once printed, we can't undo), copyright issues (we can't print trademarked material regardless), wrong design entirely (double-check before uploading)
When in doubt, email us your file before ordering. We'll take a look and let you know if it's ready or what needs adjustment. Takes 5 minutes on our end. Saves hours of back-and-forth.
Ready to Order?
Once your file passes the checklist, you're ready to upload and order. Our builder handles the rest.
Questions? Reach out at hello@transfers42.com or (520) 705-4026. Send us your design first if you're not sure it's ready. No pressure. Just honest feedback.
Want the complete technical breakdown on why AI designs behave the way they do? Read our full AI design series on little6llc.com →
Transfers42 — Custom DTF Transfers and Stickers, Printed in Maricopa, Arizona. Powered by LitTLE 6 Industries. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned.