Printing a handpoke design at its actual size
To print a digital handpoke design at the size you want, set its width or height in the design file and stop the print software from resizing the page to fit. Check a paper proof before moving on to the stencil.
1. Set the design dimensions
Work in millimetres or centimetres and keep the aspect ratio locked. Set the dimensions of the design itself, not the page and its white margins. Zooming in on screen does not change the print size.
For a design that should be 6 cm wide, enter that width in your design app. Let the height adjust proportionally so the artwork is not stretched. Export to a PDF with a known page size, such as A4, leaving space around the design.
2. Choose 100% or Actual Size
Open the PDF in an application that lets you choose the print scale. Select 100% or Actual Size where available. Adobe describes Actual Size as printing without scaling.
| Setting | What it means for your design |
|---|---|
| Actual Size | In Acrobat, prints without scaling; anything outside the printable area may be cropped |
| Fit / Scale to Page | Fits the page to the printable area and may change the design dimensions |
Match the selected paper size to the paper loaded in the printer. Check the printer driver as well, so a separate fit-to-page setting does not resize the output. Names and available options vary between applications and printers.
If the design extends beyond the printable area, reposition it on the page or use suitable larger paper. Do not automatically shrink it if you want to keep the chosen dimensions.
3. Check a plain-paper proof
Print on ordinary paper first. Check that the whole design is visible and that its size looks consistent with the intended width and height. Judge the print itself, not its appearance beside a zoomed-in screen image.
If it looks too large or small, check the design dimensions in the source file, the PDF page size and the scaling settings in both the application and printer driver. Fix the cause, then print again. A visual check can reveal obvious differences; it does not establish a printer's exact dimensional accuracy.
4. Check orientation and mirroring
Choose the appropriate portrait or landscape setting and decide how the finished design should read. The letter R or a left- or right-pointing arrow makes a left-right reversal easier to spot than a symmetrical design.
Whether to mirror depends on your complete printing and stencil workflow. Follow the instructions for your materials and equipment. Do not mirror in both the design app and printer without understanding the result. An ordinary paper print shows its own orientation, not necessarily that of a later transfer.
Save the file version, design dimensions, paper size and print settings so you can use the same starting point next time.
For the next step, browse the stencil supplies category. Applying stencil paper and choosing a printer are outside the scope of this guide.
After checking the dimensions, explore why a handpoke stencil can look different on a curved surface. That check concerns fit rather than printer settings.