Before approving a stubby holder artwork proof, check every piece of information that will appear on the finished product, especially names, dates, spelling, logos, colours, QR codes and the position of important artwork.

Do not only look at whether the design looks good. Artwork approval is your final opportunity to make sure the information being printed is correct.

A design can look perfectly balanced and still have the wrong date. The logo can be beautifully positioned but be an old version. A QR code can look completely normal but point to the wrong page. A name can be misspelled even when everything else about the design is exactly what you wanted.

If you notice something that needs changing, ask for the change before approving the proof. Once everything is correct, the artwork can move into production.

In This Article

• What artwork approval actually means
• Names, dates, spelling and punctuation
• Logo version, size and position
• Front, back and artwork orientation
• Safe area, seams and stitching
• Background and brand colours
• Photos and cropping
• QR codes and contact details
• Quantities, products and personalisation lists
• Bleed, small text and fine details
• Changes after artwork approval
• The 60-second proof check
• Final artwork approval checklist
• Frequently asked questions

What Does Artwork Approval Actually Mean?

When you receive an artwork proof, you are not only being asked, Do you like this design?

You are also being asked, Is this the exact information you want us to print?

Artwork approval should mean that you have checked the content shown in the proof and are happy for that version to proceed. That includes names, dates, company details, logos, photos, colours, design placement and any QR codes or contact information.

A useful way to think about it is:

Artwork approval is not only approval of the style. It is approval of the information shown in the proof.

That is why it is worth spending a few extra minutes checking the details rather than replying that it looks great after only looking at the overall design.

Check Every Name Carefully

Names are one of the easiest things to overlook because your brain often reads what it expects to see.

For example, Michael and Micheal can look surprisingly similar when you are scanning quickly. The same applies to Sarah and Sara, Jon and John, Megan and Meghan, or Steven and Stephen.

For wedding, birthday and personalised designs, check every name character by character. Do not assume the designer automatically knows which spelling is correct.

If the design says Sarah & James, also check that the order is the way you want it. Some customers care whether the bride or groom appears first, and some businesses care about the order of company names in a co-branded design.

If several names are being printed, use the artwork proof as the final check rather than relying on what was originally typed in an email weeks earlier.

Check Every Date

Dates deserve the same level of attention as names. They are especially important for weddings, birthdays, hen’s parties, bucks parties, group trips, anniversaries, corporate events and project celebrations.

A design can look completely correct while one number is wrong. For example, 24-28 September and 25-28 September are visually almost identical, but the difference matters.

Check the day, month, year and any date range. If the event crosses several days, check both the start and end date. If the design includes a year, make sure it is the correct year.

Do not rely on memory. Compare the proof against the confirmed event details.

Check Spelling and Punctuation

Names and dates are not the only text worth checking. Read every line, including company names, slogans, suburbs, event names, website addresses, team names and short phrases.

Also look at punctuation. Good Times, Good Mates is not exactly the same as Good Times. Good Mates. Neither is necessarily wrong. The important thing is that it matches what you want.

Capitalisation can also matter for brands. CLINKIES, Clinkies and clinkies all look different even though the word itself is the same. If your company has a specific brand style, check that it has been followed.

Make Sure the Correct Logo Is Being Used

Businesses often have more logo versions than they realise. There may be a black logo, white logo, full-colour logo, old logo, new logo, horizontal version, stacked version, icon-only version or special campaign logo.

Before approving the proof, make sure the version shown is the one you want printed. This is especially important after a rebrand.

If your business recently changed its logo, do not assume an older logo that was previously supplied is still correct. Compare the proof with the current logo used on your official brand materials.

Check the Logo Size

A logo can be correct but still feel wrong because of its size. Ask yourself:

• Is it easy to recognise?
• Does it feel too small?
• Does it dominate the whole design?
• Is there enough space around it?

For corporate artwork, the temptation is often to make the logo as large as possible. That does not always create the strongest result.

A logo should be large enough to recognise without taking over the entire stubby holder. If there is also a slogan, photo or QR code, the elements should feel balanced.

Check the Logo Position

Placement matters just as much as size. Make sure the logo is not too close to the edge, sitting on a seam, interrupted by stitching or competing with another important element.

For wraparound designs, ask where the seam will be. A company logo sitting directly across the join may look fine on the flat artwork but less clean on the finished holder.

If the logo is one of the most important parts of the design, give it a clean area of its own.

Check the Front and Back

For products with separate front and back artwork, look at both sides carefully. Do not approve only the first side because it looks good.

For example:

Front: Photo
Back: Good Times / Good Mates

Check that the correct image is on the correct side, the wording is on the intended side and nothing has been accidentally duplicated.

If both sides are supposed to be identical, confirm that they are intentionally the same. If they are supposed to be different, make sure each side contains the correct artwork.

This is particularly important when several files have been supplied with names such as front-final.png, back-final.png, front-new-final.png and back-final2.png. The proof is where you confirm which files actually ended up in the final design.

Check Artwork Orientation

Flat production templates do not always look exactly like the finished physical product. Depending on the construction, one panel may appear rotated or upside down when you are looking at the flat artwork.

That does not automatically mean the finished holder will be wrong. The important thing is to review the proof with the final product structure in mind.

If something about the orientation looks confusing, ask before approving it. Do not assume. Likewise, do not request a rotation simply because one part of a flat template looks upside down without understanding how the product will be assembled.

Check the Safe Area

Important information should not sit too close to the finished edge. This includes names, dates, logos, QR codes, phone numbers and important text.

Background colours and decorative patterns can usually extend further out. Important content should remain in the safer central area shown on the template.

A simple rule is:

Background artwork can extend beyond the finished edge. Important information should not.

If a name is almost touching the cut line, it may be worth moving it inward. If a QR code sits very close to stitching, give it more space. Small adjustments at the proof stage can make the final result much cleaner.

Check the Seam

Wraparound stubby holders need extra attention around the seam. A continuous pattern can often cross the seam without causing a problem. A face, logo or QR code is different.

Try to keep important elements away from the join. Avoid placing the centre of a face, main company logo, phone number or QR code directly across the seam.

Even when the design lines up well, the seam remains a physical part of the finished product. Keeping important content clear of it usually gives a cleaner result.

Check Visible Stitching

Some stubby holder styles include visible stitching or overlocked edging. If your order includes a selected stitching colour, check it as part of the artwork approval. Do not focus only on the printed design.

A dark design may use black, charcoal, olive green or another contrasting stitching colour. The stitching can become part of the overall look.

If the selected thread colour is intended to match part of a logo or brand palette, make sure that is reflected in the proof or order details.

Check the Background Colour

Background colour can dramatically change the appearance of the finished holder. Check that the intended colour has been used.

Make sure you are happy with the difference between black, charcoal, dark grey, olive, navy or khaki. These colours can look quite similar on a bright screen.

If your company has official brand colour references, provide them where possible. That may include Pantone, CMYK, HEX or an official brand guideline.

Keep in mind that screen colour and physical print colour are not exactly the same thing. Different phones and monitors display colours differently. The purpose of the proof is to confirm the intended colour direction, not to assume every screen displays an exact physical print match.

Do Not Judge Colour Only From Your Phone

A phone screen is useful for checking general colour direction. It is not an exact print reference. Brightness settings vary, display technology varies and night mode can change appearance.

Two people looking at the same artwork on different phones may see slightly different colours. For personal orders, that may not matter very much. For corporate branding, it can.

If an exact brand direction is important, provide official brand references instead of asking for the same green visible on one phone. Pantone, CMYK and brand guidelines provide much better information.

Check Any White Artwork on Dark Backgrounds

White logos and text are commonly used on dark backgrounds. Make sure the correct version of the logo has been used.

A white logo designed for dark backgrounds may look much better than placing a black logo onto charcoal artwork.

Check that thin white lines are visible, small text remains readable and the design has enough contrast. The same principle applies to dark logos on light backgrounds.

Check the Photo

Photo designs deserve a close look. Make sure the correct image has been used. If you supplied several similar photos, confirm that the final one is the version you wanted.

Check:

• The correct person or pet
• The crop and background
• The image quality
• Any requested background removal

If you asked us to use one person from a group photo, make sure the correct person was selected. If you wanted only the dog’s head, check that the ears have not been accidentally cut off. If the face already looks obviously blurry in the proof, ask about it before production.

Check the Crop

A good source photo can still be weakened by an awkward crop. Look at hair, ears, hats, shoulders, faces and any important objects.

For funny-face designs, check that the head shape still looks natural. For pet designs, make sure the ears have not been removed unintentionally. For wedding photos, check that both people are positioned as expected.

For group photographs, make sure nobody important has been cropped out at the edge. This is much easier to correct before approval than after printing.

Scan Every QR Code

This is one of the most important checks. Do not simply look at the QR code and assume it works. Scan it.

A QR code is not approved until you have scanned it and checked where it leads. Open the link on your phone and confirm that it goes to the correct destination.

Check that the destination page works properly on mobile. If possible, test the code on more than one device, such as an iPhone and an Android phone.

The QR graphic can look perfectly normal even when the destination URL is wrong. Always test the actual code.

Check What the QR Code Leads To

Scanning is only the first step. Look at the destination.

If the artwork says SCAN FOR A FREE QUOTE, the code should go to the quote page. If it says VIEW OUR LATEST PROJECTS, it should go to the portfolio. If it says JOIN THE WAITLIST, it should not lead to a generic homepage.

Also check whether the destination is likely to remain live. A QR code printed on merchandise may still be in use months or years later. If the page is temporary, consider whether a different destination would be more suitable.

Check Phone Numbers Digit by Digit

Phone numbers are another detail people tend to skim. Do not only look at whether the number looks familiar. Read each digit.

0412 345 678 and 0412 354 678 can look very similar at a glance. If the holder is being used as business merchandise, one incorrect digit can make the contact information useless.

Check the number against the official source rather than relying on memory.

Check Website Addresses

One incorrect letter can send someone to the wrong website or nowhere at all. clinkies.com and clinkes.com look very similar when printed in small text.

If a website appears on the artwork, type it into a browser before approving the proof. Make sure the spelling is correct and the page works.

Check Email Addresses

The same applies to email. Look carefully at the username, domain, punctuation and spelling.

info@company.com is different from info@compnay.com. If the address is important to customer enquiries, test it or compare it against an official source.

Check the Quantity for Each Design

If your order includes several designs, the artwork can all be correct while the quantity split is wrong.

For example:

Before production, make sure those quantities match what you actually need. This is particularly important for different offices, sporting teams, departments, sponsors or wedding party groups.

Do not assume the total quantity automatically means the correct quantity of each variation.

Check the Correct Product Style

Make sure the artwork proof relates to the product you ordered, such as 3mm Foldable, 3mm Fully Stitched, 5mm Standard, 5mm Overlocked or Slim.

Different products can use different artwork templates and proportions. A design prepared for one style may not automatically fit another.

If you changed product styles during the ordering process, check that the artwork has also been updated to the correct template.

Check Product Size and Fit

If your order is intended for a specific beverage type, make sure the correct product format has been chosen. A Slim holder and a Standard holder are not interchangeable.

If the intended drink format matters to the event, confirm this before approval rather than focusing only on the artwork. The design may be perfect, but the wrong product shape still creates the wrong result.

Check Personalisation Lists

Orders with individual names require extra attention. If you are printing 20, 50 or hundreds of names, do not rely on information spread across several email messages.

Use one final list. A spreadsheet or clearly formatted file is much easier to check. Then confirm that the artwork is based on that final list.

The final approved name list should be treated as the source of truth. Check spelling before sending it. If there are nicknames, capitalisation preferences or unusual punctuation, enter them exactly the way you want them printed.

Check Department and Team Names

The same principle applies to team variations such as Marketing, Operations, Warehouse and Sales.

Check that the department names are correct and that the correct colour or design is matched with each one. If one team has been renamed internally, make sure the proof uses the current name.

Why Does the Background Extend Outside the Finished Line?

Customers sometimes see background artwork extending beyond the finished product line and think something is wrong. In many cases, this is intentional. This extra artwork is the bleed.

The background extends beyond the final cut or finished area so that a small cutting or sewing tolerance does not create an unwanted unprinted edge.

The important principle is:

Backgrounds can extend outward, while important content stays inward.

Do not ask for the background to stop exactly at the cut line unless the template specifically requires it.

Check Small Text

Small text may look readable when you zoom into a PDF on a large screen. That does not always mean it will be comfortable to read at actual product size.

If a line of text contains important information, ask whether it is large enough to be useful. Phone numbers, URLs and QR instructions should not depend on extreme zooming to be legible.

If the information is not important enough to make readable, it may not need to be included at all.

Check Thin Borders and Fine Lines

Thin borders can look elegant on screen but become visually inconsistent when placed very close to the finished edge. Cutting and sewing have normal production tolerances.

A very thin rectangular border that relies on being perfectly even around every edge can make small variations much more noticeable.

If the design includes decorative borders, check that they are not uncomfortably close to the cut line. The same applies to very fine lines in logos and illustrations.

Check Any Special Instructions

If you gave specific instructions with the order, compare them against the proof. For example:

• Black background
• Olive green stitching
• Picture on Side 1
• Good Times / Good Mates on Side 2
• Remove background
• Use white logo
• QR code on the back

Do not assume every instruction is correct simply because the main artwork looks good. The proof is the point where those instructions should be confirmed visually.

Can You Change Artwork After Approval?

If you notice a problem after approving the artwork, contact us as quickly as possible.

If production has not started, it may still be possible to make a change. Once production has begun, changes may no longer be possible.

That is why approval should not be treated as a formality. Take the time to check the artwork before confirming. A two-minute review before production is much easier than discovering an incorrect date after the holders have been printed.

What if You Notice an Error After Approval?

Contact us immediately. Do not wait. Explain exactly what is wrong and what needs to change.

For example: The date should be 25-28 September, not 24-28 September.

Clear instructions are much more useful than saying there is a problem with the artwork. Whether the change can still be made will depend on the production status. The earlier you contact us, the better.

A Simple Example of Why Proof Checking Matters

Imagine a customer ordering stubby holders for a group trip. The order notes say 24-28 September, but the artwork supplied by the customer says 25-28 September.

Everything else looks perfect. The background is correct, the wording is correct, the photos look good and the colours work well.

It would be easy to look at the overall design and approve it, but the two dates do not match. Rather than assuming one version is right, the date should be confirmed before production.

This is exactly why artwork proofs exist. A beautiful design is not enough. The information also needs to be correct.

The 60-Second Artwork Proof Check

Before replying with approval, run through this table.

If all of those look right, you are in a much better position to approve production confidently.

A Final Check Is Worth the Extra Minute

Most artwork mistakes are not dramatic. They are small: one digit, one date, one letter, one wrong logo version, one outdated URL or one photo from the wrong side of a group. That is exactly why they are easy to miss.

When you receive your proof, take a moment to stop looking at the design as a whole. Read it. Scan it. Check it. Then look at the design again.

This gives you two separate questions:

Does it look right?

Is everything right?

You want the answer to both to be yes.

Final Artwork Approval Checklist

Before approving your custom stubby holder artwork, confirm:

• All names are spelled correctly
• All dates are correct
• The company name and slogan are correct
• The latest logo version is being used
• The logo size and position look right
• Front and back artwork are correct
• Important content sits safely inside the design area
• Logos and QR codes are clear of seams
• The stitching colour is correct where applicable
• The background colour is correct
• Photos and crops are correct
• Every QR code has been scanned
• Phone numbers are correct
• Websites and email addresses are correct
• The correct product style is shown
• Quantities match each design
• Individual names or team variations match the final list

If anything is wrong, request the change before approving.

The Bottom Line

An artwork proof is not just a preview of how your stubby holder might look. It is the final checkpoint before the design moves into production.

Check the visual style, but also check the information: names, dates, logos, photos, QR codes, phone numbers, URLs, colours, front and back artwork, stitching, product style and quantities.

A design can look great and still contain the wrong information. That is why the best way to approve a proof is not simply to ask Do I like it?

Ask Is this exactly what I want printed?

If the answer is yes, approve it. If not, ask for the change first.

Need an Artwork Change?

If something in your proof needs adjusting, reply with the exact change you need before approving the artwork.

For example: Please change the date from 24-28 September to 25-28 September.

Or: Please use the attached white logo instead of the black version.

Once everything is correct, confirm your approval and the order can move into production.

Explore Custom Stubby Holders →

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I check on a stubby holder artwork proof?

Check names, dates, spelling, logos, colours, photos, QR codes, phone numbers, URLs, artwork placement, product style and the quantity of each design before approving.

What does artwork approval mean?

Artwork approval means you are confirming that the information and design shown in the proof are correct and can proceed to production.

Should I check spelling before approving?

Yes. Check all names, company details, slogans, dates and other wording carefully rather than assuming they are correct.

Do I need to scan the QR code before approval?

Yes. Scan every QR code and confirm that it leads to the correct page and works properly on mobile.

Why does the background extend outside the cut line?

This may be intentional bleed. Background artwork often extends beyond the finished edge so small production tolerances do not create an unwanted unprinted border.

Should text stay inside the safe area?

Important text, logos, names and QR codes should remain within the safe area and away from finished edges, seams and stitching.

Can a logo cross the seam?

It can technically be positioned there in some layouts, but important logos are generally better kept clear of seams so they remain visually uninterrupted on the finished product.

Should I check the stitching colour?

Yes, if the product includes visible stitching. The thread colour can affect the overall appearance and should be confirmed before production.

Do screen colours match printed colours exactly?

Not necessarily. Phones and monitors display colour differently. If corporate colour consistency is important, provide official colour references such as Pantone, CMYK or brand guidelines.

Can I change the design after approving it?

If you notice something after approval, contact us immediately. Changes may still be possible if production has not started, but they cannot be guaranteed once production is underway.

What if I notice a mistake after approval?

Contact us as soon as possible and explain the exact correction required. Whether it can be changed will depend on the current production status.

Does each design need to be checked separately?

Yes. If your order contains several artwork variations, check each version as well as the quantity assigned to it.

Should I check the product style on the proof?

Yes. Make sure the artwork has been prepared for the correct product, such as 3mm Foldable, 5mm Standard, 5mm Overlocked, Fully Stitched or Slim.