A Professional Designer’s Guide to Creating Print-Ready Packaging Boxes

— With Visual Examples & Designer Tips

Software Used in Packaging Box Design

Adobe Illustrator — Main Tool for Box Artwork & Dielines

Illustrator is the industry-standard software for creating accurate dielines and vector-based artwork.
Perfect for dielines, typography, and logos
Precise control of bleed, strokes, and measurements
Supports CMYK, spot colors, and Pantone

Adobe Photoshop — Ideal for Product Images & Textures

Photoshop is used for photo editing, color correction, and creating textures used in packaging design.
Handles raster images
Best for retouching product photos
Useful for hero images or pattern backgrounds

Choosing the Correct Color Mode

What Is RGB?

RGB = Red, Green, Blue
For screens and digital displays
Has a wider, brighter color range
Not suitable for printing

What Is CMYK?

CMYK = Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
All commercial printers use CMYK inks
Predictable, stable print colors

Why Designers Must Use CMYK for Packaging Files

Ensures printed colors match the artwork
Avoids color shifting
Required for all print-ready files
Ensures accurate proof and color separation

Always convert to CMYK before designing.
Avoid designing in RGB and converting later.

Use High-Resolution Images (Minimum 300 DPI)

Low-resolution images will become blurry when printed.
300 DPI = print quality
72 DPI = for screens only
High DPI ensures sharp details and professional results

Always Embed Images in Illustrator
If images are only “linked” and not embedded, they may disappear when exporting the final file.
Embedding ensures:
No missing images
No broken links
Consistent print output
Safe transfer to any printing factory

Convert All Text to Outlines
Before Handing Off Files
Why Outline Text?
Outlining text ensures the typography remains exactly as designed — even if the printer does not have the font.