Packaging artwork guide

A packaging dieline belongs to the finished product, not a guess.

Dielines show where a packaging structure cuts, folds, glues and carries artwork. They become reliable only when they match the product dimensions, components and packing route being quoted.

Measure the item the pack has to hold.

Provide the product’s length, width, height and weight, plus photographs, fragile areas, bundles, inserts and any required clearance. A deck, game or gift set should be measured as the finished set, including the pieces that change the internal fit.

Confirm the structure, then fit the final artwork.

A folding carton, sleeve, presentation box or game box can have a very different opening, closure and internal arrangement. A dieline is not a decorative border; it is the project template for that specific structure. Do not fit final artwork to a template that has not been confirmed for the actual product.

Separate production guides from finished artwork.

Follow the confirmed template for cut, fold, glue, bleed and safe areas. Keep important logos, type and codes away from areas that could be trimmed, folded or covered. The exact layer and line conventions should follow the project instructions rather than a generic online rule.

Review the assembled result as well as the flat sheet.

Ask how the panels read once the package is closed and opened. Check that barcodes, required information, opening cues and product imagery remain where the customer needs them, then retain the approved version with the project record.

Need a box priced?

Describe the product inside, not just the artwork outside.

Dimensions, weight, opening direction, internal fit, quantity and delivery point give the structure discussion a reliable base.