Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about ordering, artwork, shipping, and getting the most out of Bolt Printing.
How Do I Upload My Artwork to the Bolt Printing Design Studio?
Have a logo, graphic, or custom design ready to print on a T-shirt? Bolt Printing's online Design Studio makes it easy to upload your own artwork and position it on your selected apparel.
Whether you're designing shirts for a business, school, sports team, fundraiser, or special event, this step-by-step guide will show you how to upload your artwork, select colors, adjust its placement, and save or order your custom products.
Quick Answer
To upload your own design to Bolt Printing, open the Design Studio, select My Art, and click Upload New Art File. Choose your artwork file, select your embellishment colors, and click Upload. Position your design within the available printing area, click Save Image, and select Save 4 Later or Buy Now.
How Do I Upload My Own Design to a Custom T-Shirt?
Uploading your company logo, event artwork, or custom graphic takes just a few steps. Follow the instructions below to add your artwork to a product in the Design Studio.
Step 1: Open the Bolt Printing Design Studio
Start by selecting the T-shirt, sweatshirt, polo, hat, or other customizable product you want to order.
On the product page, click Design Now to open the Design Studio.
Your selected product and garment color will appear in the designer, where you can begin adding your own artwork.
Step 2: Select the My Art Tab
Once you're in the Design Studio, locate the My Art tab in the design tools.
This section lets you upload your own artwork rather than using the built-in text or clip art options.
Image 1: Select My Art to begin uploading your design.
Step 3: Click Upload New Art File
Inside the My Art section, click the Upload New Art File button.
This opens the artwork upload window, where you'll select the file you want to use for your custom apparel.
Image 2: Click Upload New Art File to select your artwork.
Step 4: Choose Your Artwork File
Click the Choose File button to open your device's file browser.
Locate the logo, design, or artwork you want to upload and select it.
Make sure your file is saved somewhere you can easily access, such as your Downloads folder or Desktop.
Image 3: Click Choose File and select your saved artwork from your device.
What Does the Remove White Button Do?
The Remove White option visually removes white areas from your uploaded image. This can help eliminate an unwanted white background, but it may also remove white details that are part of your actual design. If the artwork looks unusual after using this option, our production artists will review the file during the proof process. You can also leave instructions in Notes 4 Bolt explaining which white areas should remain.
Step 5: Select Your Embellishment Colors
After selecting your artwork file, choose the colors you want used for your custom design.
Depending on your product and customization method, these may be printing ink colors or embroidery thread colors.
Take a moment to review your selections and make sure they match the intended appearance of your artwork.
Image 4: Select the embellishment colors for your artwork.
Helpful Tip: The number of ink colors can affect screen printing costs. If you're unsure how many colors your artwork requires, our production artists can review your design before printing.
Step 6: Click Upload
Once you've selected your artwork and embellishment colors, click Upload.
The Design Studio will process your file and add it to your design.
Image 5: Click Upload to add your artwork to the Design Studio.
Step 7: Position Your Design and Click Save Image
Once your artwork appears on the product, you can adjust its size and position within the available design area.
Move or resize the artwork as needed so it appears where you'd like it printed or embroidered.
When you're satisfied with its placement, click Save Image to keep your changes.
Image 6: Adjust your artwork placement and select Save Image.
Helpful Tip: If you need help adjusting your artwork, use Notes 4 Bolt to leave instructions for our production artists. You can request adjustments such as background removal, resizing, or repositioning before printing.
Step 8: Save Your Design or Continue to Checkout
After saving your artwork placement, you can choose what you'd like to do next.
- Save 4 Later: Save your custom design so you can return to it another time. This is helpful if you're still planning your order or need to share your design with someone else.
- Buy Now: Continue toward placing your order. A size breakdown menu will appear where you can enter the sizes and quantities you need before adding your product to the shopping cart.
Image 7: Select Save 4 Later to keep your design or Buy Now to enter quantities and proceed with your order.
What File Types Can I Upload to the Design Studio?
Bolt Printing accepts several common artwork file formats, making it easy to upload company logos, school graphics, custom illustrations, and other designs.
Accepted formats include:
- Preferred vector formats: AI, EPS, and vector-based PDF files.
- Other accepted formats: PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, and SVG.
For the best printing results, use high-quality artwork at approximately 150 DPI at the intended print size.
The Design Studio supports artwork uploads up to 5MB per file.
For detailed file requirements, read our Artwork and File Guidelines.
What If My Artwork Won't Upload?
If you're having trouble uploading your artwork, check that your file meets the Design Studio's requirements.
Common upload problems include:
- File Size: Your artwork exceeds the 5MB upload limit.
- Image Dimensions: Your artwork exceeds 20 inches in width or height.
- Excessive Blank Space: Large empty areas surrounding your artwork may cause upload issues.
- Filename Issues: Very long filenames or unusual characters may not be recognized.
- File Location: Make sure the artwork is saved on your device rather than attempting to paste it directly from an email or another application.
If you receive a 403 error during uploading, visit our 403 Error Uploading Artwork troubleshooting guide.
Will Bolt Printing Review My Uploaded Artwork Before Printing?
Yes! Every Bolt Printing order goes through an artwork review and proof approval process before production.
Our professional production artists review your submitted artwork, including its quality, sizing, and placement.
If your design needs adjustments, our team will contact you.
You'll receive an artwork proof showing the design prepared for production. Review it carefully and request any changes before approving.
Important: What You Approve Is What We Print! Always check spelling, artwork placement, colors, and design dimensions before approving your proof. Once approved, your order is locked in for production.
Can I Upload My Own Logo for Embroidery?
Yes! You can upload your own logo or artwork when customizing embroidered products such as hats, polos, jackets, and other available apparel.
Embroidery requires a specialized mechanical file that tells the embroidery machine how to reproduce your design with thread. Our production artists prepare this file using a process called digitizing.
Simple designs with bold lettering and clearly defined shapes generally produce the best embroidery results.
If you're unsure whether your artwork is suitable for embroidery, upload your best available file and our team will review it.
Still Have Questions? We're Here to Help.
Need help uploading your logo, selecting artwork colors, positioning a design, or preparing a file for custom T-shirt printing or embroidery? Our team is happy to help.
Phone: (888) 909-2658
Email: hello@boltprinting.com
For questions about an existing order, please include your order number.
Still have questions?
Our support team responds within a few hours during business days. We're happy to help with quotes, custom jobs, or artwork questions.
Or call 888-909-2658, Mon–Fri 9 am – 6 pm ET.