Proofread Before You Send: A Checklist for Your Canvas Text

A canvas made to your design is permanent in a way that a printed card is not. Once production begins, the words cannot be changed, and our terms are clear that custom canvases are final sale. That makes proofreading the most valuable few minutes of the whole process. Use this checklist before you press the final button in the Canvas Builder.

1. Read it aloud, slowly

Your eyes skip over mistakes they expect not to see. Reading aloud makes you notice every word. Read it once at normal speed and once word by word, pointing at each.

2. Check every name and date

Names and dates are the details people notice most, and forgive least. Check spellings against an original source, such as a certificate or a card, instead of memory. Check that dates are in the order you intend, since 03/04 means different things to different people.

3. Look at the punctuation

Apostrophes, commas and full stops matter more on a canvas, because they are large and permanent. Check where each one sits, and decide whether you want the sentence to end with a full stop or not. A canvas without a full stop feels open and calm. One with a full stop feels certain.

4. Check the capital letters

Decide whether you want standard capitalisation or all capitals, and check it is consistent. Mixed styles on one canvas look like a mistake.

5. Look at the line breaks

Make sure each line ends where you want it to. A line that ends on a small word such as “and” or “the” looks unfinished. Move the break so each line carries a complete idea.

6. Ask someone else

A second pair of eyes catches what you cannot. Show the preview or the text to someone you trust, and ask them to read it out loud, without telling them what it should say. If they stumble, you may want to change something.

7. Review the mockup

When we reply to your request, we send details and a timeline, and you review the design before approving production. This is your last chance to catch anything, so take your time and check every word against your original.

A few extra minutes here is worth it. Open the Builder, check each setting against your list, and send your design when you are certain.