Desk guides
How to prepare artwork for an epoxy gaming tabletop
A picture that looks good on a phone is a starting point, not a print-ready file. A large tabletop asks more of the image. Keep the best original you have and decide what must remain visible before you start adjusting the design.
By YForge Gaming · September 28, 2026 · 2 min read
Keep the original and use previews for placement
Save your original artwork separately from screenshots, social posts and editor exports. A small preview is useful for discussing position, but it cannot replace the detail in a full-resolution original. If an artist created the file, ask which export preserves the quality needed for a large print.
For scale, a 47.24-by-23.64-inch image at 150 pixels per inch is about 7,086 by 3,546 pixels before adding a finishing margin. That is a planning example, not a required print specification. The final resolution and file preparation should be confirmed for your artwork and production process.
Understand the two borders
The desk-edge guide marks the finished tabletop area. The outer wallpaper guide includes extra material for fitting and finishing. Extra paper is useful, but it should not hold a name, face or symbol that must stay visible. Keep important details comfortably inside the desk edge.
Check the actual margin shown in the editor and confirm it before printing. A visual allowance is not a substitute for the workshop’s final measurements. If the image ends exactly at the desk edge, ask how the edge treatment will be handled.
Crop with a purpose
A wide tabletop and a tall portrait have different shapes. Filling the surface may cut away the top and bottom of a picture; showing the entire picture may leave open space. Choose which tradeoff you prefer instead of stretching faces or text to force a fit.
Use Replace tabletop to try a different composition, then move and resize the selected picture. Check small details with the fine controls. Preview the full desk before saving so you can judge the design as furniture, not just as an image.
Make the approval specific
Your notes should identify the original file, the focal point, the text to include and any area that must not be cropped. Review spelling carefully. State whether open background space is intentional. Keep evidence of commercial-use permission for any third-party artwork you submit.
The editor preview helps communicate your idea; final artwork approval confirms what the workshop should produce. Review the production proof before that approval. A clear epoxy finish does not make a low-quality source image sharper, and screen colors are not a guarantee of an exact printed color match.
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