When to Pull a Print Defect? – Internal Smallwoods

Knowing what’s acceptable—and what needs to be pulled—is a huge part of maintaining Smallwoods quality. 💪 Whether you’re inspecting a print, canvas, or wood frame, this article walks you through the most common defects, how to recognize them, and when to pull, pass, or flag.

This guide is used by our Quality Control team and production trainers as part of the official inspection process. Use it to build your eye, train new team members, or double-check a questionable piece.

🖼️ PRINT DEFECTS — When to Pull a Print

We pull any print that:

Diminishes the customer’s experience
Fails to meet the clarity or color accuracy promised in the preview
Looks clearly flawed, dirty, or mishandled

Here are the most common types:

🔍 1. Blurry Faces (Pull)

Blurry prints are our #1 complaint and the leading cause of refunds.

✅ Pass If:

Background is blurry but faces and eyes are sharp
The image has natural depth-of-field blur (intentional focus)

❌ Pull If:

Eyes, faces, or key details are unclear
You’d hesitate to hang it in your own home

🧠 Training Tip: Trust your eye, and ask: "Would the customer be proud to gift this?"

🖌️ 2. Ink Spots or Splotches (Pull)

These usually appear as unintended marks, especially in skin tones or backgrounds.

✅ Pass If:

No visible ink dots or smudges
Texture is even across the print

❌ Pull If:

Ink looks smeared, pooled, or offset
Dot clusters appear on smooth areas (like sky or skin)

📸 Image example helpful here: zoomed-in ink mark

📏 3. Lines, Banding, or Skewing (Pull)

Lines running through the image (vertical or horizontal) are called banding.
Skewed prints are physically off-center or printed at an angle.

✅ Pass If:

Straight lines appear straight
No visible bands or gaps in color

❌ Pull If:

Print is obviously off-angle in the frame
Horizontal or vertical banding interrupts the image
Ink layering looks uneven or mechanical

🧠 Link to detailed “What is banding?” article

🧍 4. Misalignment / Cropping Issues (Pull or Flag)

This includes people’s heads being cut off, content being off-center, or frames that feel "off."

✅ Pass If:

Cropping matches the customer preview
Nothing important is missing from the composition

❌ Pull If:

Foreheads, limbs, or key focal points are cropped
You can tell it wasn’t framed as intended

📝 Flag these if unsure!

🫥 5. Blank or Incorrect Prints (Always Pull)

If no image is printed, or it’s not the right one, pull immediately.

✅ Nothing. These never pass.
❌ Pull If:

The print is blank
It’s for the wrong customer/order

🧠 Final Rule of Thumb:

If you’re unsure — ask or flag. But when in doubt, don’t ship it out.
Quality Control is about consistency and protecting the customer experience.