Print Design
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black
... or CMYK. Actually the "K" stands for Key, as opposed to Black, but it's basically the same. CMYK is the basis for print work when produced on a printer or most off-set presses. If you've ever worked with a color printer at your home or office, this is all common knowledge to you. However, it is vital that these colors are correct when you plan to spend money on print advertisement, brochures, postcards, etc.
How will I know if it's correct? It looks good on my monitor, shouldn't that be enough?
The answer to the second question is easiest to answer and the answer is NO! Additional details about descrepencies between print and screen is below. To answer the first question requires additional questions before we can answer accurately. Factors such as the printing company, the type of color process, even the media you plan to use all must be taken into consideration.
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Resolution...what's the big deal? It's the difference between clean, crisp pictures and fuzzy, pixelated images. Printing on small paper medium like magazine ads, business cards and postcards should have a resolution of 300 dpi (dots per inch) which means there are at least 300 pixels per one linear inch. At this resolution, pictures will often be large in file size, usually 3mb's or higher. What about the images I see on my monitor screen? A computer monitor has a base resolution of 72 dpi; that's over a third less dots per inch than print resolution! It all really comes down to size in inches. To show the image to the left at screen resolution, the actual size in inches is 1.5" x 1.3" at 72 dpi. The measurement it would be to get full print resolution would be at a tiny .37" x .33". Now I could print it at the screen resolution size, however it would be extremely pixelated and would be hardly readable. Still not sure? Contact 620 Studio to learn more about resolutions. |
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Lots of paper to choose from, which is the best? It really depends on the application. If you're planning to use some nice still-life photography, then paper with a high gloss would compliment the image well. If you're planning to print a postcard to educate about an environmental issue, then a matte finish on a natural grain paper would help support the cause. Will different paper types affect the colors of my piece? You betcha! Actually, it's doesn't change the actual colors, since the CMYK will have the same mix. It's how the paper absorbs the ink. A glossy photo paper will show more vivid colors of a picture than a matte paper. Actually, print can differ between white sheets of paper based on quality, thickness and brightness of white. |