Resources
Need Help? View Our Resources Below
RGB (Red, Green, Blue) | This option is used for digital screens like computers, TVs, and smartphones. It combines red, green, and blue light to create a wide spectrum of colors. RGB is ideal for anything that will be viewed on a screen.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) | This option is used in printing. It combines cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink to create a wide range of colors. CMYK is essential for any material that will be printed, as it reflects how presses produce colors.
WHY IT MATTERS | Colors can look different when printed than they do on a screen. This is because screens emit light, making colors appear brighter, while printed colors are created by absorbing light. If a design is created in RGB but printed in CMYK, there can be a noticeable shift in color.
Always design in CMYK if the final product will be printed. This ensures that the colors you see during the design process will be more accurately represented in the printed product.
HOW DOES IT WORK? | The Pantone system assigns a unique number to each color, along with its recipe for mixing inks to achieve that exact shade. When a design specifies a Pantone color, the printer uses this formula to mix the inks, ensuring that the color printed matches the color chosen by the designer.
WHY USE PANTONE COLORS? | Pantone colors are essential when a brand or design requires a specific shade that must be consistent across various materials and print runs. It’s particularly important for corporate branding, where colors need to be uniform across all marketing materials.
LIMITATIONS | While Pantone colors ensure consistency, it can be more expensive than standard CMYK printing. Additionally, some Pantone colors might not have an exact CMYK equivalent, which is important to consider for projects with budget constraints or specific printing capabilities.
WHEN TO USE PANTONE MATCHING | Use Pantone matching for projects where color accuracy is critical, such as logo printing, branded merchandise, and corporate identity materials. It’s also useful when the same design is printed on different types of materials to ensure color consistency.
RESOLUTION REQUIREMENTS | Resolution is key to ensuring your printed materials look sharp and clear. The standard resolution for printing is 300 dots per inch (DPI). Images or designs at a lower resolution may appear blurry or pixelated when printed. Always check that your images and graphics are at 300 DPI to ensure the best print quality.
COLOR SETTINGS FOR PRINT | Color settings are crucial in printing. Designing in CMYK color mode is essential for print materials, as it aligns with how printers mix ink colors. RGB color mode is used for digital screens and can result in color shifts when printed. Before sending your file, convert all colors to CMYK to avoid any unexpected color changes.
FINAL CHECKS BEFORE SENDING | Before sending your file to the printer, ensure all fonts are embedded or converted to outlines, check that all images are in the correct color mode and resolution, and confirm that your file is set to the correct dimensions for your print job. A final proofread to catch any typos or layout issues is also a good practice.
STANDARD PRINT SIZES | Familiarizing yourself with standard print sizes can help streamline your design process. Common sizes are 8.5” x 11” (standard letter size), 8.5” x 5.5” (half-letter size), and business card dimensions. For posters and banners, sizes can vary more significantly. Knowing these sizes helps in planning your design layout and ensuring it fits the intended print medium.
WHAT ARE BLEEDS? | In printing, a ‘bleed’ is extra space around your design that extends beyond the final trim size. It’s crucial for designs where the color or images go right to the edge of the paper. Without a bleed, slight variations in the cutting process could result in unwanted white edges.
SETTING UP BLEEDS | Typically, a bleed of 0.125 inches (about 3mm) is added to each side of your design. Ensure that any color or image that needs to go to the edge of your final printed piece extends into this bleed area.
HOW TO ADD BLEEDS IN DESIGN FILES | Most design software allows you to set up bleeds when you create a new document. You can specify the size of the bleed, and the software will show you the bleed area as you design. Before exporting your final design, check the export settings to include bleed and crop marks when ensuring that this extra area is part of your final print file.
CREATING VECTOR GRAPHICS | Vector graphics must be created from the ground up using vector-based software like Adobe Illustrator. This process involves designing with layers, shapes, and lines that are mathematically defined. The original layered files retain this vector information, allowing for adjustments and scaling without quality loss.
LIMITATION WITH RASTER GRAPHICS | Raster graphics, such as those in JPEG or PNG formats, are made up of pixels. While it’s possible to convert a raster image into a vector format, the result is often not ideal. This conversion doesn’t turn the pixels into true vector shapes; instead, it creates an approximation. This means fine details and sharpness can be lost, and the graphic may not scale cleanly.
WHY ORIGINAL VECTOR FILES MATTER | For the best quality in printing, especially for logos or detailed designs, it’s crucial to start with a vector file created from the original layered design. This ensures that every element of your graphic can be scaled to any size while maintaining its clarity and quality. If you only have a raster version of your logo or graphic, consider having it professionally recreated as a vector graphic for the best printing results.
COMMON VECTOR FILE FORMATS | Popular vector file formats include AI (Adobe Illustrator), EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), and PDF (Portable Document Format). These formats are ideal for designs that require resizing, such as logos, illustrations, and detailed graphic designs.
ADVANTAGES IN PRINTING | Vector files are preferred for printing due to their scalability and high-quality output. They ensure that graphics, especially text and intricate designs, remain sharp and clear, whether printed on small items like business cards or large formats like banners.
PREPARING VECTOR FILES FOR PRINT | When preparing vector files for print, it’s important to convert all text to outlines to prevent font issues. Also, ensure your color settings are correct for printing, CMYK for full-color printing, and PMS for spot-color printing. Saving your final design as a PDF with these settings is often the best practice for ensuring compatibility and quality in the printing process.
FOLDING | Ideal for brochures, flyers, and pamphlets. We offer various folding options, including tri-fold, bi-fold, and more, to suit your design and presentation needs.
CUTTING | Sometimes a project dictates a print size that is smaller or larger than the full or half-sheet standard. Large quantities of paper can be precision cut to the exact size needed.
DRILLING | We provide drilling services for documents that need to be filed or placed in binders, ensuring clean and consistent holes for easy organization.
SCORING | This process creates a crease for easy and precise folding, particularly useful for greeting cards, folders, and thicker papers to prevent cracking along the fold.
PERFORATING | Adds a line of small holes for easy tearing, perfect for tickets, coupons, or any printed material that requires a clean tear-off section.
NUMBERING | Sequential numbering for tickets, invoices, forms, or any document requiring tracking or organization.
COLLATING | Organizing and assembling multi-page documents in a specific order, essential for reports, manuals, and booklets.
STAPLING | Securely fastening pages together, suitable for booklets, handouts, and catalogs.
PADDING | Creating notepads or tear-off sheets by gluing one edge, ideal for order forms, note pads, and checklists.
BOOKLET MAKING | Assembling and binding multi-page documents into booklets, perfect for manuals, catalogs, and programs.
LAMINATING | Applying a protective plastic film to your prints for durability and water resistance, suitable for menus, ID cards, and frequently handled documents.
COIL BINDING | Flexible and durable, allowing your document to lay flat when open. Ideal for presentations, reports, and manuals.
COMB BINDING | A classic and cost-effective binding method, suitable for reports, presentations, and manuals, allowing easy addition or removal of pages.
Each of these services enhances the functionality and appearance of your printed materials, ensuring they not only look great but also meet your practical requirements.
