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CMYK, RGB AND PRINTING

Without going into a lot of color theory, color modes also have an effect on what you see on the screen and what you get from your printer.

Your monitor operates using RGB (Red Green Blue) color where electron beams light up phosphors that glow in the proper color according to a digital code that has been assigned to each pixel. (click here for the wikipedia article with more information on RGB.)

Your printer operates on quite a different principle, that of CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow Black). A typical printer uses what is called a four-color process of printing, whereby each color that is being printed has been created with some combination of those 4 colors to achieve the closest possible rendition of the digital code information it is receiving. (click here for the wikipedia article with more information on CMYK.)

Although great strides have been made in printing over the past few years, particularly in the photo printers whose main function is to take the RGB images from your digital camera and render them as accurately as possible on your CMYK printer often using special dye inks and papers, there is still a vast difference in translation between RGB and CMYK.

And even when you are viewing an image in CMYK mode on your monitor (as you can in Photoshop, for example) you are still seeing an interpolation that will undergo some changes when it prints out on your printer.

Now let's add in the different technologies that each printer manufacturer uses, the different ink chemistry from one manufacturer to the next, and the different way all of those inks look when printed on different papers such as matte, glossy, bright white, etc.

It then becomes very hard to know whether your unexpected results are to be expected, whether the art files you are using are right for the job, whether the outcome is a result of digital rather than offset printing, and if the job has been printed to the best of the vendor's ability.

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ARE YOU USING THE RIGHT FILES FOR THE JOB?

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PANTONE COLORS: DIGITAL OR OFFSET PRINTING
  
If you have had a logo designed you are probably familiar with the Pantone Color Matching System. Pantone is a company that has come up with standard colors and ink mixing formulas that can be matched with pretty good success by printers printing on substrates ranging from paper to vinyl to fabric to metal.

Therefore a design that specifies PMS 285 C (a specific shade of blue for coated or shiny surfaces) can be printed with reasonable consistency on glossy paper and coated vinyl by two different vendors in different parts of the country.

Your designer and print shop has books showing the swatches of colors and the numbering system that they use to assign these colors as needed.

There are a few catches, though. One catch is that there isn't a Pantone color for every color one can create on the computer, in paint , etc., and so compromises must be made when selecting PMS colors.

Also, to get a color printed to match a PMS color usually means printing it as a spot color. Instead of the color being created through the four color process of CMYK (using only four inks), a specific ink must be mixed up so that PMS 285 C always comes out looking like PMS 285 C.

Spot colors are not always needed for a print job to come out well, however the best quality printing usually is done on an offset printing press, and spot colors definitely need to be printed via offset. Offset printing can be expensive, and in addition the minimum print quantities are usually high.

Into this arena has come a new breed of output devices called digital printers; basically they are souped-up versions of your home or office printer, and they work using the four CMYK inks. They are smaller than a typical offset printing press and easier to run so they are a good option for print shops hoping to give quick turnaround and a lower price. Although the paper options are fewer with digital printers at this time, they are an affordable option for low quantity printing.

The drawback is that print quality can be an issue in some cases, and digital printers can be hard to adjust for only one color problem. If your logo is coming out with 2 of the colors just right and the third looking off, it may not be possible to correct. After all, the digital printer is trying to make every color in the world out of just four inks. Adjusting one of the four inks to print more or less ink will affect every other color in the print job.

If the results of digital printing are far from your expectations, talk to the print shop about your options. It could be that compromises are needed for the lower cost, or that your job may be better suited for offset printing.

As soon as you know where and how the job will be printed, (offset or digitally), tell your designer. Try to determine this before the final files are prepared. It will be useful for you to find out about your printing options and costs, and your designer will be able to tailor the results to suit the output device or print method.

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SUBSTRATES
  
Substrates are the materials onto which your design is being printed. Examples are banner material, paper, a plastic mug, a sign, and so on. Even when you are printing in spot colors there can be some variation between the types of ink being used for these different substrates. Be prepared that the differences in color and texture of the substrate, the substrate material and the ink type used for that particular substrate will also play a part in determining the accuracy of the final color.

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HOW TO PREVENT BAD PRINT JOBS

If you think you have sent the correct files and communicated clearly with your vendor but what you received in return greatly differs from your expectations, speak up.

Problems which are usually the print shop's responsibility include misprinted items, parts of a design missing, inconsistent trimming, smearing, marks, and improperly aligned printing.

When it comes to color however, up-front information is key. The more you know about your options the better prepared you will be for the outcome. In some cases, and particularly with digital printing, compromises are often part of the deal in order to get smaller quantites and lower prices.

Print shops promote their digital print business because it is fast and easy to run in comparison with regular offset printing. They can offer better prices and the quantities can be much lower.

A reputable print shop will discuss your options and give you good advice. If possible, work with a print shop whose work you have seen and admired. When it comes to online companies the same holds true -- some are better than others. Ask for samples and recommendations first.

Communicate with your print shop from the start of the job. Find out what their limitations are, send them the artwork and talk about potential issues, and involve your designer if necessary. Your designer wants the job to print well and will be happy to work with your vendors.

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A FINAL WORD ON COLOR AND PRINTING

With this information on color and printing you can make some decisions up front as to where you want to spend your money for the best color matching and when it will be fine for the color to be close but not perfect.

Important branding items such as business cards, expensive leave-behinds or any item that will be scrutinized closely should all be printed to the highest standards.

Less important items such as give-aways and promotional items can be printed with more leeway.

Your website appearance will depend on the browser and monitor -- get as close as you can to your ideal and then concentrate on the content of the site.

Each year technologies improve making monitors, output devices, color matching and printing methods more in synch. We are far from uniformity at this time, and an understanding of this will help you make decisions affecting your branding, your marketing pieces and their associated costs.