Artwork · 6 min read
Artwork that prints the way it looks on screen
Most artwork problems are not design problems. They are four or five technical settings that are invisible on screen and unmissable on a printed sheet.
Screens are lit, paper is not
A monitor makes color by emitting light; a press makes it by absorbing it. Bright greens, electric blues and neon oranges exist on screen and simply do not exist in CMYK ink. They do not fail — they arrive duller, and the surprise is the problem, not the color.
If a color is central to the brand, specify it as a Pantone. It costs an extra unit on the press and it is the only way to get the same color twice.
Black is two different things
Set body text in 100% K only. Rich black under small type needs four plates to line up perfectly, and when they do not you get a colored halo around every letter.
| 100% K | For body text and thin lines. Registers cleanly, never fringes. |
|---|---|
| Rich black (e.g. 60/40/40/100) | For large solid areas. Deeper, but not for small text. |
Resolution at final size, not at any size
300 dpi means 300 dots per printed inch, so an image that is 300 dpi at 5 cm is 75 dpi when stretched to 20 cm. Check the effective resolution in your layout, not the file properties.
Vector logos have no resolution and scale freely — always prefer the vector if one exists. A logo pulled off a website is almost always too small, whatever it looks like on screen.
Screenshots of logos never print acceptably. Ask the brand for the original file.
The two things that actually fail a file
Everything else we can fix or flag. These two produce silently wrong output, which is worse. If you want to check the structure before the artwork exists, our guide to reading a dieline covers what the lines mean.
- Live fonts. If the font is not outlined or embedded, prepress substitutes something else and the layout moves. Outline everything before sending.
- The dieline set to knockout. It must be on its own layer and set to overprint, or it punches a white line through your artwork.
File questions
What file format do you need?
Vector PDF or AI where possible. If the artwork is raster, 300dpi at final size in CMYK.
What is bleed and why does it matter?
Artwork extended 3 mm past the trim line, so a fraction of drift on the cutter does not leave a white edge.
Why does my color look different in print?
Screens are RGB and backlit; print is CMYK on paper. Convert to CMYK before sending, and expect uncoated stock to print lighter.
Do I need to outline fonts?
Yes, or supply the font files. A missing font substitutes silently and the proof will not match your design.
What resolution should images be?
300dpi at the size they print. An image that looks sharp on a phone is usually far too small for a box face.
Will you check my file before printing?
Always. You get a proof, and we flag bleed, resolution and color-mode problems before anything goes to press.
Can you place my artwork on the dieline for me?
Yes. Send the design elements and we position them on the flat, with the panels and folds marked.
Can you convert my RGB file?
Yes, and we will show you what shifts. Some colors cannot be reached in CMYK and it is better to see that before the run than after.
Do you keep my artwork for reorders?
Yes. Repeat orders run from the approved file, so a reorder needs no artwork step at all.
What if I only have a JPG?
Fine for simple one-color work. For anything with fine detail or a gradient, ask the designer for the vector — the difference is visible at arm's length.