When it comes to printing, there is a lot more that goes into it than you might think, and also a lot more mistakes that people make, that makes the process harder than it has to be. Within this article we are going to take a look at the most common mistakes people make and how best you can avoid them.
Using the wrong type of image format
You might not think it, but not ever image can be printed and come out looking like it does on your computer screen. When it comes to getting images printed, make sure that you are not sending through either a GIF file or a PNG file, as these are meant for screen only. It is much, much better if you send either JPEG files or TIFF files, as these will come out much better quality on the final print, which is what you want.
Printing in the wrong quality
When sending something off to get printed, think about what it is going to be used for. Are you making a big, highly visual presentation? Or is your printed material just going to be there for background visuals, that people can look at but don’t need to be paying attention to? If it is the former, then choose the highest quality that is available when setting your document up for print. If it’s the latter, then the lowest quality will be fine. By understanding this and choosing the correct quality for print, it will save you both a lot of time and a lot of money, as nothing will need to be reprinted.
Double check everything – especially readability and quality
When documents are done out on screen, whether they are text documents or documents with graphics on them, they always look great. However, this doesn’t always resonate onto the page once they have been printed. Always make sure that they aren’t going to be pixelated once they have been printed. A good way to do this is by making your screen 100% when viewing, as this is more likely to give you an indication of the printed material. As well as quality, it’s also important to make sure that there are absolutely no typos in the document, as even one will require the whole thing to be printed again, costing you more money and time.
Not enough Bleed on any images
When a printer talks about bleed, they are referring to the artwork which will go past the edge of the document. You may be thinking “Why would i want me image to go over the page?” but bleed is essential to making good printed materials. When there is not enough bleed on the documents is one of the main causes of printing delays and reprints being needed. It is usually good to have somewhere between 3mm and 5mm of bleed at the edge of your documents, but obviously the bigger the image, the more bleed you are going to need. However, while this may seem daunting and like something you can’t do, don’t worry as there is ample amounts of software available now that makes it easy to apply.
Using images that don’t convert to CMYK
CMYK is used for printing and RGB is used for on screen graphics. Supplying us with an image that is set up for RGB instead of CMYK or supplying us with an image that won’t convert is one of the most common printing mistakes that we see, however it can be easily avoided. And if you are unsure, then feel free to ask. We will be more than happy to help as all we want is the best print for you
Providing low resolution images
Something else that is easily avoidable, is that of providing low-resolution images. When it comes to printing, especially at a large size, for example A2-A0 posters or a PVC Banner, you are going to want to make sure that the imagery you provide is of the highest resolution possible. This is due to it being enlarged to fit the size of print that you have chosen and the lower resolution of the image the more pixels are going to show up on the finished product, which isn’t what you want especially if it is intended for visual use.
We hope that by reading this it has given you a little more knowledge on what to do before sending your artwork or projects away to get printed. By following these simple steps, it will make everyones job easier and ensure that you come away with the perfect print first time!
We are always here to help at Kaizen, whether you need a couple of posters printed or a run of 1000 presentation folders, we can do it. So if you’re ever in need of some print, get in touch with us, either by phoning 028 9002 2474 or sending us an email to [email protected].
