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      • Do I really have to save my images CMYK ?
        06/30/06
        I would strongly recommend always saving your files in CMYK color space for print. The first and foremost reason for this, is that CMYK is a color mode designed to represent the colors of images output using process printing inks. Every output device, (ie: your monitor, desktop printer, a printing

      • A great design piece can become ugly at the cutter
        06/30/06

        Designing a job for print that will cut correctly at the cutter is very important because an excellent design piece that's cut wrong will be rejected by the customer. The most important part of designing is knowing the final cut size of the job and determining whether there's bleeds

      • All That Glitters Isn't Gold (Ink That Is)
        06/30/06
        One of the questions most asked by customers, is for a recommendation for a gold ink build. While there is now substitution for the real thing. We have through some experimentation, found a build that works pretty well. I would not recommend this for heavy coverage solids, floods, or reverses (i

      • Knocking Out Overprint Issues
        06/30/06
        The purpose of the overprint feature on most graphic design programs is to make small black text and detailed black objects look sharper when using offset 4-color printing. Since not all black text is on a white background, it makes sense to overprint it on top of the other colors. There are, howeve

      • The Microcosmos of Printing (Registering Small Colored Text) [thanks Tony for the name]
        06/30/06
        This entry actually came about through an e-mail correspondance with a customer, so I will just present it in that fashion.


        Customer:
        Hey Matt, I remember how we talked about it being hard to use rich black for smaller fonts. So Im wondering if there is a difference if I w

      • The Low-Down on Laying Down Coatings and Varnishes
        06/30/06
        Aqueous coating, is what we usually apply to the front side of any mail piece. There are some advantages and disadvantages to aqueous coating: First, aqueous coating is not an ink, nor a varnish, it is actually an ammonia based clear coat that can add great scuff resistance to postcards, as well as

      • Have you Ever Wanted to Just Choke Your Text? (rich black part 2)
        06/06/06
        As I discussed earlier in the article "To Rich Black or Not to Rich Black", printing large black solids can be really disapointing unless "under-color" inks are added to the black ink, to achieve greater density, thus darker black tones. While the addition of process inks to bl

      • To Rich Black or Not to Rich Black
        06/05/06

        Have you ever had a job printed with a large black solid, expecting to get back something resembling the paint job on a brand new sports car, beautiful and glossy, so black that you can see your reflection in it, only to be disapointed by the muddy charcoal grey brochure that has about as muc