Supplying Digital Files:
There are a few elements that you should consider when uploading or supplying digital files that are specifically related to our digital printing process. Follow this advice to ensure you get the best possible printed results:
Files should be supplied in PDF format
for optimum results.
Bleed area
Bleed is a printing term that is used to describe a document which has images or elements that touch the edge of the page (rather than white space), extending beyond the trim edge and leaving no white margin. When a document has bleed, it must be printed on a larger sheet of paper and then trimmed down. Most items we print require 1.5mm bleed – this is stated on the product page.
Total Ink Limits
Avoid using colours with a total ink limit over 275%. Any colours exceeding this will be automatically re-mapped to their nearest equivalent so there may be a shift in colour.
Design Elements
Where possible, keep the design simple, lots of white space tends to work well. Large areas of flat colour can be problematic, resulting in an uneven solid that can look banded. A large area is defined as larger than 40mm square.
Using Grey
To achieve neutral shades of grey use black only. It is best to avoid using grey tints below 20% or over 80%. Large areas of grey can appear patchy and uneven – consider adding a texture to help mask this. Greys that are made up of all four CMYK printing channels have a tendency to print unevenly with a yellow cast to them.
Gradients and Blends
Gradients don’t print well. If you must use them, try adding texture or a low amount of noise to ensure a smoother transition from light to dark. Alternatively, limit blends to less than a 50% tint change. Grey tints are less forgiving than other colours. You’ll get better results if you create your blends in a raster based application such as Photoshop®.
Tints
Consider adding texture to any large areas of colour, especially on lighter tints. Avoid using tints below 10% as these are likely to disappear when printed.
Need Help?
If you would like some more information or advice when setting up your booklet, please get in touch here.
