Printing in Color

Printing in full color can really boost the impact of a design. It's more eye catching and it helps communicate a high level of professionalism. But when the color isn't right, it can be a big disappointment. The following information is offered in hopes of helping you select an option best suited to your needs.

One of the greatest challenges faced by designers and printers is achieving color consistency through all phases of the production process. Colors often don't print the same as they appear on the monitor. These differences are sometimes quite subtle; at other times very noticeable There are various color models, different color "profiles" for the printer and the monitor, and the monitor itself must be calibrated. And colors can appear different depending on the type of paper used.

A good designer knows how to navigate through this color workflow and ensure good results. They have a system that is color calibrated and in sync with the printer, but there can still be inconsistencies from time to time. This makes it very important for you to specify whether you will need "pleasing color" or "critical color."

Pleasing Color vs. Critical Color

Pleasing color refers to color which is a fairly good match. Skin tones looks realistic and the printed piece on the whole is a fair approximation of the original. Pleasing color is usually acceptable for most projects.

However, if color must be more accurate — as in precisely matching a product's color or ensuring that there are no odd color casts in skin tones — then critical color is called for. This may require more than one preliminary proof for the express purpose of fine tuning the colors. Based on the appearance of the color in each proof, corrections are made to the file and another proof is generated.

Even as less expensive alternatives to traditional offset printing (such as in digital printing) become more popular, the preliminary proof remains a critical step. Always be sure you see a proof before approving the final print run. And be sure the printer you are working with is willing to make adjustments to the proof to achieve the results you want. Naturally, the extra care required to produce critical color means extra cost, both at the printer and with the designer. However, the extra steps are the best insurance that the final product will meet your expectations.