PRINTING TIPS

CMYK Printing - Most graphic software programs will ask your choice from the beginning what type to start from--- CMYK or RGB format. 'Full color' is the same as '4-color' printing it uses C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), K (black), this is the process used in the majority of quality magazines, post cards, and national advertisements. If your file is in RGB it must be translated to CMYK file in order to print it. It's important that you begin your work in CMYK as the conversion of RGB to CMYK may not be always exact.

Image Resolution - Printland always require all files to be at least 300dpi. If you have a lower resolution, or if you 'stretch' a small file into a larger size- this will create a pixelated/fuzzy/jagged image on the print. Resolution and size should be proportional, for example, if you have a 4"x4" image and the you need to enlarge it to 8"x8" it's resolution from the smaller size should be 600dpi. Always try to have a half size original image but make sure that the resolution are always proportioned to it's size when enlarged. It is important to know that once a resolution of a file is reduced, it cannot be restored or undo.

Size & Resolution of an Image - If you are not sure about your final size, scan it with more resolution. It's easier to reduce the size and resolution of the file, but impossible to make it larger with insufficient resolution.

Images from Internet - Images from the Internet (72dpi- GIF, JPG, PNG) are NOT recommended for printing, as these are low-resolution and do not provide a good quality image for printing. These images would appear pixelated/fuzzy/jagged if printed.

Original Photograph - The best size for an original photograph to work with should be large or larger than the final size in the printed document. But, if printing a size larger than 11"x17", you will need to adjust your scanning resolution to be able to print a still very clear and good quality image. And always makes sure that the quality of the original photograph is as good as possible.

Image Type - The best image type in order to achieve the best color quality and sharpness of the image are TIFF or EPS images. Other file formats tend to remove some of the quality of the original images. Digital cameras use a higher quality JPG format, but this will need to be converted into a TIFF or EPS format.

Colored Text - The printing process is sometimes not perfect. Misalignment can make small text look blurry. Any text larger than 10pt. will print sharp with any (CMYK) color you choose. If the text is in RGB, it might change during the CMYK conversion process.

Bleed - Bleed is a printing term that means the ink will be printed all the way to the edge of the paper. Full bleeds are no problem with Printland and doesn't cost an additional fee. For example, you are designing a postcard with a full bleed (all sides), you will need to make the design slightly larger by 1/8th of an inch (.125") on all sides to be trimmed away.