Image Resolution and Colour
If you have existing artwork you’d like us to print for you, chances are it’ll need to be between 150-300dpi and CMYK (if this technical jargon has gone straight over your head… read on)
Resolution
Dpi or ppi stands for dots/pixels per inch and this is how we describe the resolution of your artwork or your image. The higher mass of dots or pixels per square inch determines how good the quality of your image will appear.
Typically, 72dpi is good for screen-based images, such as your social media posts or website imagery. Whereas images for print need to be 300dpi to guarantee a really clear, crisp print. Anything under 150dpi will likely print quite poorly and become pixelated (or blurry to you and me).
If your image is 300dpi and 10cm square but you wish to print it onto a 1metre square sign then when enlarging the image the dpi will reduce significantly. So your image needs to be the right resolution and the right size for the job!
Colour Profile
Next up, if you don’t know your CMYK and your RGB from your ABCDEFG – we’re here to help.
- RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue and is for screen-based images.
- CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black and is for printing images. (I know, the Y for Black is quite off-putting but B is already taken by Blue!)
Basically, RGB is how screen-based colours are made up. The mix of red, green and blue and the value of each colour makes up the colour you see on the screen.
CMYK is how colours for digital printing are made up. Printers often have 4 cartridges (just like your printer at home) Cyan (blue), Magenta (pink), Yellow and Black. These colours are mixed together in various amounts and their values determine the colour which gets printed.
If you come to us for a design and print service, you don’t need to worry about any of the above, we’ll do it all for you. But if you have your own artwork which you’d like us to print, we’re not being awkward when we ask for CMYK files with 300dpi, we just want your artwork to print the best it possibly can!
If you have any queries about your artwork, give us a call on 01646 651799
