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Getting True To Life Color With CMYK Mode
CMYK is the color printing method used by many printers, so understanding what it is and how it will benefit you is an important part of making sure that your final product looks like what you dream.
CMYK printing is designed to give you the most life-like photographs possible.
This means that your digital photography will jump off the page and it will produce stunning results.
However, there are some things to consider in order to ensure that you get proper results.
Here are some things to consider: o The final product.
You will want to know what your final product will look like and the type of paper and finishes that you will have.
Your paper choice and finish may have some limitations that could prevent it from giving you the results that you pictured.
o Your printer.
Whenever you are having something professionally printed, you will want to talk to the printer ahead of time.
The printer may have special grids for you to use or file requirements for your design.
Your printer can also alert you if your design and your product choices will not work well together, and the printer can give you better alternatives to help you achieve your finished product.
o Your tools.
Just because you have the software does not necessarily mean that you have the talent.
Make sure that you are creating the different design elements in their appropriate programs.
If you have a hard time tying everything together, then it may be time to ask the printer for design help.
o Get color swatches.
The downside of working with CMYK is that what you see on your screen may not be what your finished product will actually look like.
This is because the monitor is usually not perfectly calibrated to the printing ink, and colors can look different on different types of paper.
Requesting swatches can help make your design process easier.
o Only use actual fonts.
Some software will offer fake fonts that show up in the program but do not look the same when printed.
To make sure that you final product has all the design elements that you want, use the real font.
o Account for bleed areas.
If your project will print from edge to edge, then you need to allow for the bleed areas.
Bleed areas are the parts that are cut away so that the final product goes all the way to the edge of the paper.
o Ask for proofs.
The last thing that you want to happen when you are ordering a large print order is to pay for a huge shipment and then discover that something is misspelled or that your logo is the wrong color.
Ask the printer to provide you with a proof before continuing with the final printing so that you can make any last minute changes or adjustments that are necessary.
The more that you know about the CMYK process, the better your final product will be.
Talk to your printer about any concerns that you might have with your final product.
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