Frequently Asked Questions

What is image resolution?

Most digital images (photos, logos, etc.) are made of small dots called pixels. The more pixels in an image, the more detail an image has, and the higher the “resolution.” The ideal high-resolution image is 300 dpi (dots* per inch) at the actual size it is to be printed. The fewer pixels there are, the more blurry or “pixelated” the image will be. A low-res image is anything under 200 dpi. At this resolution and lower, the pixels are noticeable to the naked eye, giving the image a jagged or blurry look. A high-res image cannot be enlarged without a loss in quality. A 300 dpi image that is enlarged 200% will then read as 150 dpi. This difference may not be visible on the computer screen but it will be noticeable on the printed page. Images on Web sites are always 72 dpi, which is why they shouldn’t be used for print.                       

*Also referred to as ppi-pixels per inch.

What’s the difference between RGB and CMYK?

RGB= Red, Green, Blue

Computer screens use an RGB color space, representing colors as additive mixtures of red, green, and blue light (whose sum is white light). By adding varying amounts of these colors together through the use of light you can represent the entire color spectrum. In printed materials, this light combination cannot be directly reproduced, so computer-generated images must be converted to the CMYK equivalent in ink colors.

CMYK = Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black)

These are known as the process colors (a.k.a. “four-color process” or “full color”) and is how materials are printed on a press. By combining varying amounts of process inks you can represent a spectrum of different colors.

What is a spot color?

A spot color is a specialized ink that cannot be made by combining process inks. Pantone ***  has a system of custom colors using inks that span a wide range of specialty uses. Each of the spot colors in the Pantone Matching System is mixed accordingly to its own unique ink mixing formula. Spot colors tend to be cleaner and brighter than if they were created in the four-color process described above, and are commonly used in one, two, or three-color printing jobs. When Pantone spot color is used in a four-color process piece it must be converted to process, or it will not print. While some spot colors can be simulated well in CMYK, there are many that look quite different after conversion, particularly colors in the blue family.

What is rich black?

What is ink limit? Rich black is a mix of all four process colors, as opposed to just black ink. This creates a tone that is richer and deeper than 100 % black alone (flat black). The printer-recommended rich black formula for Bay Area Home Builder is: 40c 30m 30y 100k. Rich black is not to be used for text and body copy in an ad.

Ink limit is the total sum percentage of process ink in any given area. For example, the rich black discussed above has an ink limit of 200% (40+30+30+100=200). The printer-recommended maximum ink limit is 325%.

What are trim size, bleed and live area?

Trim size is the size of the printed material in its final, finished stage.

When artwork is printed right to the physical edge of the paper it’s called a full bleed. Printers need a bit of paper edge to grip in order to pull the paper through the printer, so full-bleed pages are printed on larger sheets of paper and then trimmed to size. The artwork on a full-bleed page must extend 1/8” beyond the trim size.

The live area or safety area on a printed piece that bleeds is ¼” inside trim. All images and text not intended to trim should be within this area.