Color issues

Unexpected colors

To avoid color issues, first make sure your files are converted in CMYK. Do not use RGB colors or Pantones. Despite seeing no differences on screen, the printing difference is dramatic and it can make or break your design!

Because we cannot control the color reproduction of a customer's computer monitor, we cannot guarantee that the actual print color will precisely match any preview as it appears on your monitor. CMYK printing can sometimes be unpredictable. The best way to predict a color is by using a color swatch. Although minor color variation may occur, it's the most precise way to predict how colors will print.

Color variation

Variation in color throughout the same job is normal and may not be avoided with some color tones, particularly on large solid areas. A color variation of 5%-10% is normal and unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about it.

Keep in mind that many factors may affect the colors, such as paper texture and absorption, color of paper, laminating and coating. For more consistent colors, you may want to chose similar papers and finishes for each of you printed pieces. For example, the color on a matte laminated business card could look different compared to the same color printed on an uncoated letterhead paper.

Blue turns out purple

Blue is close to purple in the CMYK spectrum. Remember to use a low amount of magenta whenever using high amounts of cyan to avoid purple. When using a blue in your design, always make sure to leave at least a 30% difference in your Cyan and Magenta values.

Faded black

If you print black alone as 100% K, the resulting black may not be as dark as you might like. You should be using a rich black formula. Rich black is an ink mixture of solid black, 100% K, with additional CMY ink values. This results in a darker tone than black ink alone. For most papers, we recommend using C60 M40 Y40 K100. For our Signature paper (textured and uncoated), we recommend using C100 M100 Y100 K100. This will make a deep, dark, rich black.

Unless your text is really bold, we recommend using 100% K (black) only for text. A rich black mixture is not recommended for thin lines or small elements.