It can be confusing to design for print if you are new to this task. You must create a design that looks good on paper and prepare it. You must also ensure that your project is ready for printing. This will help you avoid making the many mistakes that beginners make. It’s essential to think about color profiles, resolutions, and sizing. You must also consider which type of black you will use (yes, there is more than one!). Your application choice (e.g., Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. ), and of course, bleed and trim. This can all sound quite daunting, and there is a severe shortage of information to assist you in getting things done right.
This is why we created this guide.
This guide can be used to design any printed material: flyer, leaflet, or poster.
You have never printed anything before.
Photoshop experience is limited
You have struggled in the past
Understanding RGB Vs. CMYK Colour Modes
You are familiar with designing digital objects (e.g., websites, blog post graphics, etc. You’ll use the RGB colour mode. This setting is the default for most graphic design programs (e.g., Photoshop). This is the default setting for most graphic design applications (e.g., Photoshop), so you may not have heard of it, but you will probably have used it. You will almost always need to use the CMYK colour mode when designing for print. Using RGB can cause untrue colour reproduction in the printing process.
What are these colour modes exactly? Let us explain:
RGB (Red, Green, Blue)
RGB stands for the additive colour system. All colours can be created from various Red, Green, and Blue combinations. The basic idea behind RGB is that light is used for mixing colors. Adding more light will make the colour lighter, brighter, and more vibrant. RGB gives you the ability to control precisely which color you choose. There are nearly 17 million (16.777.216) RGB color variations.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black)
CMYK, a subtractive colour mode, creates all colours from combinations of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (Key). You can create different hues by mixing inks. The darker the color, the more you use ink.
RGB can produce a broader range of colours than CMYK. You can ensure that your design will be printed in the CMYK mode. This allows you to limit the number of colors reproduced during professional printing.
CMYK for Professional Printing
Professional printing companies use CMYK processes. You must ensure your design is ready for print by changing the color mode to CMYK within any design software you use. The most common error printing novices make is to design in RGB mode rather than CMYK.
Understanding Solutions (DPI + Pip)
You’re already familiar with the concept of resolution and why they are essential when designing for print.
If you don’t know what I mean, we have all the details:
PPI (Pixels per Inch)
The PPI (Pixels per Inch) refers to how many tiny dots (pixels) make up an image on your computer screen. As long as the resolution of your computer monitor is high enough, the higher the PPI, you will see a better-quality photo. The image can contain more detail if it has more pixels (or tiny dots). This is how high-definition television works.
The image below shows you a great example of this.
The circle at 10 PPI doesn’t look like a circle. However, the process at 20 PPI appears a lot more circular. You can see why HD modern displays, such as the Retina display on iPhones/iPads, have up to 250+ PPI.
DPI (Dots per Inch)
DPI is the same as PPI, but it’s translated into real-world printing instead of digital computer screens. When you send it off to your preferred printing company, every pixel of your digital design will be printed in tiny dots (using the CMYK printing method). Your design’s PPI must match the DPI used by your printing company.
Printing companies typically print at 300 DPI. This means 300 dots will fill every inch of the final printed design. Printing at 300 DPI is the norm. Any lower resolution would result in a poor-quality finished product.
The image below shows an example.
Before you start your project, check with the printing company. It’s better to assume 300 DPI if you cannot get in touch.
Understanding Bleed and Trim
Although “bleed” or “trim” may sound complicated, they are straightforward.
When designing for print, accounting for bleed/trim is crucial. Here’s an easy explanation:
Trim
The trim’s outer edge serves as the cutting line for the product when it is printed. The trim line should be cut so that nothing beyond it will be removed and everything within will not be. It would help if you left some trim to accommodate any slight deviations.
The purpose of the small area is not to allow for any accidental removal of meaningful content.
Bleed
It’s possible to have slight differences in the trimming process that affect the small area slightly. However, it is also possible for these same discrepancies to go the opposite way. The actual trim line is slightly beyond the trim area. Your finished product will be covered in ugly lines if you don’t have a bleed area. To prevent your design from looking wrong no matter what, the bleed area serves as an insurance policy.
While the amount of bleed varies among printing companies, it is usually around 3mm in Britain.
Safe Area
All your design elements and essential information should be in the safe zone. Because it is safe, no matter what happens to your design elements and information, everything within this secure area will be included in the final printed product. The safe place should not be extended beyond the background and the small room.
