Swiss-German Artist Paul Klee once said, “colour is the place where our brain and the universe meet.” If that’s the case, printing your brand colours correctly is like getting a VIP pass to the birth of creation.
Lately, the team here at IDM have started noticing a recurring theme. Clients who have come to us to create their brand or have started working with us with a brand ready to go, eventually send this email (some hyperbole added in for good measure):
Hey there incredibly attractive IDM crew,
We just got some deliverables sent to us by the printer and the colours are off??
What did we do wrong?? What did you do wrong?? What did the printer do wrong??
Thanks,
Best client ever.
While the blame game is the easy way out, the reality of the situation is that there are a million variables when it comes to printing. For starters, you’re working with at least three parties involved (you, us, and the printer). On top of this, your brand colours are being seen by a whole brigade of people across different devices, screens, deliverables, and printouts – each showcasing the colour in a slightly different way. The end result can mean different people have different interpretations of how your colours should look.
Thankfully, there is a better way to navigate this: the age old art of communication. Knowing how and what to ask for is the best way to make sure your brand is looking spick and span. Below, we’ve compiled a few tips that should help on your printing expedition.
Work with your printer
First and foremost, work with your printer. Like any service, they’re here to help you. Investing in a high-quality printer can amplify this collaboration, as they often go above and beyond to assist. Asking for a test print isn’t an uncommon practice, and it guarantees you’re happy with the colour and quality before your deliverable goes into full production. Remember your printer is a great port of call if you have any concerns. They’re the printing experts, after all.
Mind the paper selection
Much like different screens displaying colours differently, your choice of material or paper stock has a huge influence on how your colours print. For example, a print on a matte uncoated stock will often look darker than the exact same print on a coated gloss stock. The different combinations are just about endless, and without proper guidance your results will vary. As a general rule of thumb, if you’re printer flags that a colour will print differently, ask them to match your CMYK as closely as possible to your chosen Pantone colour.
Beware of CMYK’s limitations
As much as we love CMYK, it has its limitations. After all, you’re only making colours out of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. For example, super bright colours on screen are oftentimes harder to reproduce with standard digital/CMYK printers. This is where moving to offset printing with Pantone colours comes in handy (depending on your budget and other limitations, of course).
Ultimately, getting colours right in production is much more of an art than a science. It can take patience, collaboration, and communication. But if you invest in a good printer, form a great relationship, and aren’t afraid to ask questions – you’re going to end up with deliverables that accurately reflect your brand.