Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers. Digital printing has a higher cost per page than more traditional offset printing methods, but this price is usually offset by avoiding the cost of all the technical steps required to make printing plates. It also allows for on-demand printing, short turnaround time, and even a modification of the image (variable data) used for each impression.

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While it’s true that we have a large font collection in-house and probably have fonts of the same name as those in your project, fonts from different manufacturers may not have the same characteristics even if they share the same name. These inconsistencies can produce unexpected problems. The only way to guarantee correct output is for us to use the same fonts as you did, so please include your fonts.

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A vector graphic is defined in a mathematical nature, which makes it resolution-independent. This means it can be printed clearly at any size. A bitmap image is formed by a rectangular grid of small squares, known as pixels. Each pixel contains data that describes whether it should be rendered as black, white, or a level of colour. Bitmap graphics are resolution-dependent and can appear jagged or lose detail if they are created at a low resolution and then enlarged or printed at a higher resolution.

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We only accept industry-standard print-ready PDF format. Should your file be in another format, a set-up fee is chargeable in order to get the files ready for printing. If your file has bleed to the edges, make sure to include a 3mm bleed in your artwork. It is not necessary to include the crop marks as our technology will set-up the files correctly to print on our system. We accept Coral draw, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Publisher, MS Word, MS Excel, Jpg, DFX files and EPS Files. Please remember that we might not have all the same fonts or versions of the program on our system and this might cause some unforeseen changes on your document. That is why it is safer to send your file as a PDF so that you can make sure that everything is correct before sending it to us.

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CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (actually, the K stands for “key”…which is black). The process involves combining varying amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink to produce a full spectrum of colour. Colour mode does matter because everything is printed in CMYK colours. If your files are in RGB mode, they will need to be converted to CMYK. Converting colours is a tricky business because although they both produce colour, RGB and CMYK are as different as apples are to orangutans! There are many formulas for converting RGB colours to CMYK colours, and they all produce results that are very similar, but not spot-on. If colour accuracy is vital to your project, it is best to consult with us early in the process to plan for the best colour conversion possible.

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Resolution is measured in dots per inch (DPI). The more dots per inch, the sharper your image will be. For printed products, the minimum resolution is typically 300dpi. Sometimes your designer will advise you that your resolution is too low and that your images are pixelating.

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PDF (Portable Document Format) is a file format that has captured all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print, or forward to someone else. PDF files are created using Adobe Acrobat, Acrobat Capture, or similar products. To view and use the files, you need the free Acrobat Reader, which you can easily download. Once you’ve downloaded the Reader, it will start automatically whenever you want to look at a PDF file. PDF files are especially useful for documents such as magazine articles, product brochures, or flyers in which you want to preserve the original graphic appearance online. 

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In printing, your products are often printed on a larger sheet than the final product and then cut to size. If you have colours on your product that stretch to the edge of the document, it’s best to let those colours stretch, or “bleed” past the edge of the product size. That ensures your colours go all the way to the edge of your document. This is especially important in digital printing, as there is always a chance that the registration, as the paper goes through the machine will not match up 100% to the next sheet printing.

A – Trim line: This is ultimately where your final product is going to be trimmed. For example, if we look at a business card, your standard trim size will be 90mm x 50mm.

B – Bleed: This area will be trimmed off your final product, but it is still important that your colours or images still flow over into this area or you might end with a product that has white edges where you did not want them.

C – Text bleed: We want to get the most of our marketing material, especially if the area is small and we have to give a lot of information, but always make sure that your text is not too close to the edges. We advise to never place text closer than 5mm of your final trim edge. For books, we even advise at least 10 – 15mm away from the edges.

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