A Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Common Printing Mistakes

Whether it’s books, periodicals, or PDFs, printing is still a viable industry. Even if your company, like most, relies on digital communication, you may still need to print out hard copies of things, whether it’s for colleagues, students, or customers. Therefore, you want to ensure your prints look professional and well thought out. Unfortunately, even the best entrepreneurs, companies, and individuals may make these common mistakes you should avoid.

Insufficient Image Resolution: A Pixel’s Perspective

If you were to look at something online and it appears blurry, you may assume there’s either something wrong with your eyes or the screen. So when you’re seeing something blurry in print, there’s no reason to assume it’s something other than a bad print. Poor image resolution can make your printing look unprofessional. When you submit images to a printing company without proper resolution, they can only do so much in terms of fixing it. Anything below 300 DPI is usually not efficient for quality printing purposes. No matter how beautiful your original picture was, submitting something at such a poor resolution will result in poor output.

Incorrect Color Mode: RGB vs. CMYK: A Color Conundrum

Did you know that there are different types of color you should use when it comes to digital screens versus printing? RGB is the type of color used on digital screens such as your computer. It simply stands for Red, Green, and Blue. The reason why it has such a name is that it combines different intensities of green, red, and blue light to create a broad spectrum of colors on the screen. Any digital display that you use, such as a camera or TV monitor, is using RGB mode. Just remember you’ll never use this setting for a print.

However, CMYK is the one used for printing purposes. CMYK is an acronym for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black). When you see this color on your printed magazines and brochures, it involves a layer of translucent ink that comes in those four colors to produce a range of hues in the same way RGB works. Therefore, when you’re printing images, make sure you choose the correct mode.

Ignoring Bleed and Trim Areas: Beyond the Edge

While a visible white border may be part of your design, most people don’t want that. When you submit an image for print, you should think about having enough bleed space, that goes beyond the invisible border. There may be different sizes you’ll have to accommodate for when you print items. That’s why you should extend your file edges to compensate for different border and trimming areas.

Be aware of avoiding important visual elements in areas going toward the edge. Take, for example, a portrait printout. You should have the person’s face and or body completely fit in the frame within the projected border. Whatever gets cut off as part of the bleed won’t affect the overall story or message you’re trying to convey.

Using Incorrect File Formats: PDF Prowess

If you’ve ever had to download or create a print, you’ve likely had to use a PDF file. PDFs are a vital printing option as they can ensure no one can tamper with your image when they download it. Plus, PDFs are available to be downloaded and opened across different platforms. With so many different computers, software, and platforms being used across schools, homes, and businesses, it is essential to have a standard document file people can utilize. 

Overlooking Font Embedding: The Font Fiasco

You may think your biggest problem with fonts is choosing the right one for your document. After all, there are several fonts available, but there are some standard ones like Times New Roman that tend to be more cross-compatible and used in standard documents. You should also be mindful of font embedding. Embedded fonts become a regular part of the document, so it won’t be changed upon printout. If you know you’ll be sharing your final document across different platforms, you must use this feature to ensure your fonts won’t look wonky and come out in unrecognizable characters.

Forgetting to Proofread: Typos and Beyond

Imagine looking at an otherwise professional document only to see a bunch of mistakes and typos. Before you submit anything to print, make sure your images and text are presented in the way you want. Take the time to proofread a document more than one time if you need to.

After working on a document for hours, it’s natural to want to get it over with. However, if you’re tired, come back at a later time to review it before sending it off. It’s always good to give yourself enough time to step away and return to the document with fresh eyes. If you have a series of mistakes on your document, it can cost you a lot of time and money to correct that.

Many elements go into printing a professional-looking document. Whether you’re printing images, text, or a combination of the two, it’s important to understand how due diligence can affect the final project. Taking the time to learn about these elements can ensure you always have a successful printing project, whether you’re printing manuals, invitations, signage, or more. To learn more about the essentials of quality printing, contact the printing company San Antonio trusts today at SmithPrint.