Signwriting Colors

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Proofs, Digital Monitors, CRT and other design modes
 

Signs are made from what is called 'live' color. This means that some color variation is expected when producing a sign project compared to a computerized format. Ink, Material, laydown depth and speed all effect how a color is finally output.

Proofs are sent to you via an email that best represent the colors chosen. Please allow, that while we attempt to match exact colors, there are many factors beyond our control.

Digital Monitors will show (in general) lesser color outputs.
CRT Monitors will show deeper colors, but may not best represent CMYK processes.
RGB is typically how you will view a color on your computer. All our printing techniques are CMYK.
Inks vary from batch to batch.
Emulsifiers operate differently over Original Manufacturing date.
Compounds are not purchased by us and may vary from ink company to ink company. Their recipes are all different.
Press temperature, material dyne levels, humidity, daytime or nighttime conditions and curing systems all affect production of color.

If you would like a smaller portion of your signage work to be 'actual proofed' on real material using the real production process. A small charge will be incurred, including any artwork, set up and/or cleaning charge plus delivery/courier. In effect, it's just a mini of the live job with all the production costs. We do not supply 'actual proofed' work free of charge and your request would be inset into the normal print cue.
 

Guarantee of Color.

We consider ourselves to color experts, both in the first stages of digital and when printing - signwriting - plotting color. However, there are so many different variables beyond our control, we can not absolute guarantee any color output.

We follow strict standards religiously, such as Pantone Color Models, CMYK conversions, Ink laydowns and hue/saturation/density knowledge during file set up / cross over, but are not responsible for loss or gain of actual production color.

In addition, for larger screen printing projects, color may or may not alter during the process due to a multitude of reasons beyond our control. We regret this statement, yet is vital for all customers to understand that color is a fickle beast. All signage companies face similar issues when attempting to guarantee color. We consider ourselves to the leaders, and are overcoming technologies issues everyday for the benefit of our clients. We do not reprint at any request of rejection, rather preferring that customers understand the nature of the beast prior to allocating work. All printing is conducted in Australia and overseen by qualified staff.


 

CMYK or RGB ?

CMYK = Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black. The K is used so that there is no confusion between the B in Blue.
RGB = Red Green Blue. RGB 72dpi is a computer screen rendition.
 

Why CMYK for printing and not RGB ?

Without artificial light as provided by the computer screen, RGB is too restrictive for INK COLORS. Hues and tints such as Deep magenta are lost to the RGB values. Try making a nice burgundy in RGB, very difficult.

CMYK offers more color choices for clients when using inks and printing techniques.
 

Why not use 6 color digital printing
such as CMYK - Light Green, Light Orange ?

Very little is gained by adding the additional colors, and many designers are not yet up to speed with designing for the new technology. If you do have requirements for 6 color digital printing please let us know. You should design your files accordingly using Photoshop or Indesign etc.
 

Adding your own color bars to a file - tip.

This a common practice to add color bars to the file makeup. If so, please remember, that our team will also add our own color bars regardless. So if not absolutely necessary, your color bars may be left off the original file.
If you would like the color bars to be supplied (after trimming) with your work, please let us know so that the production team can package them with your final goods.
 

The Color Bar Recipe - tip.

(For trade Design Clients) Please ensure that your designs are correctly formatted in CMYK modes. Check by using a color picker on the file and flatten any color bar sections.
Tip: We use a READ ONLY formatted file that is placed into the document. This ensures that no alteration is made during the final pre issue and pre print stages.
You can use a Photoshop action to speed up this tip.

 

Use us or another designer

If you prefer to sit down with a designer close to you, just let us know, we work for lots of very talented design agencies around the country and are happy to let you know of them. Just flip an email request.