Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled some questions and answers about digital printing,
that we hope will provide essential reading for the supply of artwork or clarify print reproduction queries.
- 1. What is RGB and CMYK?
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- - RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the colour spectrum used by computer screens, monitors and TV sets.
- CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is the colour spectrum used by printers.
- - RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is the colour spectrum used by computer screens, monitors and TV sets.
- 2. Image colour looks different on my monitor. Why?
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- Questions about colour display can be difficult to answer, because monitors across the world will interpret colours in different ways.
Our monitors might interpret a pillar box red to seem slightly purple, or slightly pink.
If you are not satisfied with the way the image appears on your monitor, you might want to take a look at your monitor's settings.
For instance, is your monitor set to use good or excellent colour quality?
- Questions about colour display can be difficult to answer, because monitors across the world will interpret colours in different ways.
- 3. What are .tif, .gif and .eps formats?
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- - .tif images are used for printouts. They will come with a 300 dpi (dots per inch) resolution,
which will be enable to generate very good quality prints. Their size can be reduced without any loss of quality.
- .gif images are generally featured in websites and emails. They normally have 72 dpi resolution (screen resolution), enough for best visualisation.
A .gif image cannot be rescaled.
- .eps images are normally vector images with a possibility to increase their size without any loss of quality.
- - .tif images are used for printouts. They will come with a 300 dpi (dots per inch) resolution,
which will be enable to generate very good quality prints. Their size can be reduced without any loss of quality.
- 4. What are the differences between raster and vector graphics?
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File formats such as Adobe Photoshop, .gif, .jpg (JPEG), .tif images are examples of raster files.
File formats such as Adobe Illustrator (*.ai), Corel (*.cdr), Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps) are examples of vector files.
When a vector image is stretched, no image clarity is lost. The graphic is independent of screen or print resolution.
Generally, a vector file will be smaller than a raster file showing the same information.
It's very simple to convert vector graphics into raster graphics.
As a result, vector files aren't tied to a particular resolution - you can generate raster images of any size from vector files.
Unfortunately, converting a raster graphic into a vector graphic isn't as easy.
- 5. Can digital images, transparencies and original artwork be used?
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- Yes, we have the facilities to use/convert/scan all types of media for reproduction in print. See equipment list