How to Create an Autumn Colour Palette For Your Project

How to Create an Autumn Colour Palette For Your Design Project

Colour analysis is a concept that helps determine the most effective colour palette for printing based on factors like material, finish, and intended use.

The same concept applies to printing and branding, where selecting the right colours ensures consistency across marketing materials, packaging, and signage, adapting to different surfaces and finishes. In print design, choosing seasonal colours that complement brand identity enhances visual impact and customer engagement, making advertisements more effective.

Here, we explore the process of creating an autumn colour palette for your printing projects, incorporating soft and warm autumn colours tones for a cohesive and appealing design.

Autumn Palette Creation and Printing Design

After careful autumn color analysis palette creation becomes a logical task where you can apply simple colour theory to build suitable palettes to complement the hues of the typical autumn season and autumn type to develop suitable palettes that align with seasonal printing trends. Most autumn print palettes feature a blend of warm, earthy, and rich tones, ideal for various print applications.

For printing projects, warm and soft colour palettes are the most frequently used to maintain a cohesive and visually appealing aesthetic. Additionally, pushing boundaries with hoarding design and printing allows businesses to explore innovative ways of using seasonal colours in large-scale advertising, ensuring high-impact visuals that resonate with the autumn theme.

Here’s a breakdown of the two main autumn subcategories and their print colour palettes:

The soft autumn colour palette

Comprises colours like taupe, olive green, burnt amber, and terracotta red, perfect for printing projects that require a subtle, warm-toned aesthetic. These colours work well on the packaging, promotional prints, and marketing materials that align with the autumn season. Incorporating autumn color analysis helps ensure that the chosen shades complement each other, creating a visually appealing and cohesive design.

Warm Autumn Colours Palette

A warm autumn colour palette comprises more vibrant colours like gold, orange-red, mustard yellow, burgundy, and sometimes earthy pink, offering a bold and vibrant look for seasonal print campaigns. These colours are commonly used for event signage, point-of-sale displays, and high-impact promotional prints. Incorporating a color palette warm autumn theme can enhance visual appeal and create a cohesive seasonal aesthetic in your designs.

Printing projects are designed based on thorough seasonal colour analysis to develop a striking canvas that makes an impact for an autumn campaign comprising advertising assets such as branding panels, banners, and hoardings, often produced on aluminium composite boards to ensure durability and visibility. The primary objective is to capture attention and encourage audience engagement through high-quality printed materials.

In addition to creating a contrasting, striking canvas for an advertisement, choosing the right autumn colours for your project can also evoke emotions and convey a sense of calm and balance. This is particularly useful for brands in beauty, wellness, and travel, where printed materials for salons, spas, skincare products, and travel promotions contribute to a cohesive and visually appealing brand presence.

The best colours for an autumn print campaign

Depending on your brand persona and colour palette, and the natural hues of autumn in your city, an autumn colour palette can vary from one brand to the next. However, certain universal colour categories work well for designing print assets such as branding panels, banners, and aluminium composite boards.

  • Warm tones of yellow and orange such as mustard, pumpkin, amber and golden rod. These colours evoke feelings of warmth, happiness, and energy, making them ideal for promotional prints and retail displays.
  • Rich, earthy red tones such as terracotta, burnt sienna, rust, and oxblood. These colours lend a warm and inviting feel encouraging people to watch, perfect for advertising assets that encourage customer engagement.
  • Earthy brown tones such as chocolate, chestnut, and golden brown that help evoke a sense of stability and depth, making them suitable for packaging and branded signage.
  • Muted green tones such as sage, olive green, and moss green. These colours help bring a sense of balance and calm, working well in POS displays and eco-friendly print designs when combined with neutral colours like white or brown.
  • Warm blue tones such as teal, ultramarine, and Robbin’s egg blue. These colours  add a refreshing contrast to the autumn palette, making them ideal for event signage and promotional materials that require visual impact.

Wrapping up

Creating an autumn colour palette in printing requires careful analysis of warm and soft autumn hues, their undertones, and how they align with brand colours. The ideal palette should not only complement existing branding but also evoke the desired emotions while ensuring a striking visual impact for seasonal print campaigns.

Use this guide to develop an autumn-inspired print palette for your next marketing project and collaborate with a professional printing expert to maximise your budget effectively.

What is an Image Resolution: Sizes, Types And More Explained

What is an image resolution Sizes, Types And More Explained

Print and image resolutions are two crucial elements in graphic design and advertisement printing. Most often, a badly printed hoarding or banner is caused by a wrong combination of image resolution, size, and type. Companies often try to print large-size branding panels and aluminium composite boards without realising the resolution and size specifications.

To establish clarity, in this article, we explore everything you need to know about resolutions, including what is an image resolution, what makes a photo high resolution, and more.

What is an Image Resolution?

An image resolution is essentially the amount of detail or specific information that is stored within its defined space. This is either measured in pixels or dots.

In simpler words, the resolution defines the amount of pixels used to make a photo or the number of dots it takes to print.

In that respect, PPI and DPI are two of the most common expressions of image quality. PPI or Pixels Per Inch and DPI or Dots Per Inch are directly proportional to the image quality, that is, the higher the PPI or DPI number, the better the quality of the image.

What does a High Resolution Photo Mean?

A high-resolution image or photo has a higher concentration of pixels or dots in its composition. In other words, it carries more detail within its space by using more pixels or dots. When considering what is a high-resolution photo, it typically refers to an image with at least 300 Pixels Per Inch (PPI), ensuring sharpness and clarity for professional printing and digital use.

An image that has 300 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) or more is considered to be a high-res photo. This level of detail ensures clarity and sharpness, making it suitable for professional printing and digital use. When asking, “What is considered a high-res image?” the answer typically revolves around the PPI count, with 300 PPI being the industry standard for high-quality visuals.

What is the DPI for high resolution photos?

In terms of DPI or print requirements, a high resolution image typically has 300 Dots Per Inch (DPI) or more. This translates to sharper and more detailed prints, perfect for advertising or printing on assets like aluminium composite boards and branding panels. These boards are commonly used for shopfront signs, construction site hoardings, and outdoor business signage, where durability and high-quality print clarity are essential.

What is a Good Resolution for a Photo?

For most print uses, a photo with a resolution of 300 PPI or 300 DPI is considered a good-quality photo. However, an optimal resolution depends on other factors as well, including the print size and viewing distance.

For digital images, 72 PPI is considered to be a standard resolution.

What is higher quality JPEG or PNG?

Among JPEG and PNG image file types, PNG is generally considered higher quality as it utilises a loss-free compression process. This means, there is no loss of data during compression.

JPEG, on the other hand, uses a loss-prone or lossy compression process, which can cause some level of quality degradation.

Images in Photoshop

Brands and printing companies often use Photoshop to optimise their image files before printing them out to create branding panels or other physical assets for advertising. The attributes we apply to the image in Photoshop directly affect the outcome.

Resolution in Photoshop refers to the amount of detail composing an image. When asking what is resolution in Photoshop, it specifically refers to the number of pixels per inch (PPI) in an image, determining its clarity and quality. A higher resolution ensures sharper prints, while a lower resolution may result in pixelation or blurriness.

How to Check Picture Resolution?

  • To check the picture resolution on your system, right-click the image and select “Properties” from the menu options.
  • This will open a window with the details of the image.
  • Then, click on the “Details” tab to find information regarding the image’s resolution and dimensions.

How to Improve Image Quality in Photoshop?

To improve image quality, Photoshop provides a range of features, including an impressive AI-powered tool.

Here are some options:

  • Super Resolution – Photoshop’s AI-powered tool intelligently improves image quality by upscaling a low-resolution image to a higher resolution while preserving the details.
  • Sharpening – helps sharpen the edges and specific details of an image, making it appear more defined.
  • Noise reduction – helps reduce ‘noise’ in an image that may otherwise make it appear unclear.
  • Contrast and colour adjustments – Adjusting attributes like hue, saturation, and colour balance can also help improve image quality to an extent.

Pixels and Images: a Few Things to Know

A few common questions when it comes to pixels and images, such as what is 300 DPI, are addressed below.

What size in pixels is A4?

An A4 page, with a standard print resolution of 300DPI, is approximately 3508 pixels high and 2480 pixels wide.

What is 300 DPI in pixels?

To convert print size into pixels for a standard 300 DPI resolution image, you need to multiply the height and width by 300. Hence, a 10*10 image of 300 DPI in pixels would be (10*300) = 3000 pixels by 3000 pixels.

Wrapping Up

From the meaning of image resolutions to its measuring techniques and optimisation, this article covers everything you need to know about obtaining a high-quality print. Refer back to the details to generate perfect print assets such as hoardings and banners.

For high-quality print assets, contact Hoarding Printing Company.

What are the Different Types of Print?

What-Are-the-Different-Types-of-Print

The revolutionary inventions gave us printers which are highly needed by businesses to print various stuff associated with their branding. Be it a hoarding, poster, Boards, magazine, billboard, point-of-sale display, or anything, you will need printers to have these exceptional marketing tactics to promote a business. You will be amazed to know that there are numerous types of prints that you can use for printing materials needed for brand awareness. We will discuss those types in this post. So, keep on reading.

Understanding Various Types of Printing

Print marketing is considered quite effective when it comes to brand awareness. The best thing about this is that you can have various printing methods that you can use. Some of them have been listed here:

  • Inkjet Printing

This option is more like an artist who plays with colours. In this process, tiny ink droplets are sprayed onto the paper to create colourful mosaics and form images. This is specifically useful when you need hoardings with vibrant colours and high-quality prints. Inkjet printing offer smooth colour transitions along with sharp images.

  • Laser Printing

This technique uses electrically-charged drums to print images. A beam of laser light is used along with dry ink i.e. toner to make a print of your digital file. Speaking about its uses, laser printing is best for reports, official documents, or any other material that needs vivid colour. You can choose it to save time. Besides, you can create multiple copies of it while maintaining sharp and crisp text.

  • LED UV Printing

As the name suggests, this type of print art uses ultraviolet lights for printing. The best thing about UV printing is that it dries instantly. This will not only speed up the printing work but help you print on various materials. It is considered an ideal option when you want to produce high-grade prints with vibrant colours to have a premium look and feel. To print high-quality commercial hoarding panels, magazines, brochures, postures, and stationery items, you can go with this option. One of the biggest benefits of UV printing is that it can be used to print on metals, wood, plastic, silk, and even stone. Above all, it is an eco-friendly printing option.

  • Sublimation Printing

This process uses a special ink type that turns into gas when heated. Afterward, the gas will be absorbed by the material and become solid when cooled down. When you want to print on clothes and fabrics, you should look no further as sublimation or eco printing is the best choice. It offers durable, fade-resistant, and brilliant colours. You can choose this if you want to minimize environmental impact and overall waste.

  • Screen Printing

With screen printing, ink is pushed through the small openings available on the mesh screen. A stencil sort of tool is used to create beautiful prints. When you are looking for a printing type that can print beautifully on tote bags, apparel, posters, and fabric hoarding banners, you can go with screen printing. The most exciting thing about this printing is that it is economical and durable.

  • Offset Lithography

Also called offset litho printing, it is majorly used for hoarding panels, magazines, newspapers, etc. To print, images and texts are placed on the metal plates. After this, these plates are transferred onto a rubber roller. If you have a bulky order, you can save a significant amount with this printing style. Most importantly, the quality will not be compromised even after having multiple copies.

  • Flexographic Printing

If you want to know the printing types used for chocolate bar wrappers or chip packets, you must keep in mind that it is done through flexographic printing. In this process, flexible plates are used for printing where elements are raised and wrapped around the rotating cylinders. It is an efficient and fast method used for the printing of gift wraps, shopping bags, labels, napkins, etc.

  • 3D Printing

This is used for digital files and onto materials such as resin and plastic. It is used to print objects layer by layer. This is one of the most advanced techniques used for the printing. When you have a complex printing material for the hoarding panel, you can opt for 3D printing. The best thing about this printing is that it can offer personalised solutions without any hassle.

  • Letterpress Printing

In the letterpress printing, images and texts are placed on a raised surface. This is similar to a rubber stamp. After this, ink is put to this surface and paper is placed to print the images and texts. It is specifically useful when you want to create fine art, tactile stationery, etc.

  • Gravure Printing

For catalog, packaging, magazines, gift wraps, etc., you can choose gravure printing type. A carved micro cavity is used to transfer the texts and images to the desired printed material. This printing option offers high-quality and reliable prints.

Closing,

Apart from this, some more types of print processes include digital printing, large format, and engraving. Based on your specific needs, you can decide on the printing technique. If you need professional assistance to choose an adequate printing method for your needs, you can speak to Hoarding Print Company’s expert team.

What is a Vector Image? A Detailed Guide

What is a Vector Image? A Detailed Guide

While ordering a huge graphic or larger format of print for site hoarding, you must be asked to provide a vector image or artwork. If you are also wondering what a vector image is, this comprehensive guide has everything you need to know. Before this, you should take note that vector image is the most common format that is used for visuals. Keep on reading for more.

What is a Vector Image?

If we talk about the prints that have larger formats, we often need to enlarge the smaller images. For this, you will need to provide a vector image or artwork to the graphic designer. In addition to this, you must be thinking what is vector format for logo. This is the same thing. Simply put, vector images are used for hoardings where large printing formats, logos, and computer-cut vinyl. These are typically offered when you need prints to stick on a window or a van.

Are Vector Images and Raster Artwork the Same?

Many people confuse between vector images and bitmap or raster artwork. However, they are different from each other. Below are the details:

  • Vector Images

These are the images made up of curves and lines. Through this, you can scale and re-scale photos as much as you want. The best thing is that the quality is not hampered in the vector artwork. Since mathematical equations are used to create these curves and lines, you can easily recalibrate to any shape or size.

A vector file is typically created in programmes like Corel Draw, Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer, etc. When you use them, you will often find a file extension in the end. When it comes to what is a vector file format, these include .ai for Adobe Illustrator, .pdf for Portable Document Format, etc.

  • Bitmap or Raster Artwork

In this format, pixels or tiny squares are used to create an image for standard hoarding solutions. You will need a huge amount of pixels to create a detailed image. The quality of the image will be lost if you enlarge these squares or pixels.

A bitmap artwork, on the other hand, is considered an ideal option for prints. However, the source file must be large enough for enlargement. However, it is not recommended to choose raster images for computer-cut vinyl. Speaking about the common extensions of raster files, these include .gif (Graphics Interchange Format), .jpg (Joint Photographic Export Group), .png (Portable Network Graphic), etc.

Note: Bitmap images will pixelate when you enlarge them and the quality will be affected. Vector images, on the other hand, will remain high-quality, sharp, and clear even if you increase the size.

What are the Benefits of Vector Images?

Vectors images are the best option for professional purposes such as hoarding panels. Whether you need a company logo or simply big hoarding, no other format is better than a vector. It comes with several benefits and some of them are listed below:

  • High-quality and sharp images
  • Infinite resolution
  • Light size of the files
  • Easy to scale
  • Strong features for customisation or adding colours, texts, etc.

How Do You Know If Your Artwork is Vector?

Checking the same is very easy. Some of those methods to check your artwork and its format have been listed here:

  • When you want to what is a vector file format, you must check the file name first.
  • If the name of the file ends in .syg, .pdf, .ai, etc., it means the file is a vector.
  • You can also zoom the image by 200% or more to see if the image remains clear or if its edges become slanted.
  • A vector image also consists of a defining point or node around the graphics.

How to do You Create a Vector Image in Canva?

Although you can use various tools to create a vector image, below, we have listed step-by-step guide to create one on a popular site Canva:

Step 1: Open Canva in your browser and signup with your Gmail account.

Step 2: On the left side, you will see the option ‘Apps’, click on it.

Step 3: Now, search for the ‘Illustoke’.

Step 4: Customise the vector size before moving to the next step.

Step 5: Use Canva tools to edit the image or project.

Step 6: Once you are done with the editing, name the vector image file.

Step 7: Now, press the ‘Share’ button given on the top of your right side.

Step 8: You will see an option ‘Download’, click on it. Further, it will ask you to select the format for your vector file.

Step 9: Choose PDF or PNG to retain the HD quality for your vector image.

Step 10: Lastly, download and save your vector image to your PC.

What Do You Do If You Do Not Have Vector Files?

If you are looking for a vector file for your big hoarding panels, you can get in touch with Hoarding Print Company. With a professional team of designers, they will help you with exceptional and professional-looking artwork such as logos. The expert team will also explain what is a vector image, its benefits, uses, and more.

What are Common Poster Sizes for Marketing?

What are Common Poster Sizes for Marketing?

A poster is quite an important element to boost your marketing efforts. These posters can truly be necessary to acquire ‘street-level’ exposure for the next event, new product launch, and seasonal discount. In simple terms, posters are considered a classic yet exceptional marketing form. Above all, posters are not restricted by size or style. They can be availed from simple and minimalist to colourful and artwork-heavy options. To know what is poster size, continue reading this post.

What are the Different Sizes of Poster?

The poster sizes are divided into series i.e. A, B, and Miscellaneous. Detailed information about the same has been listed here:

A Series

This series poster follows the dimensions of A size of paper. Speaking about the sizes in this series, the following are included:

  • A0:  This poster is 1 meter wide. Hence, they can make a great impression on your viewers. When you have eye-catching and large-sized artwork, you can do it with A0 size as it has plenty of space to put the information.
  • A1: You can super-size the message or text with A1 posters. These are ideal for museums and exhibition halls where grand designs and large fonts are needed.
  • A2: When you need posters for events and gigs, no other option is better than A2. You can use them to showcase necessary information and impressive imagery and artwork.
  • A3: If you do not need more empty space, you can choose the A3 poster size. These posters can be seen inside the shop windows or bars. Mixing white space and essential details can make your posters even more appealing.
  • A4: When you want to know what is standard poster size, A4 is highly used. This offers small but adequate space to print the necessary text and images.

For marketing in large outdoor spaces, hoarding panels can be a strategic alternative to traditional poster sizes, offering enhanced visibility for promotions.

What are Poster Sizes for A Series?

To know what is A0 poster size and other options, check out the following table:

Poster Size

Width and Height (in inches)

A0

46.81 x 33.11

A1

33.11 x 23.39

A2

23.39 x 16.54

A3

16.54 x 11.69

A4

11.69 x 8.27

B Series

For a special yet long-lasting impression, you can have a B series poster size. The dimensions of these posters are slightly larger than ‘A’ series posters. Hence, you will have more room or space to work. Below are some more options available in this series:

  • B0: To announce a big event or special deal, you can have B0 posters. Choose and combine it with large designs and put lots of important information.
  • B1: You do not have to compromise on the information and content when you have a B1 poster size. You can include even the largest size of artwork. When you have big commercial hoardings or construction site hoardings, you can go for B1 posters.
  • B2: These posters can be considered for landscape printing materials. They can catch more attention during a product launch or promotional event because of their gigantic size.

What Are Poster Sizes for B Series?

Here is the table explaining the poster size of B series options:

Poster Size

Width and Height (in inches)

B0

55.12 x 39.37

B1

39.37 x 27.83

B2

27.83 x 19.69

What are the Different Options in Miscellaneous Posters?

After learning what are common poster sizes, you should note that numerous alternative options are also available. These miscellaneous posters are perfect for those who need less conventional methods to acquire maximum attention. Below are some options:

  • A1 Strip: The largest option is the A1 strip. It is over 1 meter in height. Thus, you will get generous space to put the extra information and artwork.
  • A2 Strip: If you have a vertical-shaped artwork design, you can go for the A2 strip. However, you must keep the poster design according to the dimensions.
  • A3 Strip: When a design does not require much width and has vertical dimensions, the A3 strip is an outstanding option without a doubt.
  • 20 x 30: If a business needs a poster for point of sale (POS) displays, no other poster size is ideal. This is suitable for those who need one size up than ‘A’ series posters but not too big. You can choose these posters for bulletins, company announcements, etc.
  • 30 x 40: This is a perfect size to gain attention-grabbing exposure for your business. Be it upcoming events or a product launch, you can use these posters after combining them with eye-pleasing colours.
  • 40 x 60: If you want to make a big business declaration and need something eye-pleasing and attractive, you can choose 40 x 60 size posters.

What Are Poster Sizes for Miscellaneous?

Check out the table below to know the size of miscellaneous posters and decide what is better for your needs:

Poster Size

Width and Height (in inches)

A1 Strip

46.81 x 16.54

A2 Strip

33.11 x 11.69

A3 Strip

23.39 x 8.27

20 * 30

20 x 30

30 * 40

30 x 40

40 * 60

40 x 60

What are the Different Paper Types Used for Posters?

Now you know what is poster size for different series or options, it is good to learn about the paper options available. Depending on your needs, you can decide on the following:

  • Gloss: This paper adds a touch of glossy sheen.
  • Day Glo: For luminous effects, choose this paper type.
  • Bond: When you need a durable yet eco-friendly paper option, the bond is your go-to choice.
  • Light Box: If you want to use a backlight for illumination, a light box is the most adequate option.

For large-scale outdoor advertising, site hoarding can also be an effective way to showcase high-impact visuals, ensuring maximum exposure.

Final Thoughts

To know more about what is standard poster size that you need for your specific needs and events, you can consult with Hoarding Print Company. Here, experts will help you decide the right size and paper type of poster to achieve your goals.

What Does DPI Mean? A Guide to Image & Print Quality

What Does DPI Mean? A Guide to Image & Print Quality

While printing an image for hoardings and other purposes, image quality and resolution are the most important factors to consider. However, there is one more aspect that you should know beforehand. Yes, we are talking about DPI. What is DPI and how does it affect a project? Whether you are looking for image designing work or simply need detailed information about DPI, go through this comprehensive guide.

What Does DPI Mean?

Dots Per Inch is abbreviated as DPI. It is the number of droplets of ink a printer produces per inch when printing images. This means more dots per inch will show you better detail after printing. It is mainly used for printer resolution to show the detail and clarity of images on the paper. Thus, it is crucial for designers and photographers as it indicates the printed assets’ i.e. hoarding, magazine, brochure, poster, quality.

What is DPI on Printer?

After knowing the meaning, you must know what is DPI resolution’s importance for image printing. Here are some points to help you know the same:

  • DPI is important to make images look high-quality and crisp.
  • With higher DPI, ink droplets will be tightly and closely bunched together to make the print clear.
  • DPI is also considered by scanners to measure the quality of images while scanning.
  • 300 DPI is the best resolution to print clear and quality images with more text.

What is 300 DPI Resolution?

When you need to know what is 300 DPI in pixels, you must keep in mind it is nothing but 300 dots of ink droplets that an inch has. In general, 300 DPI is used by graphic designers and photographers. This is considered a benchmark or standard DPI for printing clear and high-quality images. However, if you have larger images to print for hoarding panels, higher resolution and DPI i.e. 600 DPI can be needed.

Are DPI and PPI the Same?

The direct answer for this is a BIG NO. DPI is Dots Per Inch (we have already discussed it in detail above) while PPI means Pixels Per Inch. PPI is the pixel amount that every single inch of digital image makes up. This describes the resolution of an image on the screen. Therefore, these can be a little perplexing but are a little different.

How to Decide on the DPI?

The selection of the appropriate DPI will depend on the purpose and desired results. For this, you can consider the below-listed factors:

  • Size: You may or may not know but when you have a larger image for printing, you will need a higher DPI so that it can look clear and crisp. Just keep in mind that with more dots of ink per inch, you can easily scale the images without compromising on the quality.
  • Distance of Viewing: To decide on the DPI, you should also consider the distance from where your viewers will be watching the printed asset. For instance, if you are printing images for big hoardings, check the distance between the hoardings and your viewer. Based on the same, you can define the image size and DPI.
  • Paper, Ink, and Printer: Lastly, the DPI also depends on the materials and printer type that you are going to use. These elements have a direct impact on how clear and crisp the printed image will look.

What is the Standard DPI Benchmark for Images?

Before you opt for professional printing services, you must know what DPI should I use for printing high-quality images. Here are some details to help you decide better:

  • 100 DPI: This DPI is considered ideal when making posters. In simple terms, 100 DPI is for test images or smaller images. However, you must consider the viewing distance and size of the final product.
  • 300 DPI: When you have a business document, flyer, or photograph for printing, you can go for 300 DPI to have exceptional quality prints.
  • 600 DPI: For a higher-quality and more professional look in your hoarding panels, construction site hoardings, exhibition artwork, and magazine images, you can opt for 600 DPI. This level of resolution is particularly useful for composite board printing,where fine details and vibrant colors are essential for a premium finish.

To Sum Up Everything,

DPI is quite a simple but important aspect to reach exceptional quality of prints and designs. Whether you need details regarding what is DPI or you are struggling with the ways to make your hoarding images print-ready, you can get in touch with Hoarding Print Company. Being a prominent name in this segment, you will not require worrying about the quality and resolution of the printed images.

What Does Resolution Mean? Overview of Compression

What Does Resolution Mean? Overview of Compression

While printing or editing an image for hoarding panels, you must have come across some terms – resolution and compression. Knowing what does resolution mean and what exactly compression is will help you get high-quality, sharp, and clear images for the hoardings. Since an unclear picture of your construction or other hoarding panels can spoil all your promotional efforts, you should be familiar with these aspects beforehand.

What Does Mean by Resolution?

The resolution of an image tells us about its sharpness and quality. This is specifically measured by the pixels and their density. This means higher resolutions translate into high-quality images. To add more sharpness and details to your hoarding images, you will need at least 300 Dot Per Inch (DPI) resolution.

When you increase these DPIs, the sharpness and quality of the image will also improve. In case you change the DPIs from 300 to 72, the photo will shrink and affect the quality. In simple terms, when it comes to what is the best resolution for pictures, it is 300 dpi.

What is a High Resolution Image Compression?  

Compression is all about saving images to your system by using as little space or data as possible. This is one of the reasons why most images will be saved as JPG files. However, you will face some quality and related risks. The quality will be deprived when you increase the compression.

Higher compression means all pixels will be of one colour, resulting in less detailed images. This contrasts with what does high resolution image mean, as high-resolution images retain more detail and clarity. Please keep in mind that when you save such images, you will not be able to improve the quality. Thus, make sure the compression is right before saving it.

What is the Importance of Right Image Resolution and Compression?

Now, that you already know what is compression and resolution of an image are, you must understand its importance to printing high-quality hoarding images. Below, we have highlighted some points:

  • Faster Loading

When you have a rightly compressed high-solution image, you can easily download and render it for printing. Since hoarding printing needs a professional approach, your business and its promotional activities depend on it, you cannot go wrong with the resolution of the images that you want to print. By editing the desired image for the correct resolution and compression so that it can load faster while printing it.

  • Easy to Upload

In case you want to upload the same images of your hoardings, you will need to focus on the resolution and compression aspects. This is because a heavy image is not only hard to upload but it will take more time to load when you want to save it for printing purposes. It is believed that an image with is maximum of up to 1mb is considered good in terms of resolution and compression. For large-format advertising, using a hoarding panel with high-quality printed visuals ensures clear, eye-catching promotions that effectively capture attention.

  • Less Space is Needed for Storage

You already know what is the best resolution for pictures along with compression. This is particularly important when you want to save on the storage space. When your images are properly compressed and have adequate resolutions, they will occupy less space in the cloud storage or hard drive. Since pictures and videos tend to have larger sizes, it truly makes sense to compress them.

  • Compression is not Directly Connected with Resolution

There is a common way to reduce the size of an image – by reducing its resolution. This process is known as ‘down-sampling’, Photoshop or other tools may be needed for this. However, when you reduce the resolution of a picture, the quality will also be affected. Alternatively, compression is the process when pixels are preserved to reduce the size without affecting the sharpness and clarity of the image.

What are the Potential Issues with Image Compressions?

Several caveats are there that you need to keep in mind while compressing an image. By considering the same, you can maintain the right resolution. Some of these potential issues have been listed here:

  • Always edit the file before saving it.
  • Avoid ‘lossy’ image compressions such as JPEG to eliminate false visual details.
  • Never use ‘lossy’ algorithms such as JPEG as they often lack high contrast and sharp lines.
  • For line images and drawings containing texts, PNG is the most suitable resolution.

Understanding what compression means is crucial in this context. Image compression is the process of reducing the file size of an image while attempting to maintain its visual quality. It can be achieved through either lossless or lossy compression methods. Lossless compression retains all the original image details, whereas lossy compression, like JPEG, removes some visual data to decrease file size, which may result in quality loss.

To Conclude Everything,

For a business and its promotional activities such as the introduction of a new offering, educating people, or anything else, you must use hoardings with high-grade images. To ensure clear texts and images, you must pay attention to the compression and resolution. For this, you can trust the expertise of Hoarding Print Company. They will not only help you know what does resolution mean and why is compression important but print high-grade hoarding panels too.

What is VAT in UK: Understanding VAT in Printing

VAT

Do you also want to market your products with printed marketing solutions? If yes then there are undoubtedly a lot of options like hoardings, branding panels and many more. But from a business point of view, do you have to pay tax on the printable items you buy? Well, the answer is not either yes or no but it depends. The conditions that apply for VAT in printing can help you to cleverly design marketing prints and save VAT. So let’s understand VAT in the UK, especially on the printable items with this blog.

What Does VAT Mean in UK?

Most countries in the world charge taxes on the products and services being sold to collect capital which is used towards the country’s and its people’s benefits. From the roads and other infrastructure to healthcare and education, a country’s government has to provide many things to its citizens. So, all this is done with tax money. Taxes are also put on the earnings of individuals and businesses but the tax that is put on the goods and services makes up a large chunk of the government’s earnings.

In the UK, the tax which is put on goods and services is called VAT. VAT stands for value-added tax which was introduced in 1973 in the UK. But if you think VAT is just paid by the end user, well that’s not certainly true. Actually, VAT is paid throughout the supply chain. For example, if a manufacturer buys raw materials for the production of some goods, then VAT is also charged on the raw materials. Now, when the goods are made, the manufacturer will charge VAT when selling them to retailers or wholesalers. But they have to submit the collected tax to HM Revenue & Customs. However, the tax paid by the business when getting the raw materials can be claimed back as it comes under the business expenses.
Similarly, businesses that create products like branding panels will also incur VAT at different stages of production. When these branding panels are sold to retailers or directly to consumers, VAT is added, and the tax is remitted to the government.

What is the Standard VAT Rate in the UK?

In the UK, the standard VAT is 20% which is charged on most of the goods and services. But it’s not for all the goods and services. There are some goods and services which come under reduced VAT. The reduced tax is 5% and applies to some set goods and services like electricity for domestic purposes.

But there’s one more category of VAT in the UK, the zero VAT category. So, what does a zero VAT-rated product or service mean? It means you don’t have to pay any VAT on such products or services. An example of zero-rated VAT is most of the food items.

What is Current Rate of VAT in UK for Printing?

Now, let’s come to printing, how much VAT is charged for printing in the UK? Well, it depends because while most of the printed items are charged at standard VAT rates which are 20% like economy hoarding panels, there are products which are zero-rated. What does zero rated VAT mean? These are the products or services with no tax at all like leaflets. Here’s a table of printing items that come under standard VAT and are rated.

Below is a comprehensive guide outlining the VAT rates for various printed products. Rates are according to UK tax regulations.

Product

VAT Rate

Notes

Leaflets

Zero-Rated

Must meet HMRC’s criteria: distributed free, contain minimal advertising, and are not intended for completion or return.

Flyers

Zero-Rated

Similar to leaflets; must not be used for admission purposes or have areas designed to be written on.

Posters

Standard 20%

Considered decorative; not eligible for zero-rating.

Business Cards

Standard 20%

Classified as stationery; standard-rated.

Brochures & Booklets

Zero-Rated

Must consist of multiple pages, be bound, and provide information (e.g., manuals, programs).

Folders

Standard 20%

Used for storage or presentation; standard-rated.

Calendars

Standard 20%

Considered stationery; standard-rated.

Invitations

Standard 20%

Used for events; standard-rated.

Forms

Standard 20%

Designed for completion and return; standard-rated.

Stickers & Labels

Standard 20%

Used for various purposes; standard-rated.

Tickets & Vouchers

Standard 20%

Used for admission or redemption; standard-rated.

Menus

Zero-Rated

Must be distributed free and not intended for completion or return.

Greeting Cards

Standard 20%

Considered stationery; standard-rated.

Newsletters

Zero-Rated

Must be periodical, contain news or information, and be published at regular intervals.

Magazines & Journals

Zero-Rated

Must be periodical, contain articles or stories, and be published at regular intervals.

Catalogues & Price Lists

Zero-Rated

Must provide information about goods or services offered for sale.

Certificates

Standard 20%

Used for official purposes; standard-rated.

Diaries

Standard 20%

Considered stationery; standard-rated.

Notebooks

Standard 20%

Considered stationery; standard-rated.

Envelopes

Standard 20%

Used for mailing; standard-rated.

Letterheads

Standard 20%

Considered stationery; standard-rated.

Presentation Folders

Standard 20%

Used for storage or presentation; standard-rated.

Swing Tags

Standard 20%

Used for labeling; standard-rated.

Wrapping Paper

Standard 20%

Used for packaging; standard-rated.

Banners

Standard 20%

Used for advertising; standard-rated.

Flags

Standard 20%

Used for advertising or decoration; standard-rated.

Perforated Products

Standard 20%

Includes items like perforated flyers; standard-rated unless they meet specific criteria for zero-rating.

Spot UV Products

Standard 20%

Includes items like spot UV business cards; standard-rated.

Foil Products

Standard 20%

Includes items like foil invitations; standard-rated.

Roller Banners

Standard 20%

Used for advertising; standard-rated.

Signage

Standard 20%

Used for advertising or informational purposes; standard-rated.

Content Disclaimer: The VAT rates mentioned are based on general guidelines and may vary depending on specific circumstances or updates to UK tax regulations. For the most accurate and detailed information, we recommend contacting us directly.

What Items Are Exempt From VAT?

While the above list contains the items which are either taxable or non-taxable, there are some printable items which are exempt from taxation or are exempt from the zero-rated category. But, what is the difference between zero-rated and exempt VAT? Being exempt basically means that in some conditions the printed product may not lie in the category in which it is usually put. For instance, if a printed product like picture card and stamp albums have text in them and the area to mount cards or stamps is 25% or less, then it will lie in the standard VAT category. Similarly, booklets which are zero-rated printing products lie under standard tax if they are produced to be used as a chargeable product like a diary.

Conclusion

Now that you know which printed products in the UK are taxable and which are not, it will help you plan your print-based marketing campaigns better. But some products are worth paying the VAT like our branding panels which come out to be so attractive that no one can take their eyes off them. So the business it brings to you compensates for the tax you paid. However, people often feel guilt for using printed marketing tools due to environmental reasons. But do you know that hoarding graphics can be environmentally friendly? If not, then click here.

Understanding Eco Printing: The Sustainable Way to Print

Understanding Eco Printing

Today, a successful business is not only defined as one that is profitable, growing, or making a change. To the definition of a successful business, being eco-friendly has now connected forever. And if you are into sustainable practices like depending on a green energy source, you are a great business, no doubt. However, this approach towards sustainability can also be applied to parts of your business that you may have never thought of. One such approach is to be greener when procuring your printing needs like hoarding graphics for marketing. Yes, the whole print industry has gone through an Eco-friendly wave and now you have options to be eco-friendly in your print choices. In this blog, you’ll learn how the print industry has become eco-friendly but first, where does it all start?

What is Eco Printing?

Before we look at what eco friendly printing is, let’s understand eco printing. Eco printing is an old technique of printing with natural materials. But What are these natural materials? These materials used to be the flowers or herbs that were put between the pages to get an impression of them on the paper. Now, you must have already figured out that it would have started as an accident. Probably yes, but its applications were discovered fast. For instance, in the perfume industry of the Middle Ages, these imprints were used to identify the ingredients of a particular perfume to recreate it.

Now across cultures, eco-print has a different name, but the techniques are also certainly different. A similar technique to eco-printing is bundle dyeing. In bundle dyeing, the plants or flowers are given a dip in a plain dye and then wrapped up in a cloth to get the impressions. So, that’s a short story of eco-printing. But why did you need to know this? The answer is that somehow these ancient techniques helped us humans to come up with sustainable printing techniques for commercial purposes.

For instance, modern materials like foamex hoarding are now widely used for creating sustainable and visually impactful hoardings. These hoardings offer an eco-friendly solution while maintaining high-quality designs for branding purposes.

Understanding Eco Friendly Printing

Eco friendly printing is all about making Printing outcomes sustainable. Yes, so it’s not only the ink which has to come from natural sources but, the printing technology and the print material as well. And the purpose of all this is to reduce the negative impact of printing on nature. So let’s look at all these three components of eco friendly printing one by one.

The Printing Technology

To start with, let’s take a peek into what innovation has been done in printing technology. While you may not be aware of exactly what printing technology does wrong and that we need innovation, there are two main problems. Firstly, the energy consumption during printing remains high because printing happens slowly. However, it’s a continuous process where we are becoming better and better every morning.

The second problem which is more environmentally critical is the use of Water to reject ink on the white spaces of print. Now that it does, it creates VOCs or volatile organic compounds which are not good for the environment. And no it’s not involved with the print but instead is a waste that goes to the environment almost instantly.

To tackle this problem, we have waterless printing, where to reject the ink on white spaces, a layer of silicone is used. Since silicone repels the ink without making it go to waste, it’s not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective. And with this innovation, the print time has also improved. Not only this, but it has also allowed printing of a more extensive range of colours, making commercial printing even more beautiful.

For instance, the hoarding graphics for your branding can be more colourful than ever while also being eco-friendly. Yes, even hoarding graphics can be environmentally friendly, making you a sustainable business. To learn more about how hoarding graphics can support sustainability, check out our blog: Can Hoarding Graphics Be Environmentally Friendly?.

And when it comes to using such hoarding graphics, printing technology is not the only contributor but there are many others which you can explore to enhance your brand.

The Ink

Inks have always been a hurdle between going eco in printing. The reason is that most inks are made out of petroleum vases or sometimes worse, plastic bases. However, as we learnt above, eco-printing was possible back in time so why not on Friday?

The reason is that these natural inks aren’t good enough to be used commercially and hence become a DIY thing only. But now we have successfully cracked the code and have sustainable inks made out of soy or vegetables. Using soy-based inks is considered an equivalent of petroleum-based inks and some even tag it as even better because not only it’s natural but gives a brighter range of colours. However, the same is not true for vegetable-based inks as they aren’t so efficient and cost-effective yet.

The Print Material

See, when it comes to eco-printing on paper, we already have sustainable outcomes. To an extent, the paper itself is quite Eco-friendly. But what about the commercial printing of Foamex hoarding which can’t be printed on paper? Well, many options have started to emerge like PLA plastic made from plant fibre or polypropylene which can be recycled as it is a thermoplastic polymer which resists heat. So, if you get your hoarding graphics printed on such materials, you can even ensure safety from fire.

Reprinting the Future

To sum up, the innovations in the print industry have made humans a lot more caring about the world they live in. But innovations alone aren’t enough, we have to accept these innovations and give them a chance to thrive keeping aside factors like not being cost-effective if that’s the case. Because we know as things go global, they also become economical. So, if you also want to run an eco-friendly business, here we are to help you with our eco-printing technology only at Hoarding Printing Company.

Inkjet vs Laser Printers: Which One is Good for You

Innovative Hoarding Designs

Are you confused as to which type of printer you should choose? If yes, then worry not as we have created a detailed guide for you to understand not only which printer is better but also have explained the working of two of the main types of Printers, the inkJets and laser jets.

So, whether you have to make a decision for a printer or to choose a printing technology for your printed marketing campaigns, here are all the answers to your queries.

Understanding Inkjet Printing: How Does It Work?

Let’s begin with understanding inkjet printing. It is a popular and well-known way to produce high-quality and detailed prints. In its simplest, this technology works based on liquified ink which is dropped into the paper to get the print. However, in reality, this technology requires a lot of calibration to work and produce prints.

In an inkjet printer, we have multiple nozzles lined up in a row. These nozzles are very tiny and thus spray droplets of the liquid ink on the paper. Now, as the input is received by the printer, it identifies the colour requirements and where each drop should be put on the paper. After that, the paper starts to roll in, and the nozzle jets start to work. Since the droplets are so small, it doesn’t take a lot of time to get absorbed and dry on the paper, leading to a crisp print without any smudges.

Key features of Inkjet Printers

  • High Resolution: Inkjet printers offer high-resolution prints, which is why they are also used to print photographs.
  • Colour Versatility: If you have a photo with a lot of colour variations, then inkjet printing is best as it offers vibrant and crisp colours.
  • Compact Size: Inkjet printers are known for their compact sizes as they house everything in a small body sometimes also including a scanner.

While these features of an inkjet printer make it a good printer, there are a few drawbacks. Firstly, the speed of these printers is slower which is why the prints come out slower. Secondly, printing cost per print also comes out to be higher as frequent cartridge replacements are needed.

What is a Laser Printer? How Does IT Work?

Laser printers work on new technology that is competitively designed to make printing efficient and faster. But how? Well, the answer lies in its working.

A laser jet printer has an OPC drum which is negatively charged by another charging roller. As the OPC drum gets negatively charged, the laser is projected on the area where the colours have to be present creating a positive charge on the OPC drum. Now, one by one, four coloured toners (Powdered Colours) get attached to the OPC drum and then transferred to the paper. With the help of heat, the toner on the paper is cured and the print comes live.

Key Features of Laser Printer

  • Fast Printing: Laser printers are fast, so there’s no need to wait to settle the paint.
  • Cost Efficiency: The longevity of the toner cartridges makes the Cost per print very low.
  • Durability: Laser printers are more durable when it comes to high-volume printing and are best for shops, offices etc.

While laser printers are excellent for text and monochrome printing, their ability to handle detailed colour prints or photographs is limited compared to inkjet printers. They are also typically larger and more expensive upfront.

Ink Jet vs Laser Jet: Are Laser Printers Better than Inkjet 

When it comes to choosing between an inkjet printer or laser printer, the answer can’t be straightforward. The answer to what can be better for you depends on your needs. Here’s a brief comparison of laser and inkjet printers

Printing Quality

The printing quality of inkjet printers comes out to be far better than laser jets if you want colourful photos or prints. That’s why it’s even used in commercial printing like printing construction hoarding.

On the other hand, if the purpose is to only get monochrome or text prints, then you can go with laser jet printers

Speed

For occasional printing like keeping a printer at home, you can get an inkjet printer as they print slowly. However, for faster and high-volume prints, laser jet printers are better.

Cost Per Page

The Cost per page of inkjets is higher than laser jets. So, if you don’t have to get crisp and accurate colour prints, laser jets are more economical.

Upfront Cost

The inkjet printers are more affordable to purchase compared to laser jets which often cost higher but come with better long-term value.

Size and Portability

In terms of size, you can find even small inkjet printers which can be carried with you. However, that’s not the case with laser jets, and they are built larger and bulkier.

So, with this ink jet vs laser jet comparison you can choose a printer wisely. However, if your concern is what printing technology to choose for your printing needs like for Dibond printing or construction hoarding, then the options are many but inkjet technology is better. With vibrant colour range and scalability, your prints come out to be clear and visually appealing.

Final Words

To sum up, both ink jet and laser jet printers are good, but what is better, laser or ink jet, totally depends on your needs. Printing is an important activity not only for documents but also for marketing as well. So, choosing the best option is important. Today, large-format printing is one of the best ways to advertise your business on busy streets, and it comes with a lot of benefits. If you also want to learn the benefits of large-format printing, then here’s a blog for you.