RGB vs CMYK: Colour Mode Differences Every Buyer Should Know

RGB vs CMYK Colour Mode Differences Every Buyer Should Know

If you’ve ever designed artwork for a large banner or construction hoarding in the UK, you may have come across the terms RGB and CMYK. Understanding the difference between RGB and CMYK is crucial for anyone involved in hoarding printing, from event organisers and property developers to marketers. In this guide, we’ll explain RGB versus CMYK in simple terms, highlight when to use each, and why CMYK is preferred for print (especially for those big, eye-catching hoardings). Let’s dive in!

RGB versus CMYK: Two Different Colour Worlds

At first glance, RGB and CMYK are just acronyms—but they represent two very different colour systems. In essence, RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue, and CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). Here’s a quick overview of each:

  • RGB (Additive Colour Model): Used for digital displays like computer monitors, smartphones, and TVs. RGB blends red, green, and blue light to generate a broad spectrum of colours. It’s called additive because adding these coloured lights together makes brighter colours—add all three at full intensity and you get white light​.
  • CMYK (Subtractive Colour Model): Used for physical printing with ink on paper, vinyl, or other materials. CMYK utilises cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks, applied in fine dots or layered patterns to produce full-colour prints. It’s subtractive because the inks absorb (subtract) light. Adding all the inks together theoretically produces black (or a muddy dark colour), and if you add none, you get the white of the paper.

    This is how your desktop printer or a large-format hoarding printer works—mixing inks to reflect colours to your eyes. For example, printing cyan + yellow makes green (by absorbing red light and leaving green and blue reflected, which our eyes perceive as green). This method is also critical when producing high-quality
    branding panels, where colour accuracy and consistency are essential for maintaining brand identity.

In short: RGB is for screens; CMYK is for print. As one UK print expert puts it, “The main thing to remember is that RGB is used for electronic displays and CMYK is used for printing.” Each mode is suited to its medium: RGB’s bright light-based colours shine on a monitor, while CMYK’s ink-based colours are designed to look correct on paper or panel.

CMYK vs RGB Printing: Why Print Uses CMYK (and Why It Matters for Hoardings)

When it comes to hoarding printing (or any large-scale printing), using the right colour mode is critical. In practice, virtually all professional printing in the UK uses the CMYK process for full-colour work—from simple flyers to huge outdoor banners​. Your large-format printer at the print shop is literally loaded with cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks, not red, green, and blue ink.

So, why not print in RGB? The simple answer is: printers can’t. A physical printer can only lay down inks, and those inks are CMYK. If you send an RGB image to a printer, the print software or the printer’s brain will convert it to CMYK anyway. And that automatic conversion may not always guess perfectly, leading to colour shifts. As one UK banner printer warns, “Some bright colours can appear duller or muted when we convert the colours to CMYK… Create artwork in CMYK to avoid disappointment with the outcome.” In other words, design in the colour space you’ll be printing in so you have more control over the result.

Here are a few reasons CMYK is preferred for print, especially large formats like hoardings:

  • Accurate Colour Reproduction: If you’ve designed your hoarding artwork in RGB, it might look brilliant on your laptop. But when printed in CMYK, certain colours may shift. For example, a vivid RGB teal or neon orange on screen could turn out flatter in print. By designing (or converting) to CMYK beforehand, you can see and adjust those colour changes before Most printers advise saving your file in CMYK because “saving a file as RGB for print can impact how colours are printed.
  • Consistent Brand Colours: For marketing and branding, colour consistency is key. Companies spend a lot ensuring their logo blue or campaign green looks the same everywhere. Outdoor advertising and signage (like those printed hoarding boards on UK construction sites) are almost always printed in CMYK, so understanding how your digital RGB colours travel to print is important to maintain brand consistency.
    If your brand orange falls outside the CMYK gamut, a professional can tweak the CMYK values to get the closest match so your hoarding still pops with your brand identity.
  • Large Scale Magnifies Differences: Hoardings are big, often stretching many meters across site fencing. Minor colour inaccuracies that might go unnoticed on a small screen can become more apparent on a 10-meter banner.
    Using the correct CMYK vs. RGB printing approach ensures the large-format output looks as intended. Plus, large-format printers are high-end machines that assume files are prepared correctly. Feeding them the proper CMYK artwork helps take full advantage of their capabilities (like high resolution and colour fidelity).
  • Print Industry Standard: Simply put, CMYK is the standard colour model in printing. In today’s thriving print industry, virtually all print companies require artwork prepared in the CMYK format for full-colour projects.
    It’s a common requirement in artwork guidelines to “convert all RGB colours to CMYK” before sending files to print​. Following this standard saves time (and potential extra charges) in the print production process.

Why Hoarding Print Buyers Should Care (Accuracy = Impact)

If you’re planning to purchase or commission a hoarding print, having a clear understanding of CMYK vs. RGB printing will enable more effective communication with your designers and printers, leading to a more accurate final output. When you know that CMYK is the language of printers, you can ensure your designer supplies the artwork correctly. This avoids delays or unintended colour shifts. It’s all about accurate colour reproduction. The last thing you want is your carefully chosen event artwork looking different on the hoarding panels than it did in the promo materials!

There’s also an economic angle: high-quality print materials can offer a great return on investment. Print marketing in the UK remains powerful—in fact, studies show print advertising can yield £6.36 in profit for every £1 spent  , a higher ROI than TV or digital media​. That kind of impact only happens when the print looks right. A well-produced, colour-accurate hoarding can grab attention from passers-by and convey professionalism, whereas off-colour or dull imagery might not achieve the same effect. So, getting the colours right (by using CMYK properly) has real benefits for your campaign’s success.

Conclusion

In summary, RGB and CMYK colours serve different purposes: RGB for vibrant on-screen graphics and CMYK for reliable in-print results. For hoarding printing—and all large-scale print jobs—CMYK is the way to go to ensure your design’s colours come out as expected in the real world.

Ready to turn your bright ideas into a bold hoarding? Ensure your artwork is print-ready and let a professional make it happen. If you have an upcoming project or want to see your designs splashed across a big, beautiful hoarding, get in touch with our expert team today. Contact us for a friendly chat or request a quote—we’re here to help bring your vision to life in full colour (the right colour!). Let’s create something amazing together.

Complimentry Colours: Ultimate Guide to Colour Theory

Complimentry Colours_ Ultimate Guide to Colour Theory

Colour has an important part to play in communication of any kind, involved with emotions, stimulus to the mind, perception, and recognition of brands. Complimentry colours are one of the most used colour theory principles which contribute to balance, contrast and harmony when you’re using them in your design. A thorough understanding of how to apply them ensures that every printed marketing material, interior design, and branding element stands out effectively.

What are Complementary Colours: Why do They Matter?

Complementary colours are a pair of hues on the colour compliment wheel that sit opposite each other. Secondly, these combinations generate a notable contrast, for example, blue and orange or red and green, which improve the appearance. They are strategically used by designers and marketers to draw attention, create emotions in branding, advertisements and even construction hoarding.

What Makes them Stand Out?

Colours that are complementary originate from the traditional colour complement wheel. That is, these are pairs of colours directly opposite of each other, for which the visual contrast is the strongest. Some well-known complementary pairs include:

  • Appropriate for festive decoration and branding: Red and Green.
  • Sports team logos and advertising use Blue and Orange.
  • Yellow and Purple are seen in luxury and entertainment branding.

Complementary colours are perfect to use for marketing, designing the product package, and digital designs.

Colour Compliment Wheel: A Designer’s Best Friend

A colour-compliment wheel is a must-have tool in the design world. It will help the professionals to find out the appropriate colour combination and evoke different emotions with it. The wheel consists of:

  • Primary Colours – Red, Blue, and Yellow
  • Green, Orange, Purple – (created by mixing of the primary colours) Secondary Colours
  • Shades – Three colours that are created by mixing two primaries.

The colour complement wheel allows brands and designers to create visual contrast, which will attract and help brand identity.

For instance, branding panels on the storefront and marketing pieces will feature a complementary colour scheme to make them visible and brand-aware. Since the market can often be overcrowded, businesses can achieve value by contrasting the colours they are using to make a statement in that marketplace.

What are the Contrasting Colours: Are they different from Complementary Colours?

Complimentary colours restrict themselves only to direct opposites, but the contrast colours deal with it further. Readability and readability require contrast in design; focus, and aesthetic appeal require contrast, too.

The contrasting colour schemes are of three general types.

  • Light vs Dark: High contrast for readability (e.g., black text on a white background).
  • Warm vs Cool: This creates depth and mood (e.g., red against blue).
  • Saturated vs Desaturated:  Choose the way of making certain elements stand out by saturating or not.

Using the contrasting colours principle in digital design will help to make clarity, eliminate visual fatigue, and promote engagement.

How to Use Complementary Colours Effectively

Knowing how to use complementary colours can have a huge effect on the perception of your customer. Some effective strategies include:

1. Branding and Logo Design

Colours that complement one another are used by major brands to create contrast and to ensure that the logos of the brands are immediately recognisable.

For example:

  • FedEx uses orange and purple for a vibrant, trustworthy appeal.
  • Blue and orange give Fanta an energetic freshness.

To learn more, visit this guide on, how effectively you can use complementary colours for hoarding panels to make them visually appealing.

2. Marketing and Advertising

Complimentary colours are also used for advertisements, posters, or digital banners to have an impact on potential customers. In hoarding construction, there are the right colour combinations which can make advertisements more visible on construction site hoardings such that the displayed information comes into the engagement of passersby.

3. Interior and Web Design

Complementary colour schemes are commonly applied in website design and interior design to make the environment aesthetically good. A well-balanced colour palette allows the user to have a positive experience and for the brand to be represented.

Research showed that up to 85% of brands are recognised more easily when there is use of colour  (Hubspot). For this reason, businesses carefully select colours from the colour compliment wheel to use for their logos, packaging, and marketing materials but with contrasting shades.

Conclusion

Whether it’s branding, advertising or web design, which one is the best is a major decision taken by designers and others: mastering the use of complimentary colours can elevate the design project to new levels. The colour compliment wheel helps in arranging visually pleasing colour combinations with a structured approach and the basic principles of what colours should contrast with each other to ensure that designs are neat and clear.

Colour Palet: How to Create Stunning Colour Designs

Colour Palet_ How to Create Stunning Colour Designs

Colour elements within the printing  design format affect people’s emotional states alongside brand associations and participant interaction levels. Visual appeal and consistency across various printed materials, such as brochures, banners, and signage, benefit from a carefully selected colour palette. When creating printed marketing materials, advertisements, or signage, the right colour combinations enhance brand identity and audience perception.

This guide will outline the fundamental principles of colour palettes, methods for designing an effective colour scheme, and the significance of colour in branding and marketing within the printing industry.

Colorful Color Palette: Why is It Important?

Selecting appropriate colour schemes in printing  goes beyond visual appeal because the selected hues directly influence brand or design perception by the public.

The strategic application of colours in printed materials offers several benefits, including:

  • Brand perception and emotional influence shaped by the right colour choices.
  • Enhanced readability and user experience in printed formats.
  • Clear differentiation from competitors through distinct colour schemes.
  • Strengthened brand identity and recall through consistent printing.

The proper selection of a colour palette enhances both customer interaction and brand impression in printed marketing materials.

Understanding Colour Theory for Better Palettes

You must understand fundamental colour concept elements before you build colour palette for printing.

Types of Colour Palettes:

  • Monochromatic: Uses different shades of a single colour (e.g., various shades of blue)  for a cohesive print design.
  • Analogous: Colours next to each other on the wheel (e.g., yellow, orange, and red) for smooth transitions in print.
  • Complementary: The colours blue and orange represent complementary pairs because they produce visual contrast in printed materials.
  • Triadic: The triadic scheme uses red, yellow and blue as three colours arranged evenly across the colour wheel to maintain vibrancy and balance in print.

Knowledge of harmonies lets users produce balanced colour schemes that also appear aesthetically pleasing and well-structured printed designs.

Palette: How to Choose Colours from It?

Your foundation colour tone determines how the colour palette will be built. Some common choices include:

  • Blue: The hue blue expresses both trust and professional qualities, making it ideal for printed materials in technology and financial sectors.
  • Red: In retail marketing, the colour red stimulates feelings of urgency while generating excitement making it a strong choice for promotional print designs.
  • Green:  Eco-friendly companies often adopt green in their printed branding materials as it represents sustainability and a connection to nature.

    Selecting the right colours ensures that printed designs align with brand messaging and visual impact.

Colour Palette Generator: Uses and Applications

A design colour palette generator serves to develop a colour assortment for design foe printing applications. Users face difficulties when manually picking palettes, but tools like Coloor make it easy to select them.

Useful Colour Palette Generators

  • Coloor: The Master tool, with Coloor  users can receive immediate colour palette options that can serve designers and branding professionals.
  • Adobe: Adobe Colour enables users to assess possible colour schemes for branding purposes.
  • Colour Hunt: The platform Colour Hunt presents a selection of already-made colour combinations for users to explore.

Initially, you can create a colour palette design by using these tools. You can also reach out to a service provider as they truly hold the expertise of generating the colour palettes especially based on the product requirements such as for designing branding panels and graphics with visual appeal.

Testing Your Colour Palettes in Different Media

The same colour will display differently according to its position on a spectrum. That’s why testing is essential:

  • Digital Screens demand you to verify that your colour palettes show bright and vibrant characteristics across multiple devices.
  • Printed materials show varying colour appearance, which demands specific modifications for proper print results.
  • Designs of hoarding advertising, including dibond hoarding, require clear contrasting colours to achieve visibility.

During branding panel creation, one needs to check how colours display under varying lighting conditions and material surfaces. To understand how colour impacts hoarding designs, check out this detailed guide.

Best Practices for Choosing a Colour Palette

  • Choose 3 to 5 colours for your artwork to create balanced art.
  • Create your colour scheme from the brand identity basis.
  • Validate your colour scheme to ensure that it presents consistently on digital displays and printed materials.
  • Use high contrast for accessibility; helps with readability, especially in web and signage design.

When placing big dibond hoarding ads, keep using powerful colour schemes for better public visibility. Choosing the correct colour for branding panels helps create brand unity on all market channels. A professional dibond hoarding designer would be able to blend the colours accordingly for higher visibility.

The UK paint and coatings sector generates £4 billion each year and connects with industries which are worth more than £297 billion (  British Coatings Federation ). Our selection of colours serves double duty both to build brand image and to support major brand promotion across product boxes, merchandise displays and online ads.

Conclusion

A strong colour palette results from innovative approaches alongside proper planning and available applications. Your brand should stand out through the selection of ideal colour palettes regardless of design platforms, which range from digital to print and physical branding panels.

Designs that enhance brand recognition and grab attention emerge through the combination of Coloor colour palette generators and different palette tests together with colour psychological approaches. Your brand needs the correct combination of colours to become more attractive and continue looking consistent regardless of the marketing channel.

How Design & Thinking Shapes the Future of Printing

Design Thinking_ Everything You Need to Know

Design thinking, an innovative concept that emerged as a revolutionary means of problem-solving and product development in business, is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers today. Irrespective of the industry you operate in, the concept finds its relevance in the way you communicate and conduct business.

In the realm of graphic design and printing as well, design thinking plays a pivotal role in developing impactful advertising assets like branding panels and hoardings. For instance, retail stores often use branding panels at their entrances to highlight promotional offers, while corporate offices utilise them for wayfinding signage and brand storytelling. Similarly, event organisers incorporate branding panels to create immersive photo backdrops and sponsorship displays, ensuring a cohesive and visually striking presence. Here we explore the concept in depth and learn more about the pillars of design & thinking in print media.

What is Design Thinking?

Experts define design thinking as a user-centric philosophy that focuses on understanding the end-user’s needs, emotions, and experiences above everything else when designing a product, or solution.

In simpler terms, it is a concept that drives creative development of any kind with a strong focus on fulfilling the user’s needs and acknowledging their emotions above all else.

As opposed to traditional solutions and products which were essentially outcome-oriented and unresponsive to the dynamic and nuanced needs of the people they were made for, design thinking projects induce and encourage developers to think and empathise with the user to create solutions that are much more efficient.

This approach applies to all industries and projects intending to serve consumers. Print media in particular demands a thoughtful design thinking approach, as it seeks to attract consumer attention and encourage some form of action, which ultimately serves them.

Design Thinking Process

The design thinking process involves a focused journey starting from empathy to execution, where developers are required to exercise constant and consistent reflective iterations based on the dynamic emotions of the consumer, to achieve a refined and efficient outcome.

In essence, this means that the process does not always progress in a linear path, instead, it requires circle-backs and a flexible mindset to adapt to the changing demands and incorporate the changes into the solution.

Design Thinking Examples

In graphic design and printing, design thinking involves creating advertisements and supplementary print assets like branding panels that focus on the consumer’s emotions. This means graphic designers need to exercise empathy when designing ads so that they resonate with the target audience and induce the desired impact.

For example, real estate agencies use branding panels to display high-quality property images and contact details, making their listings more appealing. Similarly, hospitality businesses utilise branding panels in lobbies to create a welcoming atmosphere and reinforce their brand identity. Additionally, retail stores place branding panels near checkout areas to promote special offers and enhance customer engagement.

Here are some examples.

  • Construction hoardings that serve as more than safety barriers to mark-off sites. An innovatively designed empathy-driven construction hoarding can inform, educate, as well as entertain with the right colours and copy – a combination that can potentially evoke emotions and distract commuters from the inconvenience caused by the construction.
  • Branding panels that use appropriate colours based on colour analysis. For example, a beauty salon and spa that uses cool-toned shades of green or blue will exude a sense of calm and peace – two emotions that can resonate with customers looking for spa services.
  • A fall campaign for a clothing brand with print assets that use autumn colours will catch customers’ attention and evoke feelings of warmth and comfort, both of which can potentially resonate with customers looking to purchase fall clothes.

There are many ways to design a hoarding or a banner using the design thinking approach to reap maximum benefits. Investing in executing the philosophy will indeed be a worthwhile effort.

Wrapping Up

Design thinking is the latest and most revolutionary development in the field of creative development. Whether it is for product development or graphic design and banner printing, the design thinking approach allows brands to create solutions that perfectly resonate with and serve the end-user, ultimately allowing them to improve their bottom line. Incorporate this philosophy in your creative projects and partner with a thoughtful graphic design and print service provider to maximise your investment.

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.