Best Color & Stock/Coating Pairings For Print
In printing, stocks and coatings
have different properties that affect print color results. Some colors
will look better than others on certain stocks and coatings. This is not
to say that printing other colors will necessarily look bad, but it
does mean that there are certain pairings that work better.
So, here are some suggested combinations to help the design in your file look its best when printed.
Black + Spot UV
We admit that black isn’t technically
a color, but it is in print. The darkness and uniformity of the black
(make it a rich black comprised of all 4 CMYK values), will emphasize
the spot UV.
What about white? Some UV coatings
have a slight color, which could make the white not as pure as your
clients probably intended their white to be.
Low Coverage Colors + Uncoated Stock
Uncoated stock
tends to soak in the ink, which can make the colors look muddier.
Offsetting is also a common issue, especially where ink coverage is
high. To minimize this, use lower values for each CMYK color that is in
your artwork. If possible, use fewer color values. For example, instead
of using all four CMYK colors to create your gray, opt to use just a K
value.
Dark Colors + Metallic Foil
Metallic foil
is not exactly a stock or coating, but it does deserve its own color
pairing. Two of the most popular metallic foils are gold and silver, and
they make a design pop because they’re not regular CMYK colors.
Contrast these reflective metallics against dark backgrounds such as
black, dark blue, dark purple, or dark green.
Light Colors + Pearl Paper
Pearl paper
has a special shimmer when you view it at certain angles under the
light. The shimmer of pearlescent stock has a color of its own, often a
slight beige-and-silver or a pinkish hue. This stock will show a little
through the ink, so we suggest colors that make the most of the stock
itself. Pastel colors such as light blue, pink, and pale yellow do the
trick.
Black & White + Kraft Paper
Kraft paper
is brown and textured. Made from recycled paper, it will likely
contains bits of materials in the stock that are not the same color as
the rest of the paper. Since the stock color is not uniform, you’ll need
high contrast colors without losing the intended homemade look of Kraft
paper. For this reason, black and white work best.
If you’re going to print white ink,
be sure to set your file up properly according to your workflow or the
requirements of your print supplier.
Bright Colors + UV Coating
UV coating
adds a smooth, shiny layer to the surface of your print. This layer
reflects light to make your artwork look brighter. Take advantage of
this light-reflecting property by using bright colors. Some of the
brightest colors are solid CMY values: 100 cyan, 100 magenta or 100
yellow.
I want to print these products!
If you don’t currently offer these stocks or coatings, you can. You don’t even need to invest in any new equipment. The Print Cafe of LI, lets you test out how well products sell
without risking thousands of dollars. You can order business cards in
any of the stocks and coatings mentioned in this article online when you create an account. Go To:https://www.printcafeli.com/account/login.html
Trial & Error
We’ve suggested some pairings that
produce the best print color results, but just as machinery differs as
do human eyes, you may need to try different colors on various stocks
and coatings to find what works best for you and your clients. Pulling
physical samples is perhaps the best way to show yourself and your
customers how inks interact with different substra.
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