10 Design Best Practices for Print and Packaging Production

10 Design Best Practices for Print and Packaging Production
Although there are many similarities between print and web design, there are also some important differences. Listen as we go through ten tasks that graphic designers often do not have to complete while designing for the web.

1. Always use CMYK when printing. The colour model for print is CYMK, whereas the colour model for online and digital is RGB. We can often convert RGB files to CYMK before printing, but if you convert them to the native file before exporting, the colour quality will be superior.

2. Request measurements for the margin and bleeds in detail. Even if you are well-versed in print design and are aware of margins and bleeds, you may not be aware that various printers have various margin and bleed size requirements. It's advisable to find out the precise specifications of your printer before you begin developing.

4. Use images and files of high resolution. Always select a high-resolution setting or print quality when exporting a file for printing. At least 300 dpi should be used for photos.

5. Obtain the dimensions of the address box. Print materials that will be mailed fall under this. Regarding the location and size of the address box, USPS has extremely strict guidelines. Before you begin, get those measurements or, better yet, a template so that you can construct the box effectively.

6. Unlocked files should be sent. To enhance print quality and reduce time spent going back and forth with the designer, we are often able to fix a lot of minor issues during our prepress testing. However, if a file is locked, we are unable to make changes to it, and returning to the customer or graphic designer to ask for changes takes time. Deadlines could be missed as a result of this. Always provide us with native files or unlocked PDFs so that we may make any necessary edits before printing.

7. Always use Adobe for design. There are many different design programs available that are used for many different things. Adobe is the ideal printing software. Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are some of our personal favourites. If you design in one of these applications, your print results will be the best.

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8. Calibrating your screen before printing is another approach to guarantee colour fidelity. An incorrect screen may easily alter the real tone of your colours while you are printing mock-up documents.

Making sure your imagery is accurate before you send your specs to the press can quickly save you a significant amount of money in misprints. Graphic designers and photographers have a variety of tools at their disposal to check the colour accuracy of their images before sending a design off to the press.

9. Make a PDF with high resolution — After completing each stage, it's time to preserve your evidence. The majority of printed file types are lossless PDFs, making them ideal for this use. Once you've saved everything as a PDF, you may start using it.

10. Choose the ideal paper: The appropriate paper makes all the difference. The final step before sending your design to the printer is to select your paper.
Conclusion
It's a reality that professional printing isn't always simple. How quickly you receive your completed output depends on the substrate, the amount, and the printer's current workload. If you miss your initial deadline, it is essential to first confirm with your printer regarding turnaround times and whether expedited printing is an option.

Then, to ensure that your print materials are accessible when you need them, you may create project timelines that detail each step of your design procedure.

Additionally, it's a good idea to set up a second print run in case your design has to be replicated due to errors.

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