Submitting Color Accurate Digital Artwork

If you utilize software program such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign or QuarkXpress that supports color management via ICC profiles, you should use the ‘North America General Purpose Defaults’ profile. This will help you to preview on-screen a far more accurate version of what will be printed.

Work completely in CMYK color mode and ensure that the image file is tagged with the CMYK working space profile. Our prepress team utilize a color management system, that will be able to make use of your file’s color profile to produce an accurate film and printing plates.

In case you are working in RGB color mode before you complete editing your image convert the image to CMYK color mode and make any additional color and tonal corrections. Specifically examine the highlights and dark areas in the image. Use Levels, Curves, or Hue/Saturation to make corrections. These corrections ought to be very minimal. Flatten layers and save the file in PDF format using the “High Quality Print” preset..

If you happen to be creating a grayscale or spot color job, use the ‘20% Gain’ selection in software when fine-tuning grayscale or duotone images.

See below a screen shot of the color settings panel in Adobe PhotoShop with the above mentioned changes.

Disc design tip

All paper and cardboard packaging are offset printed; CDs and DVDs are silkscreen or offset printed onto the plastic surface of the disc. Due to the inherent differences in printing methods, inks and surface materials, the outcome can be considerably different even under the very best of circumstances.

If you are using the identical graphic or similar colors on your disc as on your cover or packaging they may most likely not match; if an exact match is crucial for your style and design we suggest modifying your on-disc design to make use of contrasting or complimentary colors instead of the exact same colors or illustrations or photos so a color match is not a issue.