Why printed colors can look different

Screens emit light, so colors appear bright and vivid. Printers, on the other hand, use layers of inks to reflect light, which can make printed colors appear softer or darker.

Some colors that display perfectly on a monitor (especially neons, very bright blues and greens) don't have exact matches in CMYK inks. During printing, we adjust these colors to the nearest possible shade.

To make sure your design looks its best, our production process automatically balances color and contrast before printing.
Two Venn diagrams comparing the RGB additive color model (Red, Green, Blue) overlapping to white and the CMYK subtractive model overlapping to black.

Tips for keeping your colors consistent from design to print

These tips will help your final product look as close as possible to what your screen displays:

Design in CMYK mode if possible. It's closer to how colors appear in print.
Avoid overly bright or fluorescent colors that may not be print well.
Use high-resolution files (300 DPI or higher) to ensure sharp, crisp details that allow your colors to appear more vibrant and solid.

How we make sure your colors look their best

We know how disappointing it can be when your printed product doesn't look like you expected. Your team uses professional color calibration and automated correction to ensure each product looks balanced, vibrant and true to your design.

Want an expert eye on your design? Work with one of our designers to review your file and make sure your design looks its best.

Still have questions?

Still have questions?

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