KT board:
Typically, panels are produced by applying color inkjet printing on KT boards. The standard sizes for finished KT boards are 90cmX240cm or 120cmX240cm. These can be divided into two sections, creating sizes of 90cmX120cm or 120cmX120cm, referred to as “standard panels.” Additionally, sizes formed by splitting the “standard panel” in half (such as 90cmX60cm or 120cmX60cm) are also considered “standard sizes.” It is advisable to align the dimensions of panels with these “standard sizes” during production to utilize the standard boards fully and minimize material wastage, thereby reducing the cost of KT board.
Poster:
Poster printing sizes often confuse individuals because common sizes like A4 and A3 follow international standard dimensions. In printing facilities, there are only two distinctions: long edge (A) and short edge (B), corresponding to the international standard sizes A and B formats. However, their dimensions differ.
If using the printing method to produce images, the finished sizes for A4 to A1 are:
A1–840mmX594mm
A2–594mmX420mm A3–420mmX297mm
A4–297mmX210mm
These sizes are the finished dimensions. When designing for printing, it’s recommended to add a 3mm “bleed” on each side (to ensure that when a large number of prints are stacked for cutting, there are no white borders). Therefore, when designing posters for printing, the page settings should be:
A1 (double) — 846mmX576mm
A2 (fourfold) — 576mmX426mm A3 (eightfold) — 426mmX291mm
A4 (sixteenfold) — 291mmX216mm
Pro Tips: Poster sizes commonly used in places like Jardine’s Lookout Apartments are A2 and A3.
Basic Requirements for Promotional Materials File Preparation:
The first step in designing promotional materials is setting the dimensions according to the requirements mentioned above. After setting the dimensions, the crucial aspects are image resolution and image mode.
Resolution:
KT board:
The resolution should be above 72dpi, preferably between 100–120. Lower resolutions result in unclear images, while higher resolutions lead to unnecessarily large production files.
Printing: The resolution should be 300dpi, which is sufficient; lower resolutions are inadequate, and higher resolutions are unnecessary.
Image Mode:
KT board: Both RGB and CMYK are acceptable. Printing must be in CMYK.
Some Important Details to Note During Production:
(1) Avoid frequently merging layers during production to ensure the file remains editable. Retaining text layers or vector layers helps ensure print quality.
(2) For printing, use a composite black background with CMYK colors (e.g., C-30, M-10, Y-10, K-100) to ensure accurate and vibrant black backgrounds. For pure black text, use single-color black (C-0, M-0, Y-0, K-100) to ensure accurate printing alignment.
(3) Submit image files for production in PSD or TIFF format without merged layers. Avoid saving images in JPEG format, especially at high compression rates, as this can lead to loss of image detail.
Example setups based on the provided content (using Photoshop 7.0 as an example, similar for other software):
(1) Setting for a 120X90 panel:
File — New: Preset size: Width 900mm, Height 1200mm; Resolution: 120 pixels/inch; Mode: RGB color or CMYK color; Content: White. After completion, save as a layered PSD or TIFF file for printing.
(2) Setting for an A2 printing poster:
File — New: Preset size: Width 426mm, Height 576mm; Resolution: 300 pixels/inch; Mode: CMYK color; Content: White. After completion, save as a layered PSD or TIFF file for printing.
For large format inkjet printing like banners, the resolution (dpi) to set in CorelDRAW depends on the precision of the printing device. If the inkjet printer is 600 DPI, set the resolution of imported bitmap images to 150 DPI. CorelDRAW is preferable for production since text remains vector-based, avoiding jagged edges.
Inkjet printers don’t necessarily achieve significantly higher precision at 300DPI; they often print at 300DPI, which is sufficient for indoor photo paper printing. Setting resolutions above 100DPI is not recommended as it may waste ink. For outdoor banners, 75DPI is usually sufficient to avoid blurring.
RGB mode offers a wider color gamut, but for inkjet printing, CMYK is preferred as it’s the color model used by printers. RGB images are internally converted to CMYK during printing, which can result in color inaccuracies and loss of quality. Therefore, it’s best to use CMYK directly for inkjet printing.
If a client demands a black background with white text, using CMYK minimizes ink usage and prevents bleeding or smudging issues compared to RGB. Adjustments in color and image quality are necessary in Photoshop to meet client requirements.
In inkjet printing, original size at 1/10 or 1/5 scale is often set in Photoshop due to the large dimensions. For clarity, file sizes should be maintained between 50MB to 100MB, with resolutions ranging from 100ppi to 50ppi, adjusting according to the image size.
The “overprint warning” feature in software alerts users when colors exceed the printer’s color gamut. It’s essential to have this feature enabled to avoid color bleeding issues.
Overall, professionals in printing should exercise flexibility and professionalism in adjusting image sizes and resolutions according to client needs, ensuring clarity and quality in the final output.