At first blush, color proofing sounds easy. Your design company gives you a final design with colors in CMYK format. And you think your next step is to send it over to the printer. Guess again.
Color proofing is the step between design and print-ready-files. With the right color specialists, it should result in the ultimate printing guide ensuring your printer gives you flawless color accuracy every single time.
Color proofing is a crucial process in the printing industry that ensures that the final printed product matches the intended color. It involves creating a sample proof that accurately represents the colors in the final print, allowing for corrections to be made before the final print is produced. In this ultimate guide to color proofing, we will explore the different methods and tools used in color proofing, as well as the importance of color accuracy in various printing projects.
Color proofing has undergone significant advancements since it was first introduced in the printing industry. In the early days, printers used a process called chromolithography to create color prints. Chromolithography involved using multiple printing plates to apply different colors to the paper which was time-consuming and expensive. In addition, the colors were often inaccurate due to the limitations of the printing technology at the time.
As technology advanced, printers began to adopt new methods and tools for color proofing. Today, there are different color proofing methods available such as soft proofing, hard proofing, and remote proofing, which have significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of the process. These methods have enabled printers to achieve accurate color reproduction in printed materials and helped to save time and resources.
In addition, the introduction of color management software has made color proofing even more efficient and accurate. Color management software allows printers to calibrate their printers and monitors to achieve color consistency across different devices. This has helped to eliminate the guesswork involved in color proofing and ensured that color accuracy is maintained throughout the printing process.
Overall, the evolution of color proofing has revolutionized the printing industry and has made it possible to achieve accurate color reproduction in printed materials. The advancements have made it easier for printers to produce high-quality prints, saved time and resources, and provided customers with the assurance that their prints will be color accurate.
With the speed of a finger scroll or that quick eye scan at the shelf, you only have seconds to tell your brand’s story through packaging. Impactful packaging often means the difference between a purchase versus a pass. The key to getting there is to work with a design agency that can translate your communication hierarchy into a masterful layout design. For agencies that do it well, they must achieve that ideal balance of visually, compelling design alongside clear brand communication.
A skilled design agency will not just want to understand your brand but the category that you compete in. They should be asking you ‘What are the key communication principles of your category’. For example, the communication must-haves will be different if you create a layout design for a wine label versus a box of cereal or a home improvement product. Understanding your competitive set is also a great way to find ways to stand out.
