CMYK is the colour mode used by ColourPrinting® to reproduce your job on one of our presses. The colour calibration of Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y), and Black (K) determines the final colour in your artwork. As a result, your submitted files must be in CMYK colour mode to maximize colour quality.

If your files are submitted using any other colour standard, such as RGB or Pantone, they will be converted to CMYK during preflighting. Conversion from one colour standard to another may cause colours to shift. Before submitting your artwork files, you may want to review our file preparation guidelines at: http://www.colourprinting.com.my/helpcenter/preparing_artwork_files/index.asp.

If you are not familiar with printing in CMYK colour mode, we highly recommend that you order a hard copy proof, which can be selected for most ColourPrinting® products. Please note that we cannot guarantee that the colour of your artwork printed on our presses will match that seen on your monitor or printed via any other method.

You may find more information about CMYK colour mode at: http://www.colourprinting.com.my/helpcenter/preparing_artwork_files/color.asp.

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How can I guarantee colour accuracy?

It is impossible to guarantee 100% colour accuracy. However, you can maximize colour quality by ensuring that all submitted files are in CMYK colour mode and that the correct colour calibration is set for the desired colour match. When these four inks (collectively known as CMYK) are combined, they can produce millions of different colours. Changing the percentage (screen) of one ink can dramatically affect the colour. Black (K), the fourth process ink, is often used to darken the colours created by the other three process colours CMY.

When colour fidelity is critical, ColourPrinting® recommends that you order a hardcopy colour proof. A hardcopy colour proof, which can be selected for most ColourPrinting® products, is the only way to ensure the colour accuracy for your print job.

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It is always challenging to match CMYK colours 100% on paper. Mixing colours on the computer can be challenging, namely when you are trying to translate specific colours to work in a four-colour printing process. However, when colour matching is critical, you should use a CMYK chart and enter the values that best reflect the colour you are trying to reach.

Your software program and file type impact the best way to do colour matching. Software programs have different tools to do colour corrections, and some programs do not have any tools for colour corrections. When printing a process (CMYK) document, you should make sure all of your colours are made up of process inks. For example, one hue of green can be made by combining 100% cyan and 100% yellow, and that hue can be changed by reducing the amount of yellow or cyan, or adding small amounts of magenta or black.

When colour fidelity is critical, ColourPrinting® recommends that you order a hardcopy colour proof. A hardcopy colour proof, which can be selected for most ColourPrinting® products, is the only way to ensure the colour accuracy for your print job.

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What if I want to create a solid black area?

When you want an area of solid black within a document, 100% black (K) will not result in a solid, saturated black. You should use rich black, which is made by mixing other colours of ink with black ink to produce a much darker, deeper black on press than can be achieved by using black ink alone. To create rich black on pieces printed by ColourPrinting®, your CMYK calibration values must be 50% Cyan (C), 40% Magenta (M), 40% Yellow (Y), and 100% Black (K).

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ColourPrinting® offers both 4/4 (colour front, colour back) and 4/1 (colour front, black and white back).

For 4/1 layouts, the artwork file for the backside should have a CMYK calibration of C:0%, M:0%, Y:0%, and K: 10%-100% depending on the grey you desire. Please note that K:10% is a lighter gray while K:100% is the darkest gray that is not rich black.

Before submitting your artwork files, you may want to review our file preparation guidelines at: http://www.colourprinting.com.my/helpcenter/preparing_artwork_files/index.asp.

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Does lighting impact colour quality?

Yes. Lighting is important since it will affect how your artwork is perceived in terms of brightness, contrast and colour. Ambient lighting, while viewing a digital image file on screen, needs to be considered. A bright room tends to yield darker than expected files, especially when printed. A dark room does the opposite. As a result, we recommend that a room be darker rather than lighter, but also consistent from morning through night.

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