Saving Money on Color Printing

Mark Hale ‐ February 4, 2014

Color Questions? We’ve Got Answers. Have you wondered-maybe without even knowing it-what are the fundamentals of color printing? Or, how do I determine what type of color printing should be used for my order? Knowing the answer can save you hundreds of dollars.

Color printing is available in many forms. Two-color (spot color) printing and four-color process printing are the most common ways to create color printing. Knowing a little bit about each type of printing can save you time and money on your next printing project.

Two-color printing, as the name suggests, uses only two colors. The colors are printed on the paper without mixing or combining them. The result is a bold, sharp application of color. The advantages are two-fold: one, the color from piece to piece is consistent and invariable. The color quality stays intact even from run to run, years apart. Two, it is usually less expensive because only two colors are used. Additionally, even with two colors, the design potential is considerable. Using shades and half tones, you can make the design come to life with one or two-color spot printing.

In this day of full-color printing, a two-color design can really stand out and set you apart. Often two-color printing is used on NCR forms, pocket folders or flyers with limited graphics. Two-color printing is mainly for offset printing. Because digital printing uses a mix of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMKY) to come up with a wide variety of colors, it is not considered spot-color printing but is called full-color print process printing.

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Process or full-color printing can be done digitally for short runs or offset for large runs. The advantage here is the unlimited design potential available to you. If you are using photos as some part of the material, four-color process printing will bring the piece alive. While it can be more expensive, the output of four-color process printing is rich and vivid because many more colors are attainable.

Today, with digital printing, full-color materials like brochures, full-color flyers and business cards are very inexpensive to print. With the options available to you, it really comes down to what will make the specific item you need printed look the best. Our printing experts can help you determine which would be right for you. Please don’t hesitate to ask!