Hi All,

I am a Graphic Designer, having eight years of experience. I will discuss some of the least understanding issues regarding design and print and thus we will try to reduce the gap of Good Design and Technically Good Design. Obviously we should discuss on graphic software as well as it relates.


Let start with one of the least understand issue.

We print something with C (Cyan) M (Magenta) Y (Yellow) K (Black) colors. Every time printers' use C M Y K colors in full intensity. So the question is how they printout those midtones like 30% cyan 50% Magenta or any combination of those in light intensity??

So, here we are. As we use those primary colors in full intensity (100%), in that way its seems to be impossible to print those light tone. But hey, think again the color of paper is white if we can use it wisely then it could be a nice way to solve this problem.

We have an idea that if we add white with any color then that color will fade. Now you should wondering how you add that white paper color with those primary colors. LPI (Line Per Inch) is the culprit here. When we set some design to send to the printer then usually we mention like "this should print with #150 dot", actually we mention here that LPI.

LPI doesn't mean that in every where dot percentage will be same but it means the highest density of dot will be 150. So, where the light colors area reside that percentage will reduce dramatically. And one thing I should mention here that, you couldn't find any dot over the color of full intensity. Because the technology for printing midtone is LPI.

So, that mean, if you need to print 30 percent of cyan then on that particular area it will take only 30 percent of area and it will print some dots of 100 percent cyan. As we can't figure those tiny dots with naked eye we will sea combine effect of 30 percent of pure cyan with 70 percent of white i.e. 30 percent of cyan.