Graphics FAQ's

Image Resolution

What makes an image High Resolution?

Pixel Dimensions: The pixel dimensions refer to the number of pixels in the width and height of the image. For example, an image with dimensions of 3000 pixels wide by 2000 pixels high contains a total of 6 million pixels. Higher pixel dimensions generally result in higher resolution.

Pixel Density: Pixel density is the number of pixels per unit of measurement, often expressed as pixels per inch (PPI) for digital displays or dots per inch (DPI) for printed images. A higher pixel density means more pixels are packed into each inch, resulting in greater detail and sharpness. If you are using images in your design, ensure that it has a higher PPI (300 PPI is recommended for images).

File Format: The file format can also impact the resolution. Lossless file formats like TIFF or PNG preserve image quality better than lossy formats like JPEG. Using a lossy format can lead to compression artifacts and a reduction in image quality.

True Black vs. Rich Black

What’s the difference?

❌True Black Value: C-0 M-0 Y-0 K-100 

✅Rich Black Value: C-75 M-68 Y-67 K-90

True black will print out as ash grey instead of a deep solid black. You can use this image as an example to send to clients if they aren’t sure of the difference. 

Inaccurate Display of Black

In some cases Illustrator will not display the difference due to a default setting. This will display any black value (including True Black) to display as Rich Black.

Preferences > Appearance of Black:

We can change this setting to “Display All Blacks Accurately”

How to Change All True Black Elements to Rich Black

If you are still experiencing issues locating which elements are set to True Black please use the Select Same option:

1. Double Click the Color Picker and set the CMYK Values to True Black
2. At the top menu bar: Select > Same > 
3. Fill Color:  To select all Elements/Shapes filled with True Black
4. Text Fill Color: To select all Text filled with True Black

If a different color text is being used in the same textbox this feature will not work. For text it will be much easier to outline the fonts, then use the Fill color option. Outlining text will turn it into a shape.

How to Outline Fonts/Text

To select all Text Layers go to Select > All Text Objects. While all text layers are selected, go to Type > Create Outlines. Outlining text will turn it into a shape which will avoid issues with missing font files. 

RGB vs CMYK

What is the Difference between RGB and CMYK?

RGB is used for digital displays (like web, TV or phone files) and combines red, green, and blue light to create colors. CMYK is used for printing (like T-shirts, flyers or business cards) and combines cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink to produce colors. 

Converting RGB to CMYK

When you print an image that uses RGB colors, the printer needs to convert those colors into CMYK (subtractive color model) to create the printed output.

This conversion process can lead to some color shifts because the RGB color gamut (range of colors) is often larger than the CMYK gamut. Some vibrant and bright RGB colors may not be achievable using CMYK inks, so the printer might need to find the closest CMYK equivalents, which could result in slightly different shades.

To get the most accurate color representation when printing, it's best to work with CMYK colors from the start or to use color management techniques that help ensure a close match between the RGB colors on your screen and the CMYK colors in the printed output.

How to change your document color mode to CMYK

Photoshop: Image > Mode

Illustrator: File > Document Color Mode