Before we get too carried away, let’s define some of the head terms surrounding images, photos and resolution we will be frequently referring to:

• Image Resolution – Also referred to as “resolution” or “print resolution”, image resolution is the value that determines the quality of an image when it is printed onto any given material (photo paper, vinyl, etc.). Generally speaking, resolution is measured by the number of pixels (or dots of ink) that run along a single inch of a printed image. The more pixels contained within an inch of printed material, the higher the resolution i.e., or the higher the quality of the photo.
• Image Dimensions – Also referred to as “pixel dimensions”, image dimensions designate the number of pixels that comprise the width and height of any given image. For example, if I were to take a digital image that is 1,200 pixels wide and 1,000 pixels high, then the dimensions for that image would be 1,200 x 1,000 pixels. The dimensions of an image are used as an indicator of an image’s size. The higher the dimensions, the larger the image. The dimensions of an image are critical in determining how that image will look when displayed on a computer screen, monitor, or printed material.
• Pixel – Pixel stands for “picture element” and is the smallest element or building block, used in the creation of an image. Every digital image is comprised of a grid of tens, hundreds, or thousands of square pixels, each containing a single hue/color. When a group of pixels are placed together and viewed at the right distance, they give the appearance of a smooth, continuous image. However, if you were to look close enough at any image you would be able to identify each individual pixel making up that image. One thing to note is that each pixel actually gets its color from three subpixels (which are red, green, and blue in color) that blend together in a unique way to produce the needed color for that pixel.
• PPI – PPI stands for “pixels per inch” and is used to measure the digital resolution of an image. Each digital image is comprised of pixels, and PPI tells you how many pixels of that digital image will be contained along a single inch of material when that image is printed.
• DPI – DPI stands for “dots per inch” and is used to measure the printed resolution of an image. When an image is printed, the printer places a large number of small dots of ink onto the material you are printing on, which produces the final printed image. DPI determines how many dots of ink are placed along each inch of the width and height of the printed image.
• Megapixel (MP) – One megapixel equates to one million pixels (1,048,576 pixels to be exact) and is a unit of measurement for the pixel count of a digital image. Digital cameras are assigned a megapixel count, which tells you how many pixels are contained within the image that is captured by the camera. For example, if I take a photograph using a 10mp (short for megapixel) camera, then that image will be composed of up to 10 million pixels. To determine the megapixel amount of any given image, take the image’s width in pixels and multiply it by the image’s height in pixels. For example, if I have an image that is 4,032 x 2,268 pixels then it would be 9.1 megapixels (4,032 x 2,268 = 9,144,576 pixels).

What is the difference between PPI and DPI? Which should I use?

Both PPI (pixels per inch) and DPI (dots per inch) refer to the resolution of an image. Due to this fact, these terms are frequently used interchangeably, even though they technically are not the same thing. 

PPI refers to the digital resolution of an image, counting the number of pixels that will be contained along one inch of printed material. PPI is used when you are figuring out the resolution of your image based off of the number of pixels the image contains compared against the actual size of your printed image. This means when you are looking at the pixel dimensions of your image on your computer or phone you will need to take the number of pixels in your image (width and height) and divide it by the number of inches you are wanting for your photo print (width and height). This will tell you what the resolution of your image will be based on the number of pixels per inch.

DPI refers to the printed resolution of an image, counting the number of dots of ink that will be contained along one inch of printed material. This measurement is the more literal of the two, as printers do not print actual pixels, but rather dots of ink that give the appearance of pixels when grouped together. Therefore, DPI is a specification that is tied to the printer you are using. There are some printers that are only capable of printing up to 150 dpi whereas others can print to over 1,800dpi. The more dots of ink that are contained along an inch of printed material, the higher the quality the photo print will be.

So, which should you use when determining your resolution? Honestly, this comes down to your personal preference. The reason we say this is that whether someone provides a print shop with an image that they have designated as either 300 ppi or 300 dpi, the image will be put through the same printing process and converted to the correct resolution based off of the printer being used. The relatively small (and frankly, quite confusing) distinction between the two is why you will see some photo editing software use PPI whereas others will use DPI.

Generally speaking, all you need to know moving forward is that PPI and DPI are indeed different, but they bleed over one another in so many applications that it has become very common to use them synonymously (we recommend leaving it to the print shop to worry about making the distinction).

To avoid confusion with jumping back and forth between the two, from here on forward we will use PPI when referring to resolution. 

How do I determine the resolution of my image?

You have an image that you want to turn into an outstanding photograph, banner, or sign. Great! But how do you determine how good that image is going to look when printed? There are two things you will need to note when trying to determine the printed resolution of your image:

1. The pixel dimensions of your image

2. The physical size of the photo or sign you want to print

As mentioned above, the first step is to determine the pixel dimensions of your image. How exactly do you do this? There are several ways you can find out the pixel dimensions of an image:

On your Android device – Finding the pixel dimensions for an image on your android will vary based on the model of phone you are using, but with most androids, all you need to do is select an image in your gallery and view the details of that image (usually contained within some kind of menu icon). Here is how you would find it on a Samsung Galaxy S24:

1. Go to your image gallery.

2. Select the photo you want.

3. Click the … found on the top right.

4. Scroll to bottom of page to find image size (labeled as the resolution).

On your iPhone – If you are using the Photos app, here’s a quick guide on how to view an image’s resolution.

1. Open the Photos app and select the image you want to print.

2. Swipe the photo upward to see the specifications of the file.

3. You can also click the letter i found at the bottom of the screen to see the image’s ppi.

On your PC – To find the dimensions of an image you have stored on a PC (running Windows 10 or later), follow these steps:

1. Open the File Explorer and find your image.

2. Right-click on the image and click on Properties.

3. Click on the Details tab in the window that pops up.

4. You can now see the dimensions of your image.

On your Mac – To find the dimensions of an image you have stored on a Mac (running macOS Sonoma), follow these steps:

1. Open the Finder application and locate your image.

2. Double tap the trackpad and click on Get Info.

3. In the window that pops up, click on More Info.

4. You can now locate your image’s dimensions.

Through Adobe Photoshop – Follow these steps to find the dimensions of your image using Adobe Photoshop 2024:

1. Open your image in Photoshop.

2. Go to Image > Image Size.

3. You can now see the dimensions of your image. In this window you can also play around with the Width and Height to figure out what resolution your image will be at whichever size you input.

Through Adobe Illustrator – Follow these steps to find the dimensions of your image using Adobe Illustrator 2024:

1. Open your image in Illustrator.

2. Select the image.

3. Navigate to the Properties tab on the right-hand side of the window.

4. You can now see the dimensions of your image. You can change the pixel dimensions of your image here, but if you increase the size past the original file size you will end up with a blurry image.

Now that you have found out the pixel dimensions of the image you want to use it is time to move on to Step 2. This step is easy because it is entirely up to you. All you need to do is determine how big you want your printed photo to actually be. Are you just looking for a cute little 4” x 6” photograph to put in a scrapbook, or do you need a banner that is 12’ wide and 6’ tall? Whichever size you need, your image has to be large enough for you to create a crisp print.

Once you identify the pixel dimensions of your image and the physical size of your print, you are ready to get a clear sense of how good your image is going to look when printed. To do so, simply use the following formula:

Image width or height (pixels) / Print width or height (inches) = Print Resolution (ppi)

As an example, let’s say I have an image I took on my smartphone that is 2,400 pixels wide and 3,000 pixels tall (2,400 px x 3,000 px) and I want to use it to print an 8” x 10” photograph. Let’s take this and apply it to our formula:

Image Width (2,400 pixels) / Print Width (8 inches) = 300 pixels per inch (ppi)

Image Height (3,000 pixels) / Print Height (10 inches) = 300 pixels per inch (ppi)

This equation tells us that if I were to print a 8” x 10” image, the resolution would be 300ppi (translation: there would be 300 pixels along each inch of printed material). Check out the following table to see a few more examples of image sizes and their resolution at certain print sizes:

Now back the question we are trying to answer — what is the best resolution? Is it 300, 150, 75 ppi or something else? The truth is, it’s a case to case basis. Let’s continue forward to find out.

What is the Best Resolution for Banner Printing?

One of the most “recommended”, “best”, or “standard” resolution you will read or hear about is 300 ppi. The main reason for this is that the standard human eye is rarely unable to discern greater detail in images printed any higher than 300 ppi, thus making it the general cut-off line for resolution.

While this is usually a great resolution to print at, it is incorrect to immediately jump to the conclusion that this should be used for all print jobs. In some circumstances, this may be a much higher resolution than it needs to be and in others, it may be lower. Ultimately, the best resolution for printing comes down to two main factors – expected viewing distance and what it is you are printing.

The expected viewing distance is the most important factor in determining what resolution you should print in. When getting ready to print a banner or signage, ask yourself generally how close will people be when viewing it. The answer to this question makes all the difference. A general rule of thumb to follow is the closer the expected viewing distance, the higher the resolution the image needs to have.

For example, say you want to print some business cards. When people look at your business cards, they will be holding it in their hand and will view it at about a foot or two away from their eyes. This tells you that you will need to go with a bit of a higher resolution. On the flip side, if you are printing a billboard designed to be viewed by passing cars on the highway, your expected viewing distance is going to be much further (100 feet – 300 feet), allowing you to get away with a much lower resolution. Here is a chart to give you some recommended resolutions to print at based on viewing distance:

Here’s another way of looking at it:

Why would you want to use a lower resolution just because your image is going to be viewed further away? Generally speaking, the further away something is viewed, the harder it is to distinguish between different resolutions. Take, for example, the following two images. The image on the left was printed at 300 ppi and the image on the right printed at 72 ppi and they are both being viewed approximately 20 feet away.

Pretty hard to tell the difference, right? But wait! Let’s get a closer look (now only 3 feet away) to see if we can start to notice any changes.

Now it is much easier to spot the difference. If you were planning on displaying this photo in a setting where people would be viewing it from 20 feet away, then you would be fine going with the lower resolution (72 ppi). However, if you were in a setting where people will be viewing it up close then you would want to go with the higher (300 ppi). If you are unsure how close people will be getting to your print, then print your photo at the highest resolution your image will permit.

What does this mean image resolution for banner printing? The pixel size of a printable banner depends on the desired physical size of the banner and the printing resolution (PPI). For example, a banner meant to be printed at 8 feet wide (96 inches) by 3 feet tall (36 inches) at a resolution of 100 ppi would require an image with pixel dimensions of 9600 px x 3600 px. It’s important to consult with your printer for their specific requirements, as resolutions can vary based on the viewing distance and banner material.

The resolution for banner image sizes typically ranges from 100 ppi to 150 ppi for large banners viewed from a distance. For closer viewing distances, such as at trade shows or presentations, a higher resolution of up to 300 ppi may be recommended. The key is to balance file size with the expected viewing distance and print quality requirements.

Pull-up banners, often used in conferences, tradeshows, and indoor events, require a resolution that ensures clarity at close viewing distances. A minimum of 150 ppi is recommended but aiming for 200 ppi to 300 ppi can give you an even sharper banner resolution image. As pull-up banners are typically viewed from closer distances than larger outdoor banners, the higher resolution will ensure your message is conveyed with crisp, clear visuals.

There are several reasons why you wouldn’t want to try and always print at a resolution such as 300 ppi regardless of the viewing distance, including the following:

• Nearly Impossible to Achieve – Let’s say you want to print a banner that is 96” (8’) x 64” (5’ x 4”) tall. If you were to print that banner at 300 ppi, then you would need to use an image that is 28,800 pixels wide and 19,200 pixels tall (a whopping 553 megapixels in size)! Most consumer digital cameras on the market today rarely go over 30 megapixels, so good luck finding one that is over 500.
• Unnecessary – As illustrated in the example above, at certain viewing distances it is near impossible to tell the difference between a 300 ppi printed image and a 72 ppi one.
• Large File Sizes – The higher the resolution, the larger the image needs to be. The larger the image needs to be, the larger the image file will be. If you try to provide a print shop with an extremely large file to achieve a resolution that is not necessary, then there is a very good chance they will be asking you for an alternative image that is smaller. Large image files take more time to work with, load, print and transfer, making the print job cost more for them and you.

How do I get a photo that is high resolution?

Let’s say Mother’s Day is coming up, and you decide you want to print a gorgeous, 18” × 12” photo of you and your family for your mother. You want the best resolution you can get, so you know you need to get your hands on an image that is large enough to come out looking crisp and clear. How do you get an image that is large enough for your needs? Let’s look at some do’s and don’ts for getting a high-resolution photo:

Avoid the Following Printing Pitfalls

Downloading photos from social media

Facebook has all of my great photos, so I can just pull one from there and I should be good to go, right? Wrong! If you want to achieve a high-resolution photo, avoid using downloaded images from social media. Every time you upload an image to your favorite social media platform, they are compressing that image into a much smaller file size for storage management purposes. You may not notice the difference in quality when looking at the image on your phone or computer, but if you were to download that image and use it to print a photograph, the loss in quality would immediately be noticed.

As a test, we uploaded the following image to Facebook:

The original pixel dimensions of this photo were 4032 px x 1960 px. After uploading the image, we downloaded it from Facebook. The result? The dimensions for the downloaded image had been changed to 1110 px x 540 px. That’s a 72% loss in image size and quality!

In 2024, many social media platforms have improved their image processing algorithms to reduce quality loss upon upload, though compression is still a factor. High-resolution image hosting has become more common, allowing for better quality downloads. However, for printing purposes, sourcing images directly from the original high-resolution files remains the best practice, as this ensures the highest possible quality is maintained from source to print.

Downloading photos from websites (and yes, that includes Google Images)

One of the main goals for websites is to achieve maximum speed and performance. As a result, images used on websites are generally the smallest and lowest quality they can be in order to decrease load times. As with images from social media, these images might look great on the website, but if you were to download them and used them to print, the quality would not be high enough to achieve a high-quality print.

Using screenshots from Your Computer or Phone

If you can’t download images from social media, websites, or Google Images, then how about just taking a screenshot of the image and using that? Another big no. The screenshots taken on your phone or computer are created at very small pixel dimensions and will also result in a low-quality print if used.

Aim for the Following Printing Habits

Photos taken directly using your phone or digital camera

Without a doubt, the best source of images that will result in a high-resolution print is the direct source that created the image. One important thing to note, however, is cameras are not the same when it comes to resolution. This is where megapixels come into play. One megapixel stands for one million pixels (the exact amount is 1,048,576 pixels), meaning that for every megapixel in a digital image there are one million pixels making up that image.

When you see a digital camera with an assigned megapixel count, this tells you how many pixels are capable of being used to create an image captured through that camera. For example, if you take a photo using a 24-megapixel camera, then the image that is produced is capable of being made up of 24 million pixels. After I have captured the image with the camera, I can look at the pixel dimensions for that image to see if this holds true. In this case, we’ll say the dimensions of my image were 6000 px x 4000 px. If I multiply the pixel width of the image by the pixel height of the image I will get my total pixel count for the image, which is 24,000,000 (24 megapixels).  

The higher the megapixel count on a camera, the higher pixel count in the images created by that camera. Therefore, if you want high-resolution photos you will need to use an image that was captured from a camera with an adequate megapixel count. Here is a chart showing some of the most common types of digital cameras and their megapixel counts:

What type of file does my image need to be?

Now that you know the size your image needs to be, it’s time to determine what type of image file you want to use. First things first, it is important to make the distinction between raster graphics and vector graphics. 

A raster graphic is a digital image that is comprised of individual colored pixels grouped together to create the appearance of a smooth, continuous image. When a raster graphic is created, it contains a certain pixel count which cannot be increased. You are able to increase the size of the image, but all that is happening is you are increasing the size of each individual pixel. The more you expand a raster graphic past its original size, the blurrier the image will become. Raster image file extensions include TIFF (.tif), JPEG (.jpg), GIF(.gif), PNG (.png), and BMP (.bmp).

A vector graphic is a digital image that uses mathematical equations to produce an image made from lines and shapes that can be scaled to any size without loss of quality or fidelity. Vectors are created in illustration software programs, such as Adobe Illustrator. Vectors are generally used to create illustrated artwork, such as icons, logos or murals. They are not used for standard photographs. If available, they are the ideal image type for large format printing, due to their ability to scale to large sizes without becoming “pixelated”. Vector image file extensions include .SVG, .EPS, .PDF, .AI, and .DXF.

If you are printing a photo you have taken on your digital camera or smartphone, then you will be printing a raster image. The majority of digital cameras and smartphones today create images in the JPEG format. This file type works great at producing a quality images at a compressed, manageable file size. If you need to print some type of graphic or illustration that has a transparent background, then you will want to go with the PNG file type, as it allows a transparent background. If you are printing a very large raster image, you will want to consider using the TIFF format, as they are used as large image files without any compression or loss in quality.

In the context of banner printing, choosing the right file format is crucial for achieving the best visual impact and durability. Vector formats like SVG, EPS, PDF, AI, and DXF are typically the best choices for banner printing. These formats ensure that your designs can be scaled to large sizes without losing quality, making them ideal for the crisp, clear visuals needed for banners.

Time to wrap things up

Feel like you know a little bit more about image resolution now? We sure hope so! To sum things up, here are a few points to remember:

• Image resolution determines the quality at which an image will print and is measured using PPI (pixels per inch) or DPI (dots per inch)
• PPI and DPI have their differences, but they cross over in so many applications that they are frequently used interchangeably. Whether you choose to use PPI or DPI, your print shop will help you make sure you get the resolution you are after.
• There isn’t really a universal or “best” resolution for printing. You should determine the resolution to print at based on what it is you are printing and what you are expecting the viewing distance to be for your printed piece. The closer the viewing distance, the higher the resolution.
• It is very difficult to discern the difference in resolution for anything higher than 300 ppi, which is why that resolution is often referred to as the “professional standard”.
• For printing purposes, do not use images that have been downloaded from social media or a website. Use images that have come directly from the source – the camera that was used to take them.
• Every camera has a megapixel count assigned to it. Make sure you take your image using a camera that has a high enough megapixel count to meet your print size needs.
• Be sure to choose the right file type that will satisfy the needs of your image/print.

Have an image that you would like to turn into a stunning photo print, sign, banner or decal? Upload the image to our easy to use online design tool and get started today! If you have any additional questions regarding resolution feel free to contact us as we will be happy to help.

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We’ll answer what large format and small format printing are and give you ideas and examples to help you know where to start on your print project.

What is Large Format?

Large Format (which is also known as wide format) is any print with a width between 18” and 100”. Print widths that are over 100” wide are super wide or grand format. There are several applications to large format printing. Many businesses utilize large format print materials for aluminum signs, banners, vinyl lettering, vehicle decals/wraps and more. You’ll often see examples of large format prints in retail stores. Many stores will hang promotional signage up in storefront windows as well as within the store from the ceiling tiles. Take a look that the following table to see some of the most frequent types of large format print applications along with common sizes and uses.

There are a few different methods for printing large format. The earliest prints in large format were completed using lithography and screen printing technologies which are still used in certain situations today. In lithography and screen printing, material is laid flat while the press or screen with the design works ink into the material leaving the impression. In some cases, the material is laid in a movable bed and rolled through the press to apply the ink. As you might imagine the larger the desired print, the longer the setup time and thus more expensive each single print costs.

Near the end of the 20th century, large format truly took off with the advent of digital printing methods. Inkjet, laser, and UV Printing have evolved rapidly. You can now print very clear images in vibrant color on nearly any substrate. Most digital printers today have a feeder which pushes the material through the printers allowing inks to be applied from the printhead. These are called roll printers (aka “roll to roll”). Some digital printers are designed to print on rigid materials like the aluminum signs mentioned above. The material is loaded onto the bed and pushed through the print heads on rollers—these are called flatbed printers. See the examples of both below:

The most common types of large format printing today are:

• Screen Printing – a process that involves transferring ink through a screen. This method works particularly well with fabrics and were the same design will be printed in large quantities.
• Offset Printing – Where ink is transferred from one surface to another, usually through a series of rollers.
• Digital Printers – Ink is printed through heads and the printing machine feeds material through the printer as the print heads release ink.   

Check out our blog post which describes these print technologies in more detail.

Displaying a piece of art, advertisement, or attention-getting graphic in large format is a fantastic way to get noticed as a business. Despite the fact that big commercial printers, which can be very cost prohibitive for anyone except large companies, large format printing is a growing industry with more cost-effective print options available all of the time. Printing technologies and the spread of such companies with access to these printers now allow you to print stunning graphic designs or custom artwork on virtually any medium.

Signs.com proudly employs state of the art digital UV printers for all of your wide format jobs. This means your design can be printed on almost any material from plastic, to vinyl, to metal up to 48” x 96” in most cases. The UV Printing process also makes your design more durable on your sign. Learn more about the way digital UV ink works here.

Large Format Highlights:

• Print width between 18” and 100”
• Grand format has print width over 100”
• Common large format prints include vinyl banners, yard signs, aluminum signs, a-frames and flags
• Prints are created using lithography, screen, and digital printing
• Digital printing method allows for vibrant color on most surfaces

What is Small Format?

Small format printing includes a much broader definition in the printing world. Your personal printer sitting on your desk at home is a small format printer, for instance. Depending on the type of paper you buy, you can inkjet or laserjet print lots of different media from photographs to pamphlets and (of course) copy paper materials. From the commercial print industry many small format products are printed with high quality inks on industrial printers that can produce large quantities in a very short period. You are familiar with a lot of the products associated with small format printing. See the table below for some of the most common applications, sizes and uses of small format print products:

Similar to large format, there are several different types of small format printers. The large quantities usually needed for small format products like business cards or postcards means that most jobs are professionally printed onto larger sheets and then cut down to size after printing and drying. This process is usually done via offset printing, but can be completed with digital printers as well. Due to the time to set up, cost of materials, and other factors, it is much more affordable to order small format products in bulk rather than purchasing one print at a time. Sellers of small format printed materials usually provide discounts when purchasing higher quantities of the same print.  

Small Format Highlights:

• Print almost anything on hundreds of material types
• Some prints can be done with personal printers
• Great for marketing materials like business cards and brochures
• Inexpensive, especially for large quantity orders

What Format is Best for You?

Now that you have a better understanding of large format vs. small format printing, you should be able to make a more informed decision about what type of printing you will need for your project.

Large format printing gives you the freedom to make a bold statement by printing whatever you want on several sign materials from flexible to rigid and durable to light. With large format printing you can get great indoor and outdoor use signs that easily capture attention of passersby. You can also order in smaller quantities or one off prints. Small format printing, on the other hand, often means that you’ll need to order your designs in bulk due to the cost ratio of set-up time, materials and size of the print job. With small format however you may find lots of value in promotional products that can be distributed to a large, but targeted audience.

There are major differences separating small and large format printing—it comes down to how you plan to use the end product. Now that you have a better understanding of these printing worlds, take a look at our large selection of large format and small format options by browsing our products found on our site. When you order from Signs.com, you’ll get high quality, fully customizable signage and quick turnaround times on your orders.

Large Format Vs Small Format | Signage 101

What do we use? The majority of our signs are printed using UV ink, which produces high quality and permanent designs. We’ll give you an overview of all three types of ink: UV, solvent and toner, showing you how each are used and why we choose to implement UV inks in producing your custom signage.

UV Ink

Modern technology has provided the printing industry with a state of the art printing process that allows for vibrant ink to cure instantly on virtually any substrate (just a fancy word for the surface or material). UV ink, which is implemented in UV printing, results in a crystal clear printed design. The vibrance of the ink is achieved due to the instant curing of the ink as soon as it is printed on a material. Instead of being absorbed into the material, which occurs when inks are heat or air dried, UV ink cures on the surface. Due to surface curing, ink will have a matte appearance and a slight texture to it. Colors can also become faded or not as true when absorbed or evaporated into the air, which UV ink prevents from occurring. UV ink is also scratch, abrasion, and weather resistant.

UV ink is eco-friendly and does not contain volatile organic compounds (VOC). This ink has the ability to print in true color, meaning that colors can be matched using a standard set of Pantone colors. Check out this crash course on why colors matter in the printing process! White ink can be printed using UV ink, which helps colors stick out on darker or clear materials. Heat sensitive materials also benefit from the UV drying, as UV light does not give off heat during the printing process.

Instant curing of the ink allows for printing on a variety of surfaces. At Signs.com, we use UV ink when printing on our vinyl banners, aluminum signs, rigid plastic signs, clear window decals, and most every other product we offer. If you’re wondering what type of ink is used in your sign, each of our product pages includes the printing method and the ink used to create your design.

Solvent Ink

One of the most commonly used inks in the printing industry is solvent ink. Solvent ink is comprised of a fluid (water or liquid base), pigment (color), and a resin (adherent), which results in a durable, long lasting ink. Unlike UV ink, solvent ink cures with either air or heat application. Because solvent ink air dries, ink could dry within the printing heads, clogging the machine and causing your design to print wrong. Frequent cleaning of the heads will prevent this from occurring. This additional maintenance can also cause downtime of printers and increased costs which many printers pass onto their customers in the form of higher costs or longer turnaround times.

Ink that is absorbed into the substrate may also dull the colors compared to ink that is dried on the surface. Though colors may dull, absorption into a material gives excellent resistance against weather and scratching. Ink absorption allows for materials to bend without stretching or cracking of the ink. There is no need for special coatings or laminates to protect the ink when it is printed.

Solvent based inks do allow for a smaller dot size when printing, providing gradients (variations) in colors when wanted. Solvent inks are best suited for printing on white or light colored materials because ink is not as vibrant when printed on darker colored surfaces.

Toner

Laser printing is a complex, technological marvel. The process of sticking powdered toner to a substrate seems like something out of a science fiction movie. Toner, which is comprised of a fine polyester or polymer powder, is adhered using static electricity, then melted into the material using a heated roller. Because toner printing uses a heated roller, heat-sensitive materials are unable to be printed on.

Images and text are arranged on the material using a laser, which indicates where the static charge will adhere the toner. It’s a futuristic process that produces vibrant and permanent printing. Colored toner is arranged in a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) format, which provides for a large spectrum of available colors for printing. Photos printed using colored toner are not as clear as photos printed by a UV process because of the precision of ink over toner.

Using toner-based laser printing provides for rapid and economical printing. The rate at which toner can be adhered, dried, and printed is faster than traditional inkjet, solvent and UV printing when printing in black and white. Colored images print slower than black and white does with laser printing. The amount of toner used to print is less than what would be required for inkjet printing, making for longer-lasting cartridges.

Toner printing also lends to a higher-quality image because of the precision of the laser in aligning images and text. Laser printers are more expensive than traditional inkjet printers. Toner is commonly used for printing on paper for documents and publications.

Our Choice

We mentioned in the beginning that we implement UV ink on the majority of our signs. But, comparing it with solvent ink, you may see a lot of similarities between the two. However, there are subtle advantages to UV ink which we feel make our signs the highest quality. The vibrancy of the ink and permanence of the design give us reason to use UV ink. The instant curing property of UV ink also allows us to produce high volume signs in a short amount of time without decreasing quality. We believe that this ink is the best for consumer and business signage, providing for a product that will last for years to come. If you’re wondering what ink is used on a specific sign or material, each product page will list the ink and printing process. Any further questions about our printing methods can be directed to support@signs.com, or gives us a call at 888-222-4929.

UV Ink vs Solvent Ink vs Toner Signage 101

HOW DOES THE HUMAN EYE SEE COLOR?

When Newton was studying light, he observed that objects don’t inherently have “color” as a property. Red is not “in” an apple. The surface of an apple is reflecting the light wavelengths we see as red and absorbing the rest. We perceive only reflected colors.

The light of the color “red” travels through our eye through the iris. The light is collected by the rods and cones in the back of the eye. Cones allow us to see color, while rods establish things as black or white. These cones and rods process the light we see into nerve impulses and transmit signals to the brain via the optical nerve.

The human eye is only made up of red, green, and blue cones. About 64% of the cones in the normal human eye see red, 32% see green, and only roughly 2% see blue. Because of this breakdown, humans can see more variations in warmer colors (reds, oranges, and yellows) than cooler ones (blues, greens, purples).

Color blindness occurs when there is a defect in one color of cones. The most common impairment is trouble seeing red and green (called dichromatism). Only about 8% of men and 1% of women experience some sort of color blindness. Total color blindness is extremely rare.

Our brains have a very acute sense of color. With these three types of cones, the human eye is able to see over 7 million color variations.

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TYPES OF COLOR MODES?

When designing graphics,  it’s important to understand the difference between RGB, CMYK, Hex Colors, and PMS Colors. These are called “Color Modes”. For lack of a better explanation, they are basically different ways in which you tell the computer, monitor, or printer which colors to print. Think of them as each a different language built for different situations, all trying to explain the same thing. On a day-to-day basis, we interact with each of the different color modes. We’ll break them down here.

RGB COLOR MODE

RGB stands for Red, Green, and Blue. All of the colors are created use a combination of red, green, and blue light.  

RBG is what’s known as additive color. Each color adds to the brightness from dark; all colors begin with black to which different color of “lights” are added to produce colors. Additive color uses light reflection. The more of each color you add, the closer you get to “pure” white. The less amount of color you add, the closer you get to black.

Think of it in terms of the way your eyes work, as discussed earlier. If you’re standing in a pitch black room, and you begin to add light, you are able to begin to see colors and decipher objects. The light is able to bounce off each object. Add too much light, and you get a “blinding white light”, or having all the lights on at full brightness.

RGB Color Mode is used for anything that is light-based. Televisions, computer monitors, cameras, and even iPhones use RGB. RGB codes are represented with a number between 0 – 255 for each red, green, and blue.

These numbers tell a device how much of each colored light to put out. 0-0-0 gives you true black, while 255-255-255 gives you white. The larger the number, the less of the color is present.

HEX COLORS

Hex Colors, normally called HEX Codes, is an alphanumeric reference to a RGB number. Typically HEX codes are used for websites and coding because they are shorter and easier to work with in website development than a set of three numbers.

HEX is short for hexadecimal. Each of the three RGB colors is assigned a two-digit code (0-9,  A-F) based on percentage of each of the RGB colors. For example, an RGB color that is 17-210-45  has a HEX code of 11D22D.

The easiest way to establish a HEX code from a RGB color (or vice versa) is to use a color conversion site like RGBto. Simply type out whichever value you have, and the website will list its corresponding values in HEX code and CMYK. Handy!

CMYK COLOR MODE

CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and a “Key” color (black). All colors are created using a combination of those colors. The colors are similar to what you remember from elementary school. 100% Yellow and 100% cyan make green. Magenta and yellow create red.

However, unlike RGB, CMYK colors are subtractive colors. Each color subtracts brightness from white. Subtractive colors use light absorption rather than reflection. All colors begin with white, to which different colors are added to absorb (subtract) the amount of light that is reflect.The more of a color you add, the closer the color will be to black — exactly the opposite of the properties of additive RGB color.

Think of it, again, in the way light works with our eyes. When looking at an object, if the object is seen as being black, it is because it’s absorbing all of the different wavelengths of light.

CMYK is used for anything that’s printed. Business cards, posters, signs, newspapers, books, etc. all use CMYK. CMYK colors are represented in percentages from 0-100%.

These numbers tell the printer how much percent of a color to mix in to create the desired color. 100-100-100-100 gives you true black, while 0-0-0-0 gives you white. The larger the percentage, the more of the color is present.

PMS COLORS (PANTONE)

PMS stands for “Pantone Matching System”, a universal color matching system used to create color consistency across a wide variety of platforms, materials, and uses. Pantone colors were created by the Pantone corporation and offer over 1100 unique, numbered colors. PMS systems are used widely in graphic, fashion, and home design.

Color, as we’ve seen, can be very subjective. PMS colors standardize color, which means manufacturers and customers can all refer to the Pantone system to make sure colors match.

Pantone colors, unlike RGB or CMYK, are based upon standardized ink colors rather than ratios of color. They are much like a paint swatch you’d find at a home improvement store. Rather than mixing different layers of ink during the printing process (like in CMYK), Pantone colors are mixed before they even get put into the printer. The familiar yellow of the McDonald’s arch or the green of the Starbucks logo remains consistent whether you’re viewing it on a TV or in a print ad because of the use of Pantone colors.

Colors are assigned a number by Pantone, who then uses the number across a variety of palettes. Textiles, coated printing material, uncoating printing material, paint, and even plastics have their own Pantone color book, like the one pictured below.

DOES SIGNS.COM USE PANTONE COLORS?

Most of the printers used at Signs.com use CMYK color processes. Signs.com does not print any Pantone inks directly. However, we want to make sure you get exactly the product you need for your home or business.

Signs.com can provide a color matching service, which takes the Pantone color you’d like to use and converts it into a printable CMYK color. Pantone does provide formula guides that illustrate PMS colors and how they will look once printed. Since this process is hand-done by a professional staff, it is an additional charge of $100 per color and may take additional time to finish your order. If the Signs.com Color Matching service is something you’re interested in, please let our Customer Service team know.

WILL THE COLOR CHANGE BETWEEN CMYK AND RGB EVEN BE VISIBLE?

You bet! Sometimes drastic changes can be seen. Take a look at these two lines of dots:

You may see the RGB colors on screen, but what will print will be the first line of CMYK dots.

It’s easy to see that with the different color modes, colors can come out looking completely different. Colors never look the same from screen to print. If you’re printing something, be sure to always use CMYK color modes.

SO WHAT?

Our eyes have a visible spectrum of billions of colors. High quality monitors and screens can produce millions, and really high quality printers can produce thousands of colors. When designs are created for printing in the RGB color space, Signs.com will automatically convert the design to a CMYK color space in order to print.

Beginning your design in RGB is the best option. Our team has a lot of experience changing from RGB values (that our website displays) into CMYK files for printing. Uploading your file in RGB mode gives you the best idea of how the file will look when printed.

Please note that unless you pay for our color matching service, we can’t guarantee that the color will be exactly as you see it on screen.

HOW DO I TELL WHICH COLOR MODE I’M USING?

Checking which Color Mode you’re using is different in each program. Files created in Microsoft programs like Word, Paint, or Publisher will naturally be set up for use in CMYK. RGB color modes are not possible in basic Microsoft programs.

Checking the Color Mode is easy in Adobe Programs.

Checking Color Modes In Adobe Illustrator or InDesign

1. Open the file. On the top menu bar, select “File”.

2. Click on “Document Color Mode”, near the bottom of the menu options.

 3. When “Document Color Mode” is highlighted, a new menu will open to the left of the window. RGB Mode and CMYK Mode will be displayed. The mode that the document is set up in will be        indicated with a checkmark. You can easily change the Color Mode of the document by clicking either RGB or CMYK.

Checking Color Modes in Adobe Photoshop

1. Open the file. On the top menu bar, select “Image”.

2. Click on “Mode” at the top of the menu bar.

3. When “Mode” is highlighted, a new menu will open to the left of the window. RGB Mode and CMYK Mode will be displayed. The mode that the document is set up in will be indicated with a       checkmark. Easily change the Color Mode of the document by clicking a new option.

Establishing Color Mode in a New Document

When creating a new document in Adobe InDesign or Illustrator, the “New Document” menu will open. Under the “Advanced” section, you are able to select whether you’d like the file to be CMYK or RGB.

Similarly, in Photoshop, changing the Color Mode is an option before creating a new document. Simply choose the drop-down menu option next to “Color Mode” to change from RGB to CMYK.

Quick Check

To quickly check if a document you have open is in CMYK or RGB mode, take a look at the file name tab in the top left.

The bar will give you the name of the file and whether the document is set up in RGB or CMYK. This works for any Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign file.

If you need help setting up documents or help with your design, drop our design team a line! If you have any other questions about your order, let our Customer Service team know. We are always ready to assist you!

RGB versus CMYK – Signage 101