There are two very important reasons why it’s NOT a good idea to use an image from the internet.

1- When an image is uploaded to the internet, the image is automatically converted to 72 DPI (see “What is 300 DPI?”). This is so images can load a little faster for viewing purposes. When a 72 DPI image is stretched to 300 DPI, The lack of pixels is filled with virtual pixels, which always makes the image blurry and “pixelated.” 

2- Something that most people are not aware of is that any image posted on the internet becomes a copyrighted work, even if it is not said on the website. Written permission would have to be obtained before you can use the image in your print.

When it comes to colour based on light (otherwise known as “Additive ColoUr”), red, green and blue are combined to create the different colours you see. As the different colours are added to each other, they create white light – hence the term “additive colour.” the colours are “added” together to create white. The RGB colour format is used inside television sets and computer monitors.

CMYK works almost the complete opposite of RGB. There are three primary colours in this format: cyan, magenta and yellow. With colour based on ink, the colours are added together to create black, subtracting from the white on the paper. This is called “Subtractive ColoUr” – you start with white, then subtract light with ink to get black. True Black cannot be achieved with these colours, however. So, black is added – giving you CMYK (“K” is used to refer to black, so it is not confused with the “B” for blue).

Look at a digital image. You see the full image. If you were to zoom in really tight on one spot, you will see small squares with different colours. These are “pixels.” The more pixels you have within the image, the greater the colour range and the higher the quality of the image. How many pixels you have inside the image is referred to as dots per inch, or DPI (also known as pixels per inch, or PPI). This refers to the number of pixels inside one square inch of an image file. In a 300 DPI image, 300 pixels are arranged within one square inch of the image. This is the minimum amount of pixels per inch required for a print-quality job.

Exact cuts cannot be guaranteed. All professional printing requires either an exterior or interior bleed (also known as “safety area”). The background design should extend to the edge of the layout passed the bleed are, but the text needs to stay inside that area.

Two major problems occur when bleed is not used properly:

1- The text is placed to the edge or outside the bleed area, which results in the text getting cut.

2- The background does not go to the edge of the design, which results in a white border around your job.

All our jobs require 1/8″ exterior bleed. All important text and images should stay within the safety zone, which is 1/8” in from the trimming line.