Will my print match the colours I see on screen?
Not exactly. A screen makes colour with light and a press makes it with ink on paper, and the two cannot produce the same range of colours. Print will be close to what you see, but some variation is normal.
Why screens and print differ
- Screens glow. They are lit from behind, so colours look brighter than ink on paper can be.
- Every screen is different. The same file looks different on your phone, your laptop and ours.
- Ink has a smaller range. Very bright blues, greens, oranges and pinks are outside what four-colour printing can reach. See CMYK or RGB.
Paper and finish change colour
| Choice | Effect on colour |
|---|---|
| Gloss paper or gloss lamination | Brighter, more contrast |
| Silk paper | Vibrant, slightly softer than gloss |
| Matt or soft-touch lamination | Slightly softer and less saturated |
| Uncoated paper | Noticeably softer and more muted |
| Kraft or coloured stock | The paper colour shows through the ink |
What to expect from us
- Most of our presses are calibrated and tested to ISO 12647-2. Where those tolerances have been maintained, we will not uphold a dispute about colour.
- Slight variance in four-colour printing is unavoidable, including between two separate print runs of the same job.
- Pantone spot colours cannot be reproduced exactly in the full-colour process.
- Proofs are for checking content. They are not colour accurate.
- We cannot guarantee an exact colour match to a proof or to an existing printed copy.
Colour variation within normal commercial tolerance is not treated as a print fault.
If colour is critical
- Design in CMYK from the start.
- Use your brand’s CMYK values, not colours picked by eye.
- Tell us before you order if a colour has to match something. Contact us and we will talk through what is achievable.
If your print arrives and you think the colour is wrong, send us a photo and we will tell you honestly whether it is a fault.