Using Black Ink in text and backgrounds in Printing

Black is used on every page of almost every printed item you find; whether in the type/text, graphics or a background colour. So, what’s the deal with Black

Black used in body text must be…. Black!

In printing, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) is used to create the millions of colours you see in the final print product. However when there is black body text, it must always be 100% black with no other colours mixed in. It will produce a crisp clear print. To register 4 colour black text across an entire sheet is a huge challenge. One side may well be in register and the other side of the sheet will show the other colours peeping through making it out of register and visually unappealing. So, the rule is always that body text MUST always be 100% black only. To avoid giving your printer a heart attack NEVER place scanned copy in your design. Rather re-type the document correctly! When black body type is made up of all 4 colours (CMYK) you will struggle to get a clear printed image across the full printed sheet.

So when can I make my black out of CMYK?

If you want to design using some large areas or even a background of solid black, it is essential to put colour behind the black. This is normally referred to as a ‘rich black’. This is because large expanses of just black only can look very ‘grey’ and ‘see through’ making it a horrible colour to look at. By placing percentages of other (CMY) colours behind the 100% black, the black has the other percentages of colour to compensate, fill in and make the black a rich nice solid colour. Never make the other (CMY) colours 100% as that will make the ink ‘pick’ off and be too tacky to dry. The normal percentage colour breakdown which we recommend for a rich black is: Black 100%, Magenta 40%, Yellow 20% and Cyan 60% A rich black versus a standard solid black only background Contact us if you have any questions or need printing done… we are always here to help! 011 848 0000