Swing Tag Colour Guide
Colour Printing for Swing Tags
When creating your personalised swing tags, it is important that you get the colour just right! From formal dark colours to fun bright colours, we can help you create custom hang tags that are sure to catch the attention of passers-by!
Take a look at the colour modes we offer below, and also some tips on how to convert your colours for the correct output.
CMYK
Here at SwingTags.co.uk, the most common method for printing is CMYK (also referred to as “four” or “full” colour printing). We use this method on both our Litho and Digital presses.
The letters CMYK stand for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (K=key colour/black!). This process involves using the 4 colours above in various mixes to create a full colour palette that is a requirement for all print jobs. CMYK is ideal for printed swing tags as it enables customers to use a wide range of colours to create an eye-catching swing tag display.
Pantone Colours
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is for customers who have a particular brand colour that is used throughout their printed products, including swing tags. This system use numbers to identify specific colours, and uses a strict mixture of pigments to create the ‘spot’ colours that are then used for single colour inks.
The Pantone system can be used to produce specific ranges including pastel, metallic and neon. Here at SwingTags.co.uk we have a 5-colour press so we can run a CMYK print with a 5th Pantone colour added at the same time. This press also enables customers to run up to 5 Pantone colours on their own, without CMYK.
RGB
RGB stands for Red, Green and Blue and is an additive colour mode that is used for screen displays such as Televisions projectors and of course, computer screens!
At SwingTags.co.uk we cannot print in RGB. Artwork would need to be converted to CMYK which can be problematic and the results can be unpredictable. Although the colours look clear and vibrant on the screen, once printed they may look dull and washed out – this is due to the interaction of light.
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
Pantone Matching System
Red, Blue and Green
Colour Conversions
For best results, before submitting your hang tag artwork, ensure your design is saved in CMYK colour mode, this includes all photos and graphic elements.
Any items saved in RGB mode (red, green, blue; the colour mode for digital displays and web images) may show colour discrepancies after they have been printed by our CMYK printers.
To avoid any nasty surprises, it is best to convert any RGB artwork to CMYK. Just select File > Document Colour Mode > CMYK in Illustrator or Image > Mode > CMYK Colour in Photoshop and Save. If saving as a PDF, review the Save Adobe PDF dialog box and check that Colour Conversion in the Output tab is set to No Conversion.
If you’re working in InDesign, you can convert any RGB images within your design by saving as a PDF and selecting the Press Quality PDF preset in the Save Adobe PDf dialog – then in the Output tab, select Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers) and select a CMYK profile.
If you are unsure about colour or have any questions then call us on 023 8087 8037 or email us.