Hello, in this tip I will give you some recommendations so that when you print your illustration you get the best results.

Making a good print is usually not as straightforward as one would think and most of us have experienced finding that the printed image doesn’t look nearly as good as it does on the monitor.

There are many reasons why they don’t look as good printed but most come back to the fact that we’ve failed to prepare the image for printing.

We have simply just sent the processed file to the print lab.

Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to get a good result without doing a bit more beforehand.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to get the printed image to look just as good as the monitor version. There are only a few steps we need to follow:

 

Calibrating the monitor

This step is not taken into account very often, but it is the first step to take to get a good impression. Just adjusting the brightness and contrast of your monitor will make a big difference between the impression and what you see on screen.

 

First, identify the optimal or "native" resolution of your monitor and make sure you have it selected from the graphic options. Usually your operating system selects the maximum resolution as appropriate or recommended. For this you must have the correct graphics driver installed and updated. Make sure to review all of this before you start calibrating.

Make sure the color depth is the maximum. This can be done from the device properties menu. Your monitor must be in 32-bit true color mode. If your screen is in 16-bit color mode, you will not have enough color depth for the calibration process.

 

Wait at least 15-30 minutes after turning on the monitor for the monitor to “warm up”, then begin calibrating. During this time, it is a good idea to rest your eyes, since the more time we spend in front of the PC, our eyes get tired and get used to the light and colors that we have while watching.

 

Position yourself at a normal distance from the monitor (the same distance you are when working in front of the PC). It eliminates any source of external glare that may cause reflections directly on the screen, and reduces the intensity of the light in the room, it does not have to be a dark room, but the light from the place should not interfere with what you see on your monitor.

 

On this page you will find a detailed tutorial on how to calibrate your monitor:

 

You can also check the following article about color profiles.

The correct size

Correct file settings before creating the print layout ensures quality printing.

The first step in setting up your file is to indicate the exact measurements of the final printed product.

Although some printers or online printers may change the size of your design, it makes more sense to give the correct file size up front.

This way, there won't be any confusion or possible changes to your design.

In Clip Studio Paint when you create a new file, you can choose the size of your artwork from the presets or specify a custom size.

 

CMYK> RGB

Make sure what type of color model is used in the place where you print your illustrations.

Print files set in RGB color mode can have completely different colors when printed. The reason is that printers use the CMYK or four-color process to print. CMYK represents the four colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

 

You may think that for printing the CMYK model is the most correct, but this may not be entirely true.

The truth is that this color model is indicated for Offset printing, but today with large format digital printing things have changed. Printing an image that’s saved in a larger color space than the printer can handle can lead to dull-looking images as the printer is out of gamut (meaning the colors aren’t able to be reproduced on the printer).

 

Most print labs will ask for your files in RGB but certain high-end locations might be able to print on Adobe RGB. This is something you should check with them.

The RGB model with the Adobe 1998 color profile will be more suitable when ordering large prints.

 

To check which color profile you are using in your current illustration go to the following menu:

View> Color profile> Preview Setting, then set profile for preview as you need.

Sharpness and clarity

Dpi (i.e. dots per inch) is a key factor when talking about print resolution as it talks about the number of dots printed in an inch. The more dots you have the more detail you have.

 

This also means that the lower the resolution of your file is, the less detail it contains. I recommend saving your images at 300 dpi when printing.

 

300 dpi example:

A low-resolution image might look great on your computer but when enlarging it for a big print it’s most likely going to lack details and look pixelated.

Make sure to use high resolution images to get printed products with sharp and clear images.

It is obvious that any print that is at eye level will need more detail, and therefore more resolution than one that is viewed from several meters away, right?

 

In the event that it is seen from several meters away, a resolution of 72 dpi (PPP) could be sufficient, although it is recommended that it be from 150 dpi.

 

72 dpi example:

File format to export the image

Once again, you have to think about your end goals:

If your project is designed to be exposed at a great distance, I advise you to export the work in JPG.

If your work is intended for another type of printing to be seen up close, TIFF and PNG formats are the most suitable.

When you have finished the design, a good practice is to put it full size on your screen and move a few meters away so that you get a more global view of it.

 

If you choose to outsource your printing (which is quite likely unless you've purchased a professional printer), it's important to mention that every print lab operates differently.

It might take a few attempts before you find the lab that best satisfies your needs.

 

It is always good to ask for advice at the printing lab.

 

I hope these tips are helpful to you when you think about printing your illustrations.

Thank you for reading and good printings.