I have text in the range of 9 - 16 pt for print (CMYK). Should I use a composite black color or a black K color? How can I make more black color text for a small font?
1 Answer
One should never use CMYK for smaller type. Trying to maintain registration for 4 color small type is a nightmare for print providers in most cases. Many print shops may kickback art containing small CMYK type. The smaller the type the higher probability of art being refused.
Type should be 100%K and set to overprint whenever possible.
Using CMYK type is acceptable for larger type sizes (i.e. 24pt+) where registration can be maintained.
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1If one wants black type on a red (0,100,100,0), blue (100,100,0), or green (100,0,100) background, I could see how (100,100,100,0) text might show up less well than text which adds black to the background color, but I would think it would show up better than (0,0,0,100) text in cases where one couldn't force a black overprint.– supercatCommented Jun 29 at 20:49
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2Never been in a situation where black text could not be overprinted. I can see the need for knockouts at times for black artwork/photos, but not text.– ScottCommented Jun 30 at 0:46
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2I've got 10+ years of experience working in print, specifically prepress, and I can attest to the ability to overprint black text on anything. All the RIP systems I worked with even had a checkbox that was basically "Overprint Black Type". People who outlined fonts would throw a wrench into that though...– LogarrCommented Jun 30 at 3:24
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2Spot colors if you need colored type below 12pts. Otherwise, you need to talk to the print provider. They may be able to accommodate smaller CMYK type, but may also charge you more for the headache. There is a reason it's very rare to see small colored type on small run jobs. Cost vs aesthetics really. But, many online printers use digital presses which are just high end color copiers. They want art delivered as RGB and in those instances small colored types is not as much of a problem. "Digital Printers" are not much different than directly printing on a color printer in an office, really.– ScottCommented 2 days ago
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1@supercat For processing a bitmap graphic to print-ready, one could use a bitmap editor to fill in the black areas in background layer, and get the black color as a separate layer. An imperfect auto-fill of the background is acceptable, as it will be almost completely covered by the overprint anyway.– jpaCommented 2 days ago