L I M E Blog

Colors and Printing

Printing is a pretty tricky process. The computer has to take the digital files and pixel placement and translate it into coordinates for a little desktop printer to deposit ink in lines as it travels at about a foot a second (in the case of ink-jet printers). Its a complicated process, but has become so refined that amazing results can be achieved. 

There is one drawback with this system. Color. Our eyes receive light and red, green, and blue wavelengths of light are interpreted by our brains to produce an image. This is convenient for us because we are able to produce red green and blue light quite easily. Our TVs, phones, computers are all using this same color system, and they look great. They produce these colors which add to form new colors. This is called an additive color system.

Print however operates on a different color model. It is called a subtractive color system. It involves Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. When colors are printed on a page, they subtract the light wavelengths that are reflected to our eyes, not adding colors together to produce light. In this system, red and green don't produce yellow, for example, but produce an orangish color. 

The computer has to take all this RGB information and translate it before it gets to the printer where it is printed in CMYK. This produces limitations in what colors can be accurately printed. For this reason, dark blues and bright reds look especially bad in printers. this graphic demonstrates the look of the color spectrum before and after printing. As you can see, the smooth color variations are lost.

This is why when you want to get an amazing print, it is important go to the professionals who know how to compensate for these color limitations. Modern professional printing processes can over come this and produce lifelike results if you have the knowhow and the willingness to invest in your image. 

OVERCOMING CREATIVE BLOCK

As I was writing this, I got up at least 3 times, switched songs 8-10 times, checked out 2-3 of my favorite design blogs, and of course made the obligatory visit to Facebook.  Why? Because I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to write about.  

Creative block plagues us all from time to time. Design issues can be really challenging, and it’s easy to want to step away for awhile... especially when there are so many distractions readily available.  

One of the reasons I love working at LIME is that I’m surrounded by other creatives. Often when I’m stuck on a design, I’ll take a spin around the office and see what my coworkers are up to. Having access to other creative minds can be extremely helpful in solving design issues & overcoming creative block.

We strive to help our clients become part of our creative team by including them in much of the creative process. This allows us to produce the best creative solutions for achieving your marketing goals. 

Wacom Redesigns Cintiq 21UX

    The newly-redesigned Cintiq 21UX displays Wacom’s most advanced pen technology in a sleek new industrial design.The combination of a color LCD with industry-leading pen allows photographers, designers, animators and other creative professionals to work naturally and intuitively directly on the surface of the large-format, 21.3" screen.The new Cintiq 21UX detects 2048 levels of pressure, giving you even more control over pressure-sensitive pen effects such as line weight, opacity, and exposure. With Wacom’s new Tip Sensor, the pen now features a lower activation force that captures even the most subtle nuances of pressure.The ambidextrous design of the second generation Cintiq 21UX features a pair of rear-mounted Touch Strips, along with accompanying Touch Strip Toggle Buttons. In this manner, you’ll gain instant control of up to four application-specific Touch Strip functions on each Touch Strip, such as brush size, zooming, scrolling and canvas rotation. Sixteen ExpressKeys™ (eight on either side of the display) boost productivity by providing quick access to keyboard shortcuts and modifier keys.

• With a 21.3" TFT display area, you have more room to use the pen directly on screen. This allows you to take advantage of natural hand-eye coordination and provides the feel of natural media, but with all the benefits of a completely digital workflow.
• With "pen-point" accuracy, fast cursor control, and 1,024 levels of pressure-sensitivity on the pen tip and eraser, Wacom pen technology gives you superior control over your workflow and allows you to control your software tools by changing how hard you press the pen tip on the screen.
• The Cintiq Grip Pen has programmable side switches that allow you to program your most common actions into the pen itself. For ultimate control, the pen comes with three different nibs that allow you to get the feel you’re looking for:
• Standard Nib for the right balance of control and longevity for extensive everyday use.
• Stroke Nib that includes a dual-action spring to simulate a natural brush-like feel.
• Felt Nib to replicate the sensation of using a felt-tip marker by creating just the right amount of surface friction.
• Eight programmable ExpressKeysTM provide quick access to modifier keys, keyboard shortcuts, and pop-up menus.
• Two finger-sensitive Touch Strips serve as natural ways to zoom, scroll, or change brush size.