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Using Single Imprint Colors
Can I put a photograph on a can coolie?
Can my 3 color design work on a stadium cup?
My school colors are black and navy. Why should I avoid a navy imprint on a black product?
These are some questions that we occasionally receive concerning the use of colors, especially the imprint colors, vice the product color.
Most of the products shown at FiestaCups are silk-screened in a single color. These single colors are called "spot colors" and are applied one color at a time. The ink types vary depending on the product. Even the type of plastic will dictate the type of ink used. The application of the ink, however, is similar in all cases. A machine activated squeegee forces the ink onto the stadium cup, coolie, frost flex cup, stein, travel tumbler, foam hand, etc. The ink is then forced dried in a oven. If multiple colors are to be applied, then the process is repeated for each color. The problem with multi-colors is lining up the next color. Remember, these are three dimensional products and do not lie flat like paper in an ink jet printer. Usually this "registration" is done with machinery. The related problem is that it is not always 100% accurate. The location of the next color may vary slightly, and that makes all the difference in the world. If two imprint colors form an image, and the color location varies, then the design can be inaccurate and unappealing. For most products at FiestaCups, that is why our online pricing is for single color, on two sides of the product. So two sides is no problem, but two colors might be. (If you have a multiple color design, please contact info@fiestacups.com, upload your design, and we will evaluate for feasibility and give you a cost)
Spot colors can be any color. FiestaCups has many standard imprint colors. The selection varies slightly for each product, but there is a broad selection for all products. For those designs that require a unique, specific color, the color can be matched using the Pantone Matching System (PMS). There are a few color few matching systems in the industry, but PMS is by far the most universal. Each of the thousands of colors has a identifying number. At FiestaCups, choosing a PMS Match is always the final choice in the drop down of imprint color options below the standard colors. PMS matching is not perfect because the colors are developed by assuming they will applied to a white background, and then whether the background is glossy or matte. For example, yellow on a white stadium cup looks different from yellow on a black plastic stein. A dark substrate will affect the ink color. Also, the eye perceives colors differently depending on the surrounding colors, even if the imprint color has not been affected. Of course, we are not always printing on a white stadium cup!
The selection of a spot ink color is dependent of the color of the coolie, stein, or stadium cup. For example, navy and purple may be the desired colors, but navy imprint on a purple coolie does not show up well. There is not enough contrast between the collie color and the ink color. There are some exceptions to this guideline when trying to achieve a different effect or tone. For example, gray and silver have similar tones and there is not much contrast between these colors. When used together, however, the design can have an elegant, subtle expression of the message. In most cases, you will want a high contrast between colors (black and white are always good choices) so your design or message will "Pop", but sometimes a more subtle color combination will work. And then there are the times when you needs vivid, high resolution graphics with multiple colors.
Because single spot colors are silk screened, there can be some limitations of the design. Highly complex designs with fine details are not always feasible, especially with can and bottle coolies. There are some technical issues beyond the scope of this discussion that prevent ultra fine details but they usually relate to the ability to make a silk screen in great detail and the problem of the ink drying on the silk screen before it can applied to the product. At FiestaCups, we will tell you if your design would not work well and recommend an alternative. Photographs usually will not work. Because even decorated in single color, this is not true black & white. A B&W photograph is really grayscale. Using half tones it can sometimes be done and look good, but usually it is not a good idea. To use a photograph, even in grayscale B&W, we recommend full process color methods of decoration.
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