Spot colour printing vs. CMYK printing

And now, from Solopress Promotions, welcome to the main event of the evening.

This bout is scheduled for several paragraphs of blistering entertainment… let’s get ready to RUMBLLLLLLLLE!!!

In the red corner, the reigning champion, unbeaten in countless dazzling contests, and with a professional record of incalculable stunning printing performances (of corporate stationery and the like) world-wide, we have Spot Colour Printing.

In the blue corner, the challenger, donning a cyan robe, magenta gloves, and yellow trunks with black trim, is CMYK (Process Colour) Printing. With an equally impressive record of successful commercial prints across the Globe (and, yes, all of them full-colour knockouts!), CMYK Process Colour Printing is seen as the only colour printing method challenger for Spot Colour Printing’s crown as the undisputed, best colour printing process in the World.

Before the opening bell for Round One, let’s take an even closer look at how these two match up:

Spot Colour Printing uses a single (different) ink for each colour used (making it extremely precise), whereas the CMYK method uses only four colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (which can be mixed to create an almost infinite number of colours and shades, in just one printing press pass. Imagine that).

If you already have detailed printed material (a logo, emblem, letterhead, complimentary slip, business card, etc.) and you need an exact match, then Spot Colour Printing would be your best choice. The colour correspondence (and fidelity between print runs) can be extraordinary.

Spot Colour Printing really is the best option for printing jobs where: only a couple of colours are needed; where the CMYK method simply won’t deliver the goods in terms of a precise reproduction; where brilliantly vibrant colours or special colouring effects are called for; where no photo reproduction is involved; where reliable colour consistency over several sequential pages is paramount; and where colour coverage needs to be perfectly even over a big area.

Whilst CMYK Process Colour Printing can also pack an amazing punch, it just doesn’t have the same ‘matching quality’ as Spot Colour Printing. That’s why it is best used for full-colour printing, especially the full-colour reproduction of photographic images. And, boy, does it come into its own then.

Think of CMYK Process Colour Printing like four specifically chosen colours being mixed on an artist’s palette. By mixing magenta with cyan you can get some wonderful shades of blue. And by blending yellow with cyan you can create all kinds of gorgeous green hues. And so on, and so on…

Where full-colour photographs or multi-colour graphics are the mainstay of an image-driven publication, the CMYK method bounces Spot Colour Printing off the canvas every time. And that’s not all…

Some late news just coming in from the CMYK dressing room: It transpires that, as brilliant as 1, 2, or 3 Spot Colour Printing is, it just can’t cut it when it comes to matching the CMYK method for environmental-friendliness: unlike with a Spot Colour Print, no washing solvents are used to clean the printing press after using the CMYK method, which means: reduced chemical usage is massive.

Both methods have their place on the hall of fame but if you’re not sure which option to choose, it’s best to seek advice from a expert to ensure your final printed material is knockout!