Proofing CD/DVD artwork colors

One of the biggest challenge in a replication/duplication project is making sure the artwork looks as good as it can be. It sounds straight forward but color proofing is not simple.

A few reasons to complicate matters: our monitors, most monitors are non-calibrated so colors will vary from one to the other. Therefore our pdf proof is meant for type, position and image proofing only, not for color proofing. We should not fully trust our office machine to reflect how our piece is going to look. Each printer is calibrated differently, the same piece will look different from one printer to the other.

One might ask, how do we ever get the right color? First off, if colors are important, always request a hard copy proof. It lets you look at your piece on paper, rather than the monitor, so you make the right judgement. It’ll also show how the press is going to interpret the colors in the piece. Furthermore, consider Pantone colors if there are strict color rules you have to follow. Pantone color printing usually increases the cost of printing in booklets, trays and digipaks.

Lastly – have the right expectations, in reality, each time the press prints there will be a small variation, even with the same piece.