Print Proofs: Why You Need Them
At O’Neil, we believe there is no greater feeling than running your hand over newly printed materials and smelling that fresh ink aroma. That feeling quickly fades when we later notice a mistake or even worse, our client notices a mistake. In order to avoid mistakes in printing our large orders, we send our clients print proofs.
Print proofs are preliminary versions of the final printed piece. With print proofs, there are soft proofs and hard proofs.
Soft Proof
A ‘Soft Proof’ is an electronic file (typically a PDF) that shows the client what their project will look like. This proof can be emailed and is a quick way to approve the piece before it goes off to print. With this type of proof, the client must be aware the colors may not match exactly to the computer screen.
Soft Proof Advantages:
Quick generation and approval process
Easy to share with more than one person at the company
Perfect for documents or projects with limited imagery
Soft Proof Disadvantages:
Not always true to color
Can’t feel or see the size of the final product
Hard Proof
A ‘Hard Proof’ is a physical print that closely matches what the finished product will look like. This provides the most accurate representation of the print and allows the client to visually see and feel the print before it goes through to the production stage.
Hard Proof Advantages:
Closely matches the finished product
Ability to feel and touch the product
Approval of size and colors are more conveniently done
Hard Proof Disadvantages:
Not as quickly created as a soft proof
Not as easily shared with multiple people
Colors are not always identical to finished product, since the proof isn’t always printed on the same equipment that will be used to print out your final product.
If your printer does not offer you any sort of proof before they print your product, you can ask for one. Sometimes colors don’t turn out the way you imagined them on the screen, and this is your opportunity to make edits and changes to the project.
Next time you place an order with your printer, be sure to ask for a print proof. This is especially important for large batch orders that will be seen by hundreds or thousands of people. We are happy to provide our clients with proofs, because we believe their input and approval makes the process much smoother for everyone involved!