5 Things Customers Wished They Knew when Creating Artwork for Packaging

5 Things Customers Wished They Knew when Creating Artwork for Packaging

Printing in packaging refers to the process of adding graphics, text, or other information to packaging materials such as boxes, bags, or labels. This can be done using a variety of techniques, including offset printing, flexography, digital printing, and screen printing. The type of printing used will depend on the type of packaging material, the design, and the desired print quality. In addition to providing information and branding, printing on packaging can also enhance the overall appearance and appeal of a product.


1. Know what Pantones are and which pantone would be most suitable for their artwork.
Pantone is a company that creates and maintains a standardized color matching system. It is widely used in the printing, graphic design, and other industries for color matching and specification. The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a standardized color reproduction system that uses specific ink formulations, identified by a unique number, to produce accurate and consistent colors. These colors can be reproduced using a variety of printing techniques, such as offset printing, digital printing, and screen printing. The Pantone system provides a common language for color communication between designers, printers, and clients, ensuring that the final printed product matches the intended design.
As most artwork is created and viewed on electronic monitors which amplifies the colors, the artwork shown on screen is misleading. Jump to a nearby paint shop and choose the closest matching pantones from their swatch. Kindly note that the initial setup cost depends on the number of colors used so ensure you have the right amount of colors.

2. Understand the limitations on font size and colors.
Printing a light color on paper might look well on a digital mock up but will end up looking dull on the actual product. Text needs to be at least 1.5pt in order to be legible.

3. Printing QR code can be tricky.
QR codes are becoming increasingly popular but in order to make them readable, ensure you have a high level of error correction when generating the design. Also avoid having light colored QR codes on dark backgrounds. Go for a design which has high contrast in reasonable size without light colors. 

4. Watch out for these issues on your final product:

  • Bleeding in packaging refers to the unintended spreading or migration of ink or color beyond the intended print area.
  • Color mismatch in packaging refers to a discrepancy between the intended color of a design and the final printed color on the packaging. This can happen when the colors of the design are not accurately reproduced during the printing process, resulting in a final product that does not match the original design
  • Ghosting in printing refers to the faint or faint-colored image that appears in areas where it is not intended. Ghosting can occur when an image or text is printed on top of an existing printed image or substrate, which causes the underlying image to bleed through and create a faint or distorted secondary image. It is also known as "show-through" or "strike-through."
  • Hickeys are a type of printing defect that appears as small, dark spots or discolorations on the printed surface. They are caused by small particles of dirt or debris that get trapped in the printing press, which then transfer onto the printed surface. Hickeys can also be caused by small air bubbles in the ink or by a malfunction in the printing press. They are particularly noticeable on solid color areas or light-colored backgrounds.
5. Invest on a prototype.

At EcoPackables, we are always happy to do sample runs before bulk orders. This gives you an opportunity to check colors and sizes before settling for a bulk production run.


Image Source: Pexels

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