Insights
Practical notes from the studio — artworking craft, pre-press,
production knowledge and the software we build alongside it.
Using AI-generated imagery in print: resolution, colour and the CMYK problem
AI image tools output RGB pixels at screen sizes. Here's what that means for print-ready artwork — resolution limits, upscaling, colour conversion and pre-flight checks.
What's an acceptable Delta E in print?
Delta E is the number everyone quotes and few agree on. A plain-English guide to what it measures, what tolerance fits which job, and why the formula matters.
Freelance vs agency artworker: which does your project need?
When a freelance artworker is the right call, when an agency studio makes more sense, and the hidden costs of choosing wrong.
What is rich black and when should you use it
The difference between flat black and rich black in CMYK print — and why choosing the wrong one costs you on press.
Packaging dielines: a plain-English guide
What a dieline is, what the coloured lines actually mean, and why building artwork without one almost always ends in a reprint.
Why the same CMYK values can look completely different in print
Identical ink values, four different results. A plain-English guide to substrates, ICC profiles and the reasons your printed colour shifts press to press.
A plain-English glossary of print production terms
From bleed to spot colour, GSM to saddle stitch — the print production terms designers, marketers and brand managers actually need to know.
Large format print: bleeds, scale and resolution explained
How to set up large format print artwork properly — the scale, bleed and resolution rules that decide whether your file prints clean or pixelated.
RGB vs CMYK: a friendly guide to colour spaces for print
Why your screen colours never quite match the printed result — and how to design in the right colour space from the start.
OOH artwork specs: what every media owner actually wants
Bleed, scale, resolution and file format expectations for OOH artwork across JCDecaux, Clear Channel, Global and the rest — what they really want delivered.
Raster vs vector: which one does your logo actually need?
Why your logo looks crisp on a business card but fuzzy on a billboard — and how to spot a raster file before it costs you a reprint.
How to brief a freelance artworker (and get it right first time)
What a freelance artworker actually needs in a brief to deliver press-ready files first time — without three rounds of clarifying emails.
5 benefits of automating the print production process
Print production automation cuts errors, speeds approvals and frees studio time. Five practical benefits — and what they mean for agility.
Accessible PDFs: the law in Europe, the UK, and why it matters
Accessible PDFs are now a legal requirement across the EU and a strong expectation in the UK. Here's what the law says, who it applies to, and why brands should care.
Packaging artwork: a pre-press checklist
A practical pre-press checklist for FMCG packaging artwork — the checks that catch the mistakes before they become reprints.
What is an Artworker?
What a senior artworker actually does, why brands and agencies hire freelance artworkers, and what to look for when you do.