Color copying and digital printing are two distinct methods used to produce color prints, each with its own set of characteristics and applications.
Color Copying
Color copying, also known as photocopying, refers to a process that involves placing an existing document on the glass of a scanner (or copier) and duplicating it x number of times. The process of scanning and then reproducing the original leads to a degradation of the image. Have you ever had to decipher a photocopy of a photocopy when the words were distorted to the point of being illegible?
Color copying is best used for low quantity duplicating where the color accuracy and sharpness are not important. Color copying is a suitable option for basic document reproduction and small-scale color prints.
Digital Printing
With digital printing, each copy produced is an “original” – sharp, vibrant, and with intricate details such as high resolution and smooth gradients. Your complex design elements, including photos, illustrations and graphics-heavy layouts will look great!
Digital printing can be done on a wide variety of papers in different weights and colors to achieve a specific look and feel for greater impact. Will your piece look better on a matte finished paper? Glossy? Should it be on stiffer, cover-weight paper?
One huge advantage of digital printing is the use of variable data printing. This means that each page can be customized with unique information such as personalized names, addresses, images, and text tailored to the individual recipient. And the printed piece will never look like a form letter or a photocopy of a photocopy – it will be a sharp original printed just for the recipient.
Print marketing materials can be highly tailored to customers’ habits and preferences by harnessing the customer data you already have. You can create an experience which makes your customer feel connected and valued – something customers are craving in this digital age.
Digital printing is the perfect choice for targeted marketing campaigns, direct mailers, or any project that requires individualized content.
Digital printing also offers the advantage of producing a proof copy on the actual paper to be used to verify the design, layout and color accuracy before printing the entire run. If you are printing a variable data job, an accurate PDF proof can be produced to verify each unique original before proceeding, eliminating errors and waste.
When your digital printing job is completed, it is immediately ready for anything additional finishing needed: folding, die-cutting, laminating, UV coating, etc. No need to wait for the ink to dry! Digital printing has the advantage of quick turnaround times.
Digital printing is the choice for high-quality, customizable, and cost-effective printing and is well-suited for projects that demand superior color accuracy and intricate design elements.
Econoprint offers both digital and traditional offset printing. Digital is perfect for high-quality, shorter print runs. Offset printing offers greater cost effectiveness for longer press runs. Contact us today and we can help you decide which is better for your printing needs.
Econoprint is a full-service commercial printer serving Racine and southeast Wisconsin with a complete range of services to cover every aspect of printed communication, from graphic design through printing, finishing, mailing, and fulfillment plus wide format output for signs, banners, and trade show materials.