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Plain answers about printing, signs and the materials behind them. Look something up before you order, or send a link to whoever is making your file.
Side by side
Vector vs rasterVector art is built from shapes and stays sharp at any size. Raster art is built from pixels and has a size limit.Try itCMYK vs RGBScreens mix red, green and blue light. Printers mix cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink, which cannot reach every screen color.Try itDie cut vs kiss cutA die cut goes through the sticker and its backing. A kiss cut goes through the sticker only, leaving the backing whole.Try itCalendered vs cast vinylCalendered vinyl is rolled out thicker and is best on flat surfaces. Cast vinyl is poured thin and conforms to curves.Try itRigid sign materials comparedFoam board, Gator board, corrugated plastic, PVC and acrylic side by side: weight, toughness and where each belongs.Coated vs uncoated paperCoated paper has a smooth finish that keeps photos sharp. Uncoated paper feels natural and is easy to write on.Print methods comparedEco-solvent, latex, UV, sublimation, DTF, embroidery and laser engraving: what each one is good at.
Artwork & files
Getting a file ready so it prints the way it looks on screen.
BleedExtra artwork that runs past the edge of a printed piece, so nothing white shows after it is trimmed.Try itSafe areaThe zone inside the trim line where text and logos belong, so nothing important gets cut or crowded at the edge.Trim sizeThe finished size of a printed piece after it is cut, not counting bleed.Resolution (DPI and PPI)How many pixels a photo has for each inch it is printed. Too few and the print looks soft or blocky.Try itVector vs rasterVector art is built from shapes and stays sharp at any size. Raster art is built from pixels and has a size limit.Try itCMYK vs RGBScreens mix red, green and blue light. Printers mix cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink, which cannot reach every screen color.Try itSpot colors and PantoneA spot color is one specific named color, usually a Pantone number, that a brand uses to stay consistent everywhere.Rich blackBlack built from all four inks instead of black ink alone, used to make large dark areas look deep instead of grayish.ProofsA preview of exactly what will print, with sizes and details, that you approve before anything is made.Cut linesA path in the file that tells the cutter where to cut. On stickers and decals it traces the outside of the art.File typesWhich file formats print best, and what to send when you are not sure.QR codes in printHow big to print a QR code, how much clear space it needs, and the colors that scan reliably.
Cutting & finishing
What happens after the ink goes down.
Die cut vs kiss cutA die cut goes through the sticker and its backing. A kiss cut goes through the sticker only, leaving the backing whole.Try itPrint and cutPrinting artwork onto vinyl, then cutting around each shape on the same machine using printed alignment marks.WeedingPeeling away the extra vinyl around a cut design by hand, so only the letters and shapes are left on the backing.Transfer tapeA clear or paper tape laid over a weeded decal so all its loose pieces can be lifted and applied at once, in the right spacing.LaminationA clear film applied over a print to protect it from scratches, moisture and sun fading, in gloss or matte.GrommetsMetal rings punched through the edge of a banner so it can be tied or hooked up without tearing.Hems and pole pocketsA hem folds a banner edge back for strength. A pole pocket is a sleeve along an edge that a pole slides through.MountingApplying a printed graphic to a rigid board so it stands on an easel, hangs on a wall or holds its shape.
Vinyl & films
The adhesive films behind stickers, decals and window, wall and floor graphics.
Calendered vs cast vinylCalendered vinyl is rolled out thicker and is best on flat surfaces. Cast vinyl is poured thin and conforms to curves.Try itPermanent, removable and repositionable adhesiveThe glue on the back of a vinyl decides whether it comes off clean later, and how forgiving it is to put on.Perforated window filmPrinted vinyl full of tiny holes. From outside you see the graphic, from inside you can still see out.Try itFrosted vinylA translucent film that looks like etched or sandblasted glass, used for privacy bands and elegant window lettering.Clear vinyl and white inkPrinting on clear film lets the surface show through. White ink printed underneath keeps colors bright where you want them solid.Floor graphicsPrinted decals made to be walked on, finished with a textured slip-resistant laminate.Wall graphicsPrinted or cut vinyl made for painted walls, from a logo behind a front desk to a full wall mural.
Signs & boards
Rigid materials a print can be mounted to or printed on.
Rigid sign materials comparedFoam board, Gator board, corrugated plastic, PVC and acrylic side by side: weight, toughness and where each belongs.Foam boardA light board with a foam center between two paper faces. The go-to for indoor easel signs and event displays.Gator boardA foam board with hard wood-fiber faces instead of paper, much tougher against dents and moisture.Corrugated plasticA light, waterproof plastic sheet with channels inside, best known as the material for yard signs.PVC boardA solid, smooth plastic sheet that holds up indoors and out. Common for wall signs and trade show counter fronts.AcrylicA clear, rigid plastic that gives prints a glossy, glass-like finish. Used for lobby signs, photo prints and displays.
Banners & fabric
Flexible signs that roll, fold or stretch into a frame.
Banner vinyl weightsVinyl banners come in weights like 13, 15 and 18 ounce. Heavier is thicker, stronger and better for double-sided banners.Mesh bannersA banner woven with small open holes so wind passes through. Used on fences, scaffolding and building sides.Retractable banner standsA tall banner that rolls into its own base for carrying and pulls up onto a pole in under a minute.SEG fabric graphicsPrinted fabric with a thin silicone strip sewn around the edge that presses into a slot in an aluminum frame.Peel-and-stick fabricA printed fabric with a repositionable adhesive back, used for wall murals that can come down without damage.
Paper
Weights, coatings and what they mean in your hand.
Ways we print
How the ink, thread or laser gets onto the thing.
Print methods comparedEco-solvent, latex, UV, sublimation, DTF, embroidery and laser engraving: what each one is good at.Eco-solvent printingA wide-format printing method whose ink slightly softens the vinyl surface and locks in, giving vivid, durable outdoor prints.Latex printingWater-based ink with a latex binder, cured with heat. Prints come off dry, flexible and with no smell.UV printingInk that hardens the instant UV light hits it, which lets it print directly onto rigid boards, acrylic and other flat objects.Dye sublimationHeat turns special ink into a gas that bonds into polyester or a polymer coating, so the color becomes part of the item.DTF transfersDirect to film: artwork printed onto film with white ink and adhesive, then heat pressed onto a garment of any color.EmbroideryA design stitched into the garment with thread. Durable and textured, best for logos on polos, hats and jackets.Laser engravingA focused laser removes a thin layer of material to mark a design permanently into metal, wood, leather and coated items.
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