Introduction to creating graphics for print

Graphics are an important part of print publications, whether it's a newsletter or a research poster. Almost every publication includes images of some sort, to help tell a story or share information about data. Images serve the same purpose on the web, and on the surface, web graphics and print graphics might look the same. However, while the two types of images share some similarities, they also have some key differences. The following table outlines characteristics of print and web graphics.

Let's break down the similarities and differences between print and web graphics in more detail. First, we'll look at the differences, with a focus on print graphic characteristics.

Color model

As stated in the previous table, print graphics use the CMYK color model (or CMYK for short), while web graphics use the RGB color model. CMYK refers to the different color inks used in the printing process — cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (or other key color) — and is also called process color, which is short for four-color printing process. CMYK is an example of a subtractive color model, which refers to how certain wavelengths of color are absorbed, or subtracted, in the process of creating a color. Following is a diagram that compares the two color models:

Colors in the CMYK color model are created by combining different amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink to achieve a specific color. It's important that print graphics are created using the CMYK color model, as the colors used in your graphics may not print correctly if the file uses RGB color instead of CMYK.

Image resolution

An image's resolutionis especially important if the image is going to be used in print. Resolution refers to the amount of spots of color per linear inch of surface. When measuring a print image's resolution, the term dots per inch (or dpifor short) is used to indicate how many spots of color will be printed on a linear inch of paper.  The more dots of color per inch, the more detailed an image will look — fewer dots per inch will result in a blurrier or less detailed image.

The following video discusses the subject of image resolution in more detail.

Now that we've learned about the key differences between print and web graphics, let's take a look at some of the similarities.

Vector and raster graphics

When creating and editing graphics, for either print or web, they'll be one of two graphic types: either vector or raster graphics. The two graphic types are very different, and each type of graphic has its own advantages and disadvantages. To learn more about vector and raster graphics, watch the following video.

After you've watched the video, review what you've learned about vector and raster graphics by completing the following brief activity.

Activity: Vector and raster graphics review

Each of the characteristics listed in the activity belong to either raster graphics or vector graphics — press and drag the characteristic to the appropriate graphic type.  When you're done, click the Check button at the bottom of the activity to see how you did.

Using Photoshop and Illustrator to create print graphics

One of the great things about Photoshop and Illustrator is the fact that both programs can be used to create graphics for print and web — which is helpful, as you might already be familiar with using these programs to create and edit images. This course will focus on what you need to know to make print graphics in both Photoshop and Illustrator, including choosing the right file settings, adjusting image resolution, choosing colors for graphics made from scratch, and exporting your images in an appropriate file format.

Let's go ahead and get started creating and editing graphics for print.