In the printing industry, we like to use words like crop marks, bleed, and imprint area.
It’s not to confuse anyone or to make them think we are smarter than we actually are. We use those words to explain how to best prepare an art file for print.
In the following, we will specifically talk about the imprint area. We will discuss why they are important, what they mean to a designer, and what affects an imprint area.
Lastly, we will discuss the difference between area and print location.
Imprint Area
When printing on a t-shirt, pen, tablecloth, or any promotional item there will be a designated area to print on. This designated printing area is known as the imprint area.
It is the suggested space in which you should be placing your logo, artwork, or design for print. It will be designated by a guideline or guidelines in an editable template.
An imprint area will be determined by the item you are printing on and the method of printing employed.
Why are Imprint Areas Important?
Imprint areas are put in place to provide the best print possible while maximizing its size. They are guides to use when designing your artwork. Certain methods of printing have size restrictions such as screen printing and heat transfers.
An imprint area will be put in place to accommodate any restrictions. If a design element is placed outside of the imprint area then it may be cut off during production.
During production, materials and ink expand and contract. Imprint areas, when used properly, will prevent anything from being cut off during production.
Size Matters
An imprint area is determined by the size of an object being printed on. Promotional pens will have a very small imprint area while logo printed table covers will have a much larger one. The surface area of a table cover is much greater than that of a pen.
The larger the surface area you are printing on, the larger of an imprint area you would have and vice-versa.
Printing Methods Affect an Imprint Area
Printing methods also affect an imprint area. When screen printing, an imprint area is limited to the size of the screen being used to print.
When printing using a heat applied vinyl or heat transfer, the imprint area is limited to the size of the vinyl.
If printing digitally then the imprint area will be limited to the size of the printers’ machines.
Nowadays with the addition of large format printers, larger prints are better achieved through digital printing.
Imprint Area Vs. Print Location
An imprint area is not the same as a print location.
Paul Bucklin 2019
A print location refers to an area on an object where an imprint is to be placed. You will have an imprint area within a print location.
Print locations can affect the imprint area based on the size of the surface area being printed on.
An imprint area is the suggested space in which you should be placing your logo, artwork, or design for print.
The print location designates where on any given object the imprint is to be placed.
Wrap it Up
In conclusion, we talked about what imprint areas are and why they are important.
They are put in place to ensure maximum exposure for your design without any of it being cut off during production.
We learned what they mean to a designer and what affects an imprint area.
Lastly, we discussed what the difference is between the imprint area and print location.
While using terms like imprint area or print location may make us seem intelligent, they are simply a way to ensure you receive the best print possible.