Hey there fellow inkscape users,

I am working on some product labels design on inkscape. Specifically, it is labels for cosmetics bottles and packaging (of relatively small to medium size like 4cmx10cm).

For my client to see the designs and suggest modifications, I export as PDF with 300dpi and there is no previewing issue (looks clean and sharp).

But, my concern is when we get to the printing step. In what final format should I send the labels for best printing quality? Converting to EPS (with text transformed to Paths) and opening in GIMP shows a rather low resolution preview in which the text is unclear and has rugged edges.

Could you please give me suggestions on the best way to go for print format?

Thank you,

Ahmed

Hi.

As almost everybody can read and use PDF files these days I would suggest using that format.
By using PDF format all objects will remain as vectors (even the text you have changed to paths).
If you use some special fonts convert the text to paths.

RGDS
Ragnar

Thanks for your answer,

So if I export to PDF with 600dpi, it should be printable in a way that is faithful to how it looks on the screen, even if its RGB and not CMYK ?

And for the size, should I export it in the exact label size (4cmx10cm), or pick a higher resolution (40cmx100cm for example) then tell the print shop that it should be printed on 4cmx10cm ?

Hi.

As the PDF is vector based you can use the original size of 4x10 without problems.
Make sure you export embedded bitmaps or gradients & filters with high enough resolution.

The RGB - CMYK is another issue. This is problematic in any graphics program as screens and print
achieves their colors in different ways.
Screens is often requiring calibration with some external device to get faithful reproduction of colors.

A search on this forum will get you a lot of info on the issue.

RGDS
Ragnar

Eps in gimp?
It can import vector paths but cannot render them other than in the image's raster grid I suppose.

Though vectors can be scaled, 10 cm/4 cm is not a regular paper size, thus it will need to be cropped after.
Maybe consider adding printing marks, there is an extension for that.

RGB offers a wider colour range than cmyk. There are some pricy printers working with a dozen different inks that can cover even adobe rgb, but would it be really necessary?
On the practical side, cmyk cannot provide rgb's vivid saturation, no matter the file format, and, after an rgb to cmyk your colours would appear less saturated onscreen.
To be more confusing, there are alot of different cmyk colour profiles too.
Let that prepressing part be the printer's, just choose less saturated colours in your work.

And proofprint.

Probably a good idea to ask the print company what they require. From what messages I've seen and answered here (and not because I have any personal experience) it seems that some printers are very particular about what formats they will accept.

Thank you for your answers,

I'm just concerned about how Inkscape exports to EPS as it doesn't open in Scribus (import error) and it looks edgy and blurry when I open in Gimp.

So if the printer requires EPS, should I give it to him anyway?

Or better, can I just give him the SVG ? Or maybe give him PDF and PNG and EPS and SVG, then he can use whatever he likes.

What do you guys think is the best way?

Thanks a lot

Hi.

Any printing service "worth ones salt" should be able to take any format!

The most universal might be PDF.

RGDS
Ragnar

I take a slightly different approach and let Inkscape export a .png file in very high resolution - 512 dpi.
In Windows I then use a free program called IrfanView (which I annually donate a few dollars to), to manage and print from the .png file.
{I also annually donate a few dollars to Inkscape for such a wonderful program.}

Irfanview has wonderful print features:
...can save multiple configurations for different papers and printers
...can control the print margins down to no margins
...can control whether the printer uses the rear, front, or other paper feeds (Epson SureColor 800 has 3 paths.)
...can run a test page on 8-1/2" x 11" with scaled down image - then change to run the full output (I normally print on 17" x 25" paper)
...has extremely fast load time
...shows a small window on the screen on how the output will appear before printing

BarryG