Even if you are an experienced graphic designer working with paper, or vynyl , transferring your skills to fabric, can - if you are not aware of some of the pitfalls - be a disaster for you and your client. : Paper and fabric are not the same. Here we try to explain the differences and how you can overcome them.

We are often asked, " are the flags double sided ?" meaning can the graphic on the front be different to that on the rear: the simple answer is No.!. To be able to produce the effective artwork and design for flags, it is important appreciate that textiles and paper are not the same. When printing on paper the ink stays on the surface: when printing on fabrics - much of the ink will permeate, through to the rear. The image to the rear will always be a mirror of the front, it is not possible to print a different image on each side of the fabric. To achive a graphic which reads correctly to both sides, two layers of printed fabric, plus an opaque interlayer have to be used.

It may be obvious, but start with what you have already - logos, company names, website addresses, strap lines from other marketing exercises. We offer a range of sizes and design shapes and look at how these items might fit. At this stage you might ony be seeking to create a visual to offer you client. Here are the overall sizes..

Your corporate livery might determine your colour selection, but give some thought to how to use those colours may work in the overall design.

Not only does your flag serve to promote your message, but also to enhance your brand image. Black text on a white background may be simple in promoting your name, but will not be sufficienty interesting for anyone to take notice of it.

Unless black and white are elements of your corporate colours then avoid this combination. Digital printing is able to produce four colour printing, using the full colour spectrum and will cost no more than a single colour on white..

Choose colour combinations which contrast,combine or blend. If you are not familiar with the colour wheel - make use of our illustration. The full spectrum of colours is drawn around the perimeter of a circle. Choose colours which contrast - those on opposite sides of the circle : choose colours which compliment those at 120 degrees apart : choose colours which blend; those within the same quadrant making one the predominent colour.

A	B	C

We cannot emphasize too much that the colour you seen on screen, or a page from you printer will not necessarily match the colour of the final print. There are two reasons for this.

Colour Profile

Your screen will be calibrated to a particular colour RGB profile your printer a CMYK/RBG profile. There many such profiles each creating colours is a different way. Any profile used for your monitor will not necessarily match those used on our printing machines.

Gamut.

The "gamut" is part of the visible spectrum which a device such as a camera, monitor or digital printer is able to create.

The gamut of a CMYK digital printer is much smaller than that of a computer monitor, some colours cannot be printed at all, some are only approximate and the range from cyan to magenta to yellow is compressed. The consequence is that two colours for example a mid blue and dark blue which appear on your screen as very distict contrasting colours, may merge during the printing process as very similar, almost indinguishable.. Think very carefully when choosing colours from the same quadrant of the colour wheel

When working with corporate colours, it is sometimes necessary to specify exact colour matching. We try our best to match Pantones, but understanding the printing process, may achieve better results.

The weave of most flag fabrics is constructed such that some - up to 45% - of the ink applied to the fabric will permeate through to the rear. Colours will therefore be flatter and less saturated, on both sides.

Coated pantones are designed for printing on paper and non pourous materials. They are usually richer, than the equivalent Matt or Uncoated . Because much of the ink prints through to the rear, any coated pantone will appear flat an insaturated. If you choose a Coated pantone, the final colour may not properly match the colour you expect. Where you might be expecting a bright coated shade, with much of the ink permeating through to the rear, the consequent lack of saturation can some as a surprise to some designers.

Experience of the past years have taught some lesson to overcome this problem. Select the pantone you would normally use for paper, 123C and see if there is a direct uncoated version 123U. If there is no direct equivalent, choose another matching shade, This alone should be sufficient.

As a special plea, do not use CVC pantones. These are calibrated pantones which are matched to appear correct and accurate on your computer monitor, and any other internal printing systems. Any calibrations which you set up for your systems. may not necessarily match ours and the final colour will not be correct.