In the world of printing, you might come across terms like 4/4, 4/1, 4/0, 1/1, and 1/0. These numbers might seem confusing at first, but they actually refer to the number of ink colors used on each side of a printed piece. Let’s break down what each of these terms means:
4/4 (4 Over 4)
4/4: This term indicates that four colors of ink are used on both sides of the printed piece. The first “4” represents the colors used on the front (or “outside”) of the printed piece, and the second “4” represents the colors used on the back (or “inside”) of the printed piece. In most cases, these four colors are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK), allowing for full-color printing on both sides.
4/1 (4 Over 1)
4/1: In this case, four colors of ink are used on the front side of the printed piece (like in 4/4), while only one color is used on the back side. This setup is commonly used when full-color printing is needed on the front, but only a single color (often black) is sufficient for the back side.
4/0 (4 Over 0)
4/0: Similar to 4/1, this term indicates that four colors of ink are used on the front side of the printed piece, while no ink is used on the back side. This setup is typical for items like posters or flyers where only one side needs to be printed in full color.
1/1 (1 Over 1)
1/1: Here, only one color of ink is used on both the front and back sides of the printed piece. This could be black ink only, or it could be a specific spot color chosen for the entire piece.
1/0 (1 Over 0)
1/0: Finally, this term indicates that only one color of ink is used on the front side of the printed piece, with no ink used on the back side.
More to Know
Less common designations are 2/2 and 2/1, which will need more clarification as to which colors the numbers 2 and 1 stand for. The 2 could be two PMS Spot ink colors or one PMS Spot ink color and black. Likewise, the 1 could be black, one of the Spot colors used on the front or a different Spot color. For this reason, using the 2/2 or 2/1 designations will require that all the corresponding colors be clearly listed.
Summary
Understanding these printing terms can help you communicate effectively with your printer and ensure that your printed materials are produced exactly as you envision them. We hope the explanation provided above was useful to you.
If you have any questions about printing, feel free to reach out to us at 718-928-6888 or submit our quote request form. We’re here to assist you in any way we can.
Take care!
Jeff @ New York Printing Center
