Supporting white: 4 uses for this little-known finish

The white support is one of those finishes that can be used to crucial for some of your print jobs. The rendering on transparent support, in particular, is completely modified by the use of the support white. However, this finish is not well known. 

In this article, we will introduce you to what exactly is the white supportand then we will list four examples of four examples of communication materials where white support can make a dramatic difference :

• the window sticker, 
• custom-made stickers, 
• the professional plaque on plexiglass
• adhesive letters.

Finally, we will explain to you how to prepare your files if you choose the white support option.

What is white support?

As you may already know, the colorimetric mode used in printing is four-color process, also called CMYK mode. This means that when printing your communication materials, we use digital machines with ink cartridges of cyan, magenta, yellow and black (hence the acronym CMYK). To proceed to the printing in quadrichromy, the machine projects tiny dots of each color on the white paper. By doing so, we obtain many shades of color. During this process, the white paper support plays a fundamental role: it provides the white tint which does not exist in CMYK.

The white support is a finish that is used when printing communication media that does not have a white background: transparent media. The transparent supports have many advantages: to communicate in the window while letting you see the inside of your store, to make known your coordinates on a professional plate while respecting the wall on which you will put it, to create original forms which attract the eye while being light, etc.

Nevertheless, you must be aware that when your work is printed on a transparent medium, the colors you have chosen are no longer supported by the white background of the paper. As a result, we get less vibrant colors, less contrasted and, of course, a translucent effect.

Depending on the use you wish to make of your transparent communication support, at Copymage, we invite you to consider a white backing finish. In fact, the look of a transparent medium with or without a backing is completely different, The rendering of a transparent medium with or without a white backing is completely different! We want you to be fully satisfied with your prints.

The white support on the window

The vitrophanie is to customize your shop window or the glass walls of your premises by affixing an adhesive on vinyl. It can be a decorative or informative adhesive. 

At Copymage, we offer you many finishes for your for your window displays. In particular, we offer you two types of vinyl film :

• The transparent vinyl film. Your communication is visible from the outside, but its translucent rendering allows a glimpse of the inside of your business through the window.
• White vinyl film. This type of vinyl offers total opacity and allows to hide what is on the other side of the glass and to ensure a privacy zone. With its white background, this vinyl offers an excellent color rendering.

If you wish to combine the transparency of the adhesive vinyl combine the transparency of the adhesive vinyl with the brilliance of the colors of your illustrations, we suggest that you opt for a white backing on certain parts of your on certain parts of your media. This way, only the printed areas are brightly colored while everything else is transparent, allowing light to pass through: the sticker seems to be totally integrated into the window!

The white support on the custom stickers

The custom stickers are an excellent modern and flexible means of communication. Whether you use them for signage for your company (to indicate the different meeting rooms, the break room and the toilets) or you choose stickers for create labels for the marketing of your products (ideal for clear jars containing cosmetics, perfume, edible oils, etc.), the supporting white finish can be useful. No matter what color design you choose, the white support makes it possible to gain in clarity and readability, while preserving the transparency of the sticker.

The white support for professional plates on plexiglass

A plate on plexiglass allows all professionals in private practice and all businesses that share their premises with others in the same building to indicate their contact information in a chic and simple way or simply to welcome visitors. Plexiglas is a high-end communication support which combines the sophistication of the glass and the polymer resistance.

At Copymage, we choose to cast the Plexiglas sheets in order to to reinforce their resistance during the cutting stage and to guarantee their durability regardless of the weather or accidents.

In addition, all our professional plexiglass plates are printed on the back of the printed on the back of the plate in mirror effect. Your professional plate is thus protected from all scratches for many years.

From many finishes are available when printing your when printing your business sign on Plexiglas, including the white support option. The application of an opaque white layer on the back of your plexiglass plate under the lettering of your business plate will ensure a beautiful intensity of colors. The white finish of support also allows, placed under the plate in plexiglass, to add a relief and transparency effect.

White support on adhesive letters

The impression of adhesive letters allows you to communicate directly and clearly on a commercial operation for example. Clearly indicating "sales" on your window displayYou inform all the passers-by of the promotions they can benefit from in your store. Economical, customizable and easy to install Adhesive lettering is a must for proximity communication.

At Copymage, we offer you two categories of vinyl for your adhesive lettering:

• vinyl monomers. Very affordable, they are intended for indoor use.
• Polymeric vinyls. More resistant, they can be used outdoors without fear of alteration.

Again, several finishes are available (white, clear, black, gold, silver, frosted). If you choose to print your adhesive lettering on a transparent or frosted vinyl, we invite you to choose the white support option which will increase the legibility of your messages and make your colors stand out.

How do I prepare files with supporting white space?

If you choose the white support option, it will be necessary to provide, in addition to the classic print file an additional file that will tell us precisely on which areas you want to apply the white support.

The backing file will be a copy of the original file with only the areas that are to be finished with the backing white. These areas should be indicated in 100% black.

For example, if you want to make a transparent sticker on which the opening hours of your restaurant appear, the white support file must show all the text in black (when the text might be in blue or orange in the original file).

Don't forget to check that the two files are perfectly superimposable and that they do not have offset, otherwise the otherwise the supporting white will appear on an area that should be transparent instead of supporting a colored area.

Whatever happens, rest assured that all Copymage consultants will systematically check your files for free to avoid any disappointment!