What are Blurb's recommend CMYK color values for black backgrounds or black text? This article provides guidelines for books created with our InDesign plug-in or PDF Uploader workflows.
These are not precise measurements but rather general recommendations based on our testing. You should always order and review a single Blurb-printed copy (your "proof copy") to see the results yourself, especially before ordering multiple copies.
Rich black background color values
For areas of large ink coverage, such as page backgrounds, we recommend the CMYK values below. Don't use these values for text. See our black text recommendations below for CMYK text values.
- For a rich black use a mix of 60C,50M,50Y,100K.
- For a cooler black try 80C, 20M, 20Y, 100K.
- For a warmer black try 20C, 70M, 70Y, 100K.
- We do not recommend using "registration black" (100% of all inks) anywhere because this will cause problems when printing.
- For reverse text on a rich black background the smallest size we recommend is 10 points. This will vary based on the properties of the font (i.e. X height, line thickness, light versions of fonts, etc). If you're unsure of your font properties we suggest using at least a 12 pt font (and ordering a proof copy).
Black text values
- For black text we recommend only black ink (0C, 0M, 0Y, 100K). This will help avoid misregistration issues.
- We do not recommend using "registration black" (100% of all inks) anywhere because this will cause problems when printing.
Order a single copy first
We recommend you order and review a single Blurb-printed copy (your proof copy) before placing a large order or completing an important project. That way you can see how your colors, font choices, and overall project look in print. You can then correct any issues in your content or layout before placing the final order.