In
printing
Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ...
and
graphic arts
A category of fine art, graphic art covers a broad range of visual artistic expression, typically two-dimensional, i.e. produced on a flat surface. , mixing of two dissimilar colors in two adjacent printed dots before they dry and absorb in substrate is referred to as color bleeding. Unless it is done for effect, color bleeding reduces print quality.
Prior art applied this term to the phenomenon of single color ink following the fibers of the paper.
The amount of bleeding is affected by numerous factors, including the paper type, paper's characteristics of ink
absorption and its
capillary action
Capillary action (sometimes called capillarity, capillary motion, capillary rise, capillary effect, or wicking) is the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space without the assistance of, or even in opposition to, any external forces li ...
,
ink type and properties (speed of ink drying), printing technology (i.e. nozzle design and spacing with ink jet printers).
See also
*
Dot gain
Dot gain, or tonal value increase, is a phenomenon in offset lithography and some other forms of printing which causes printed material to look darker than intended. It is caused by halftone dots growing in area between the original printing film a ...
References
Image bleed in color ink-jet printing of plain paper
Quality issues in printing
Printing terminology
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