Ink Coverage
**NEW FEATURE!** Optimise your print costs with per-page CMYK ink usage analysis.
Ink Coverage
NEW FEATURE! Optimise your print costs with per-page CMYK ink usage analysis.
What is Ink Coverage?
Ink Coverage is the metric system that measures the total amount of ink used on a print page. In CMYK printing it is expressed as the combined percentage of all four colour channels:
| Channel | Description | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| C (Cyan) | Blue-green tone | |
| M (Magenta) | Red-purple tone | |
| Y (Yellow) | Yellow tone | 🟡 |
| K (Key/Black) | Black |
Total Ink Coverage (TIC) = C + M + Y + K
Example: C=80%, M=60%, Y=40%, K=20% → TIC = 200%
Why Does It Matter?
1. Print Quality
Excessive ink density can cause the following problems:
- Drying issues
- Smudged print
- Paper warping
- Ink offsetting (set-off)
2. Cost Control
- Forecast ink consumption in advance
- Accurate pricing for bulk print quotes
3. Choosing the Right Print Technique
| TIC Range | Recommended Technique |
|---|---|
| ≤240% | All techniques suitable |
| 240–300% | Offset, UV digital |
| 300–320% | Offset only (use with caution) |
| >320% | GCR/UCR correction required |
How to Use It
- Upload a PDF — open your file in Prepress Studio
- Open the Sidebar — the control panel on the right
- Ink Coverage Section — click the icon
- Analyse — CMYK/TIC risk estimates are reported for each page
- Review Results — warnings are highlighted in colour
Warning Levels
| TIC Value | Status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ≤300% | Normal | Suitable for standard offset and digital print |
| 300–320% | Warning | Drying issues may occur in digital print |
| >320% | Critical | Print quality is at serious risk |
Technical Details
NowToPrint's Ink Coverage analysis works as follows:
- PDFium Rendering — Each page is rendered to a canvas
- Pixel Analysis — All pixels are scanned
- Advisory colour estimate — Screen-rendered pixels are used only to estimate TAC/TIC risk; NowToPrint does not convert the PDF to CMYK or rewrite colour objects
- Statistics — Average, minimum, and maximum values are computed
Note: This analysis provides approximate values. For precise print values, use professional RIP software (Heidelberg, EFI, GMG) with the target output intent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't the TIC value exceed 400%?
In CMYK, each channel has a maximum of 100%, so the theoretical maximum is 400%.
Why use K=100% for black text?
Rich Black uses a C+M+Y+K combination for a deeper appearance than K alone.
Why do web-optimised images show high TIC?
RGB-heavy artwork can be risky because the downstream RIP/DFE conversion plan may change ink values. Use print-optimised images or ask the print shop to verify the target profile; do not treat this analysis as a platform colour conversion.
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