Deskpad Calendars: Avoid another demon child

The 2023 deskpad <a href="https://www.printulu.co.za/product/deskpad-calendars" class="internal-link text-[#007756] hover:text-[#005d42] underline font-medium">calendar</a> season doesn't have to be your printing nightmare. You can avoid the common pitfalls that turn calendar projects into "demon children" by understanding your options and setting up artwork correctly from the start.

calendar-page-manshouting

**The basic options for calendars include:**

12 sheets deskpad with full-colour changes

6 sheets deskpad with full-colour changes

12-sheet deskpad calendar with black plate changes only

6 sheet deskpad calendar with black plate changes only

The 12-sheet deskpad calendar with black plate changes is the most popular choice — and there's a solid reason why. This option slashes your production costs by over one-third compared to full-colour changes. That's serious savings for your print business.

<AcademyQuote>Black plate changes might seem limiting, but they're your secret weapon for profitable calendar printing. Master this technique and watch your margins improve dramatically.</AcademyQuote>

Here's the catch: setting up artwork for black plate changes can make you want to pull your hair out. But don't worry — we'll show you exactly how to create artwork that'll make your 2023 calendar season smooth sailing.

Artwork Set-up tips:#

1. Check that you're using 100% black (C:0; M:0; Y:0; K:100). Your black value can be any percentage, as long as the CMY values stay at 0%
2. Ensure anything that changes on each page uses black only
3. Three elements must change and should be in black: the month, the dates, and the holidays
4. Want to highlight holidays in colour? Do it in the bottom 12-month view — this stays consistent across all pages
5. Don't change images on each page. Design one layout, copy it 12 times, then change only the month, name, and dates in the big blocks. Simple as that
6. Get creative with showing public holidays. Use 30% black backgrounds, circles around dates, or holiday names — as long as it's 100% black, you're golden
7. Activate overprint on elements under the changing elements (see example below)

<AcademyProTip>Create a master template with all your colour elements locked in place. This prevents accidental changes that could mess up your black plate setup.</AcademyProTip>

The dreaded black plate changes challenge#

If you haven't selected overprint, the images below your text won't print. Check the example below — the "January" text shouldn't be showing at all.

Black Plate Change - How it looks

Black Plate Changes for calendars – How it looks

Black Plate Change - Wrong

Black Plate Change for calendars- The month that is showing is wrong

Below is a video on how to fix this problem for your deskpad calendars in Illustrator:#

You can actually check deskpad calendars before uploading your artwork. It's a really simple process.#

1. Open your file in Adobe Acrobat (not Adobe Reader)
2. Go to "Print Production" under your tools
3. Select "Output Preview"
4. Set Preview to "Separations"
5. Deselect Process Black
6. Page through all your pages — each page should look identical. If they don't, go back and fix the problematic element

If you don't have Adobe Acrobat, you can check your colour separations for calendars in Illustrator.#

1. Open your file in Adobe Illustrator
2. Go to "Window"
3. Select "Separations Preview"
4. In the pop-up window, select overprint
5. Deselect the Black "eye" icon
6. If all your pages look the same, you're ready to go!

<AcademyDadJoke>Why did the calendar designer break up with their printer? Because they couldn't handle the pressure of black plate changes!</AcademyDadJoke>

The calendar rush season doesn't need to be as scary as it seems. With these tips, you'll absolutely rock the 2023 calendar rush.

Download Free Deskpad Calendar

Download our Artwork Guidelines

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