Files & prepress
What is overprint?
Overprint means printing one element directly on top of another instead of knocking the bottom colour out — useful deliberately, catastrophic when a white element is set to overprint and simply vanishes.
By default, objects knock out what's beneath them. Overprint changes that: the top object prints over the underlying ink, blending the two. Black text is often overprinted on purpose to hide registration error.
The infamous failure: white artwork set to overprint. White is the absence of ink in digital printing — overprinting it prints nothing, and the element disappears silently on output while looking perfect on screen. Preflight tools flag white-set-to-overprint for exactly this reason.
Related terms
Software that speaks the trade
PrinterFlo runs print & sign shops on one board — quotes that price by size and material, proofs approved from one link, and a production checklist the quote writes for you.