Several things can contribute to dot gain:
- Paper
- Ink
- Ink color
- Printing press
- Roller pressure
- Press speed
For example, uncoated papers like newsprint have a higher dot gain than coated papers. In color printing, the dot gain for cyan, magenta, yellow and black are all different. This means the dot gain for each ink used must be measured to accurately portray the dot gain for the piece. Web presses normally produce a higher dot gain than sheet-fed presses.
