Dot gain is an occurrence that causes printed material to appear darker than intended. It happens as the size of halftone dots increases during the pre-press and printing process. It is caused amongst other things, by the physical properties of the media and the machines used in preparing a job for print and the printing process itself.
Pre-press and press operators are able to minimise dot gain, but it is impossible to eliminate completely. It is therefore important for designers to be aware of it and to anticipate its effect.
