Overprinting Black

From a technical standpoint, overprinting black is a surefire, slam-dunk design technique, especially for small type. Overprinted black is all but immune to problems arising from misregistration - it prints predictably and easily. Studies have demonstrated that setting type positive and black aids reader's comprehension, while setting type reverse and/or in any other color hinders it [Type and Layout; Wheildon, Strathmoor Press, 1995]. If your goal is to have an audience read and understand a given sample of text, overprinting black should be one of the first techniques you consider.

4 color films for the layouts above

Pictured below are two sets of four color negative film. Note that for the filmset on the left, the type is on 4 plates that must be perfectly registered in order for the type to appear clean. The filmset on the right has type on only one plate out of four, eliminating any potential legibility issues in the event that registration is less than absolutely perfect.