A print monitoring system comprising a printer that generates a printed
object that comprises a) a printed area located on a substrate, the
printed area having a predetermined width and defining a two-dimensional
matrix having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; b) print
indicia printed on the substrate within the two-dimensional matrix of
said printed area such that at least one row of the plurality of rows
contains print indicia that are separated by a maximum width; and c) at
least one print validation symbol printed on the substrate in a
predetermined first validation print area. The system can also comprise
an image capture device configured to read at least the at least one
validation symbol and a controller in communication with the image
capture device that compares the at least one validation symbol to a
predetermined at least one validation symbol and makes quality control
decisions based on the comparison.