Tips for print. An informative manual full of invaluable print related knowledge.
PRINT 9.
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COMMUNICATION
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Communication with both the client and printers is very important in the print process, a lack of understanding or poor communication could lead to some embarrassing and expensive mistakes. TIP: Always ask the printers questions, they are the experts!
DUFFIELD printers. Tony Charlton Salves Executive M: 07805 401536 tony@duffieldprinters.co.uk 421 Kirskstall Road Leeds LS4 2HA t: 0113 279 3011 www.duffieldprinters.co.uk
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PRINT PROCESSES !Defining criteria is quantity! Commercial print process -practical -technical -economical Rotary//Digital//Screen//Pad Rotary printing e.g. newspapers. Plates are wrapped round a cylinder. Offset. Lithography (Roto)Gravure -copper plate, deep etching = better quality deeper runs. No blanket plate. High volume, durable and denser. Flexography - rubber plates/relief. Good coverage if sometimes patchy. Can be thrown away, used when not worth expensive printing. e.g food/crisp packets. Digital printing - reproduction of images by translating a digital code direct from a computer to a material without physical process. Computer to print = RIP process. Suitable for short run, specials on a range. Screen print - woven mesh to support ink/blocking stencil. Good density of ink. Bright colours onto dark background. E.g tshirts. Pad printing - squidgy onto hard hats, key rings etc. not flat stock. Laminate - a print that is enclosed between two clear protective films. The films provide protection against fading, fingerprints and other contaminates. Foil blocking- the application of pigment or metallic foil, often gold or silver , but can also be various patterns or what is known as pastel foil which is a flat opaque color or white special film-backed material, to paper where a heated die is stamped onto the foil, making it adhere to the surface leaving the design of the die on the paper. Foil stamping can be combined with embossing to create a more striking 3D image. Emboss/Deboss- Embossing is typically accomplished by applying heat and pressure with male and female dies, usually made of copper or brass, that fit together and squeeze the fibers of the substrate. The combination of pressure and heat raises the level of the image higher than the substrate, while "ironing" it to make it smooth. In printing this is accomplished on a letterpress."Debossing" is similar to embossing, but recesses the design rather than raising it.
COLOUR MODES The way colour is generated in print. .
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CMYK: Process colour: A colour that is printed using a combination of the four standard process inks: CMYK. By default, Illustrator defines new swatches as process colours.
RGB: The RGB color model is an additive color model in which red, green, and blue light is added together in various ways to reproduce a broad array of colors. The name of the model comes from the initials of the three additive primary colors, red, green, and blue. The main purpose of the RGB color model is for the sensing, representation, and display of images in electronic systems, such as televisions and computers, though it has also been used in conventional photography. Hexachrome: 6 colours Duotone: Two colour verson of greyscale with no black
Spot colour: is a premixed ink that is used instead of or in addition to CMYK process inks. You can identify spot - colour swatches by the spot - colour icon. ( when the panel is in list view) or a triangle in the lower corner (when the panel is in the thumbanail view). Why are they useful? -Possible to print colours that aren’t able to print with cmyk eg fluorescent -They are cheaper - one printing plate rather than 4 -Branding: can achieve concistently - no variation Pantone Matching system: unique reference number Colour books (Pantone - UK standard) When using adobe suite, never changed name of swatch. !!!Tints allow you to vary when only limited stock!!!
Global process colours: a global colour is automatically updates throughout your artowkr when you edit it. All spot colours are global; however, process colours can be either global or local. You can identify global colour swatches by the global colour icon (when the panel is in list view) or a triangle in the lower corner (when the panel is in the thumbnail view).
ARTWORK
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THE CORRECT PREPARATION Mock ups Proof Sign off etc. Font (copyright) Pre-flight check (CMYK etc) Mock up for printer.
Preflight on indesgin FILE>Package Printing instructions for sending to a printer. Commercial print: PDF: (print quality)
When you click ‘save pdf’ on indesign you may see no progress. Window>Utilities>Background tasks.
Allows you to see it changing to PDF.
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COSTS Early quote 3 quotes Learn rough costs Minimum quantities Aurthor Corrections Delivery
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STOCK
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Weights ( gsm) Finish gloss/silk/matte/coated/uncoated Laid or Wove BoardsCarton Plastics/Acetates (Try to use materials differently)
FORMAT A & SRA (oversized A sizes) Imperial Tabloid/Broardsheet Envelope ‘C’ sizes
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FINISHING Binding Folding/Creasing Dye/Stamping
Duffield print visit. Advice from the professsionals.
Always use pdf + involve pre-flight checks. Single pages for imposing. EVERYTHING PRICE DRIVEN - so less interesting outputs. When sending - get it checked before sending it to them and then asking for changes! TIP: When designing, consider the type of binding that will be used and therefore the amount of design you may loose down the spine. The more processes that you ask for, e.g. foiling etc the more ‘more-overs’ needed which adds to the cost.
A Summary
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The key things to remember are:
-Work backwards from your deadline and price limit. - The definining criteria when deciding method of printing is QUANITIY. -Ask and check with your printer - do not assume you know everything.