PRINTINGPREPRESSGUIDE
SETTINGUPYOURDOCS
05 SETTINGUPYOURDOCS
09 DEALINGWITHIMAGES
15 DEALINGWITHCOLOR
19 PREPARINGFORPRINT
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INTRODUCTION
As designers, the hardest part is not always the creation process but the printers themselves. Colors can go wrong or registration won’t hit. The problems are very similar from different software such as InDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop; to projects from posters, brochures, newsletters, logo. This small guide outlines the basics of taking your design work from the screen into your hands.
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SETTINGUPYOURDOCS
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PAGE SIZE
MARGINS
Here is where you setup the length and width of your document. From standard business stationaries to custom sizes, anything is possible but affordability could be an issue when items get much larger. A document beyond 11x17 becomes large format where commercial printers will charge a much larger sum. Check your nearest printing locations for estimates.
In documents a margin is the space between the main content and the edge of the page. Its purpose is to allow for a safety “margin� as the edge can often be the most inconsistent area for printing. This space is also helpful for aesthetic purposes and helping to create a readable text.
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BLEEDS Most home and commercial printers cannot print to the exact edge of paper which is where bleeds are needed. Bleeds are zoned areas that go beyond the sheet. Elements such as photos or colored background placed on the edge should go to the bleeds to ensure it fills the edge of the paper. This small sliver also helps to account for any inconsistencies with printing as paper can move just slightly that can affect the edge of prints.
SLUGS Slugs hold printing information, such as instructions or descriptions about the document. This information will appear outside of the trim.
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DEALINGWITHIMAGES
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COLOR MODELS Introductory Paragraph
72 PPI
Designers encounter color models used for many different RESOLUTION situations. Here are some of the most commonly encountered models . When designers talk about resolution, they often mean the resolution of a raster image. Look at a jpg close enough and you’ll see pixels. The resolution of this image is it’s pixel density from its length to its height.
Take a look at these three examples below and see the difference between images 72ppi (Pixels Per Inch), 150ppi, and 300ppi. A low resolution image blown up to larger sizes than it can handle are blurry and pixelated. In most cases other than stylistic purposes, avoid using low resolution images as much as possible.
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150 PPI
300 PPI
COLOR MODELS RASTER In the world of design we often come into contact with two different image types. Onewith of the common is a RGB is an additive color model the most primary colors of red green and blue lights. Allimage three combined creates raster which is made ofwhite pixels and various mixtures of of the three create a whole array of hundreds of thousands of pixels. colors. Monitors from televisions, computers, to phones use When dealing with raster images RGB system to display color. account for its dimension (it’s height CMYK and width) and its pixel resolution or pixels per inch (ppi). RGB
CMYK, also known as process color, is a subtractive model using four primary colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and key color black. The color model is most used for printing. Designers must take into account that images done through RGB may differ when converted to CMYK or printed. In most cases its best to start print-projects starting with CMYK to avoid color discrepancies. Pantone Matching System
PMS or Pantone Matching System also known as spot color is a standardized color system for print from the company Pantone founded in 1962. The idea behind the system was for designers to match colors during the production process. With Pantone using 18 base colors,raster the system can
vector
VECTOR Another form of image is known as a vector. Instead of pixel blocks, a vector is made of points with each line or curve calculated mathematically to form shapes. The benefits of this mathematical system is the ability to enlarge shapes without the problems of pixelation with raster.
DEALINGWITHIMAGES
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BIT DEPTH The term bit depth tells us how much color information is available for each pixel in an image. The more bits the more colors are available giving us a more accurate color for our images. Below you can see the difference between 1 bit to 8 bit depth.
1 BIT
8 BIT
HALFTONE DOTS Half tone dots are the result of the process color method separated into colors. Using a loupe you will see that printed pictures using process color are made of many dots. 12 DEALINGWITHIMAGES
DUOTONES PICTURES IN DUOTONES
A halftone picture is made up of two printed colors. This setup can also be useful for splitting images into separate processes in programs like Photoshop. For example, if you want to separate files for CMYK channels, instead of using two or more colors, use only one by choosing the Process color of cyan, yellow, magenta, and black in color libraries of Pantone Color Bridge coated.
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DEALINGWITHCOLOR
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RGB RGB is an additive color model with the primary colors of red green and blue lights. All three combined creates white and various mixtures of the three create a whole array of colors. Monitors from televisions, computers, to phones use RGB system to display color.
CMYK CMYK, also known as process color, is a subtractive model using four primary colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and key color black. The color model is most used for printing. Designers must take into account that images done through RGB may differ when converted to CMYK or printed. In most cases its best to start printprojects starting with CMYK to avoid color discrepancies. 16 DEALINGIWTHCOLOR
PANTONE PMS (Pantone Matching System) also known as spot color is a standardized color system for print from the company Pantone founded in 1962. The idea behind the system was for designers with tools such as a color bridge to match colors during the production process. With Pantone using 18 base colors, the system can achieve colors that CMYK is unable to reproduce. With more brilliant and clean colors, spot colors are great choice when using minimal color jobs with corporate logos and identity programs using it most commonly.
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PREPARINGFORPRINT
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Weights
PAPER Paper coming in different weights, textures, and materials. With so many options, it can be daunting task just what to choose. Here are some concepts you should know with paper.
uncoated
coated
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The classification of paper’s weight is determined by pounds per ream (500 sheets of paper). If 500 sheets of a particular size of paper weighs 60lbs, the paper is classified as 60lb bond. 20lb sheet is typical weight of printer paper.
Coated vs Uncoated Uncoated paper has a rough texture and porous which soaks up more ink compared to its coated counterpart. This often leads the finished ink to look dull. In comparison, coated paper has a glossy look. The thin cover prevents colors from sinking too deep in the paper and allows for better color reproduction. This coating layer does have its drawbacks such as its writability.
color bars
PDF With your project done, it’s time to prepare the file for print. PDF is one of the best formats to do it. In InDesign create a High Quality Print. In the export dialog box, check ‘All Printer’s Marks’. These marks are helpful for the printer to determine where to trim, and helpful for alignment of plates.
cropmarks
registration marks
bleed marks
page information
slug
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GLOSSARY Bindery the finishing department of a print shop firm specializing in finish printing products.
Foil A metallic or pigmented coating on plastic sheets or rolls used in foil stamping and foil embossing.
Bleed Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet after trimming.
Foil emboss Foil stamping and embossing a image on paper with a die.
Brightness The brilliance or reflectance of paper.
Foil stamping Using a die place a metallic or pigmented image on paper.
Butt Joining images without overlapping. Often called “KissButt� Coated paper A clay coated printing paper with a smooth finish. Color bar A quality control term regarding the spots of ink color on the trail of a sheet. Color correction Methods of improving color separations. Color key Color proofs in layer of acetate. Color matching system This is a system of formulated ink colors used for communicating color. Contrast The tonal change in color from light to dark. Cover Paper A heavy printing paper used to cover book, make presentation folder, etc. Crop marks Printed lines showing where to trim a printed sheet. Cyan One of four standard process colors. The blue color. Density The degree of color or darkness of an image or photograph. Die Metal rule or imaged block used to cut or place an image on paper in the finishing process.. Die cutting Curing images in or out of paper.
4-color process The process of combining four basic colors to create a printed color picture or colors composed from the basic four colors. Gloss A shiny look reflecting light. Hickey Reoccurring unplanned spots that appear in the printed image from dust, lint, dried ink. Imposition Positioning printed pages so they will fold in the proper order. Knockout To mask out an image, so the paper shows through. Loupe A magnifying glass used to review a printed image, plate and position film. Magenta Process red, one of the basic colors in process color. Mask Blocking light from reaching parts of a printing plate. Moire Occurs when screen angles are wrong causing odd patterns in photographs. Negative The image on film that makes the white areas of originals black and black areas white.
Dot An element of halftones. Using a loupe you will see that printing pictures are made many dots.
Offsetting Using an intermediate surface used to transfer ink. Also, an unpleasant happening when the images of freshly printed sheets transfer images to each other.
Dummy A rough layout of a printed piece showing position and finished size.
Ok sheet Final approved color inking sheet before production begins.
Duotone A halftone picture made up of two printed colors. A halftone picture made up of two printed colors. Emboss Pressing an image into paper so that it will create a raised relief.
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Opacity The amount of show-through on a printed sheet. The more opacity or the thicker the paper, the less-show-through. Perfect bind A type of binding that glues the edge of sheets to a cover like a telephone book. Pica Unit of measure in typesetting. One pica 1/6 inch.
PMS The abbreviated name of the Pantone Color Matching System. Point For paper, a unit of thickness equaling 1/1000 inch. For typesetting, a unit of height equaling 1/72 inch.
Trim size The final size of one printed image after the last trim is made. UV coating Liquid laminated bonded and cured with ultra-violet light.
PostScript The computer language most recognized by printing devices.
Varnish A clear liquid applied to printed surfaces for looks and protection. (UV coating looks better.)
Process blue The blue or cyan color in process printing.
Verso The left hand page of an open book.
Process colors Cyan (blue), magenta (process red), yellow (process yellow), black (process black).
Watermark A distinctive design created in paper at the time of manufacture that can be easily seen by holding the paper up to a light.
Recto Right-hand page of an open book.
Web A roll of printing paper.
Register marks Cross-hair lines or marks on film, plates, and paper that guide strippers, plate makers, pressmen, and bindery personnel in processing a print order from start to finish.
Web press The name of a type of presses that print from a rolls of paper.
Reverse The opposite of what you see, printing the background of an image. For example: type your name on a piece of paper. The reverse of this would be a black piece of paper with a white name. Score A crease put on paper to help it fold better. Self-cover Using the same paper as the text for the cover. Skid A pallette used for a pile of cut sheets. Spine The binding edge of a book or publication. Split fountain Putting more than one ink in a printing fountain to achieve special color affects.
Wire O A bindery trade name for mechanical binding using double loops of wire through a hole. With the grain Folding or feeding paper into the press or folder parallel to the grain of the paper. Work and tumble Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from the gripper to the tail to print the second side using the same side guide and plate for the second side. Work and turn Printing one side of a sheet and turning it over from left to right using the same side guides and plate for the second side.
Spot varnish Varnish used to highlight a specific part of the print sheet. Stripping The positioning of film on a flat prior to platemaking. Substrate Any surface on which printing is done. Text paper Grades of uncoated paper with textured surfaces. Trapping The ability to print one ink over the other. Trim marks Similar to crop or register marks. These marks show where to trim the printed sheet.
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