TH E PR I NTI NG PROC ESS
Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 PRINTING PROCESS 4 PRESS OVERVIEW 5 BASIC OFFSET PRINTING PROCESSES 7 BASIC DIGITAL PRINTING PROCESSES 11 INKS 12 PAPER 15 ADDITIONAL PRINTING OPTIONS 17 BINDING 20 COLOPHON AND ENDNOTES 23
TAB LE O F C O NT ENT S
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I. Pre-Press Proofs The primary goal of ‘proofing’ is to serve as a tool for customer verification that the entire job is accurate. Prepress proofing (also known as off-press proofing) is a cost-effective way of providing a visual copy without the expense of creating a Press Proof. If errors are found during the printing process on press, correcting them can prove very costly to one or both parties involved.i Most proofs today are done on a laser or inkjet printer and are cheap or on a highend die-sublimation printer and expensive. Some common proofing types include Bluelines, Chromolines, and Matchprints. Digital soft proofs on a computer screen should only be used as rough indicators of final output.
II. Pre-Press Proofs (diagram)
PRINTING PROCESS
PRINT ING PRO C ESS
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I. Web Fed
i. Web-fed refers to the use of rolls (or “webs”) of paper supplied to the printing ii press.
II. Sheet Fed
i. Sheet-fed refers to individual sheets of paper or paperboard being fed into a press via a suction bar that lifts and drops each sheet onto place. iii
PRESS OVERVIEW
PRESS OVERVIEW
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III. Imposition
One of the fundamental steps in the prepress printing process. It consists in the arrangement of the printed product’s pages on the printer’s sheet, in order to obtain faster printing, simplify binding and reduce paper waste. FOUR PAGE FOLDER
SIX PAGE FOLDER
EIGHT PAGE FOLDER
d. Make Ready
The term “make-ready” refers to everything done on a press to prepare for the final print job. This includes selecting the proper colors, getting the image placement correct, setting up the plates, and preparing the printer for the chosen paper size and weight.
PRESS OVERVIEW ( C O NT INUED)
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I. Offset Printing Types
BASIC OFFSET PRINTING PROCESSES
BASIC O FFSET PRINT ING PRO C ESSES
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I. Offset Printing Types
I N TAG L IO O R GRAVURE
SCR E E N O R ST E N C I L
PLANO GRAPHIC O R O FFSET LIT HO GRAPHY
R E L I E F O F L E T T E R PR E SS
Ink is transferred to paper by being squeezed through the open parts of the screen: non-printing areas are chemically hardened and thereby solidify the screen at these points.
Ink is transferred to paper from wells sunk in the Ink is transferred to a paper surface of the cylinder. Non-printing areas are on directly from the raised parts of type or illustrations. the surface from which all the ink is wiped by All other areas of the printing form are lower than the doctor blade; depth of the individual wells the printing surface and determines the amount of before receive no ink. ink transferred to paper.
Ink is transferred from a flat plane, usually sink through other metals or even paper may be used to a rubber blanket and thence to paper. Parts of the plate which are to print are greasy and therefore attract the ink: others are not and therefore attract water which repels the ink
BASIC O FFSET PRINT ING PRO C ESSES ( C O NT INUED)
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i. Gravure (Intaglio) Printing ii. Letterpress (Relief) Printing 1. Image areas are etched into metal plates to form reservoirs for ink. The entire image area is screened with the depths of the reservoirs controlling the amount of ink being transferred, thereby controlling the density of tone on the paper. The etched gravure cylinder rotates in a fountain of ink, filling the reservoirs. A doctor blade then wipes the ink from the non-recessed, non-image areas of the plate. The image is then transferred directly from the plate onto the paper by the impression cylinder. Intaglio printing presses may be sheet-fed or roll-fed and provide quality reproduction on both smooth and textured surfaces. Intaglio printing is a relatively expensive process and is normally reserved for high-volume, highquality products.iv Gravure (Intaglio) Printing
1. This process is the opposite of intaglio printing in that the image areas are raised above the non-image areas. The process uses metal type, engravings, combinations of both or duplicate plates to carry the image. The ink is applied by rollers to the raised surfaces and then transferred directly onto paper. Impression is sharp and clear but varies with the smoothness and texture of the paper. The relief process is somewhat dated and has been replaced by lithography in most major printing operations. v Letterpress (Relief) Printing
a. Platen i.The plate and paper are both carried on plane surfaces. Paper is sheet-fed into position on the platen which then presses against the inked image in the press bed b. Flat-bed cylinder i. The impression cylinder which also carries the paper is on a stationary axle. The press bed which carries the inked image moves back and forth. Impression is made under pressure as the cylinder revolves. Cylinder presses are sheet-fed. c. Rotary i. Rotary presses have two cylinders that rotate at high speed in the same direction. One cylinder which carries the inked image transfers this image to the other cylinder which carries the paper. Paper may be sheet-fed or roll-fed.
BASIC O FFSET PRINT ING PRO C ESSES ( C O NT INUED)
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(Offset iii. Planographic Lithograph Printing 1. This method is based on the principle that water and oil do not mix. Offset lithographic plates carry both the image and the non-image areas on the same level. Image areas are photomechanically reproduced onto metal plates that are chemically sensitized to accept ink and repel water in the image areas. Non-image areas accept water and repel ink. In offset lithography, the plate first contacts rollers of water and then the inked rollers. The inked image is transferred from the plate onto a rubber blanket cylinder, and then onto the paper which is carried by a third cylinder. The resilience of the rubber blanket allows offset lithography on a wide range of surface textures. Paper may be sheet-fed or roll-fed. Multi-copy reproduction of most cartographic products is done on sheet-fed offset presses. Offset lithography is by far the most common printing process available and is normally used to reproduce cartographic artwork.
There are two techniques of forming an image on the lithoplate: a. A negative is exposed in contact with the coated plate. The resultant image is based on the residual hardened coating; the unexposed (background) areas are soluble and removed; b. A positive is exposed in contact with the coated plate. The image itself, being soluble, is removed. Like the negative-made image, this technique forms a “surface”plate, but it can also provide a “deep-etch” plate, with the aid of acid etching, so producing an image which is slightly recessed. Planographic (Offset Lithograph Printing
BASIC O FFSET PRINT ING PRO C ESSES ( C O NT INUED)
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I. Offset vs Digital
Laser
II. Modern printing methods such as laser
BASIC DIGITAL PRINTING PROCESSES
and ink-jet printing are known as digital printing. In digital printing, an image is sent directly to the printer using digital files such as PDFs and those from graphics software such as Illustrator and InDesign. This eliminates the need for a printing plate, which is used in offset printing, which can save money and time. Without the need to create a plate, digital printing has brought about fast turnaround times and printing on demand. Instead of having to print large, pre-determined runs, requests can be made for as little as one print. While offset printing still often results in slightly better quality prints, digital methods are being worked on at a fast vi rate to improve quality and lower costs.
Ink Jet
BASIC DIGITAL PRINT ING PRO C ESS
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I. 4-Color Process
INKS
ii. CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key, or black. These are the four colors of ink used in the traditional method of printing hardcopies of images, called offset printing. The three colors, plus black, roughly correspond to the primary colors, from which can be mixed colors across the visible spectrum. CMYK is a color mixing system that depends on chemical pigments to achieve the desired hues. Before the advent of desktop inkjet or color laser printers, most images printed on paper used offset printing with CMYK colors. A color picture is separated into its separate, constituent parts to create four related pictures in cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Each image is made into a plate onto which the right concentration, or amount, of colored ink is applied. When the four plates each print onto a page, the colors recombine and form the original image. For example, a deep plum might have equal amounts of cyan (blue-green) and magenta (pink), with a tinge of black.vii
iv. In color printing, registration is the method of correlating overlapping colors on one single image. There are many different styles and types of registration, many of which employ the alignment of specific marks. If one of the plates in CMYK is off, it is considered out of registration. CMYK
CMYK (Out of Registration
INKS
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II. Pantone
i. The Pantone Color Matching System (PMS) is largely a standardized color reproduction system. By standardizing the colors, different manufacturers in different locations can all refer to the Pantone system to make sure colors match without direct contact with one another. A majority of the world’s printed material is produced using the CMYK process, and there is a special subset of Pantone colors that can be reproduced using CMYK . Those that are possible to simulate through the CMYK process are labeled as such within the company’s guides. However, most of the Pantone system’s 1,114 spot colors cannot be simulated with CMYK but with 13 base pigments (15 including white and black) mixed in specified amounts. ii. SAMPLE: Show Pantone chip if you can find one. Otherwise, find an image of one or provide another solution.viii Pantone
III. Spot Color
i. In offset printing, a spot color is any color generated by an ink (pure or mixed) that is printed using a single run. Offset technicians around the world use the term spot color to mean any color generated by a non-standard offset ink; such as metallic, fluorescent, spot varnish, or custom hand-mixed inks including Pantone.
Spot Color
INKS ( C O NT INUED)
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IV. Halftone
i. Is an image that renders smooth variations of color in an original by means of dots assigned to areas of the image electronically. The dots cannot easily be seen by the naked eye, but can be discerned through a microscope or a magnifying glass. The resolution of a halftone screen is measured in lines per inch (lpi). This is the number of lines of dots in one inch, measured parallel with the screen’s angle. Known as the screen ruling, the resolution of a screen is written either with the suffix lpi or a hash mark; for example, “150 lpi” or “150#”. When different screens are combined, a number of distracting visual effects can occur, including the edges being overly emphasized, as well as a moiré pattern. Halftone
Typical Halftone Resolutions
V.
Bleed and Trim
Bleed is a printing term that refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet before trimming. Trim is to make (something) neat or of the required size or form by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts.
INKS ( C O NT INUED)
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I. Coating
A finish applied to a printed piece like another layer of ink Glossy Coated Stock
INKS
Matte Coated Stock
Uncoated Stock
PAPER
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II. Weights
Paper is measured in pounds per 500 sheets of a standard size of sheet based on the group or category of papers the grade.
find out on what color sheet of paper III. Tosomething is printed you have to look at
IV.
Bond Paper
Text
Cover
theside of the paper. If the side is white then it was printed on white paper. A sheet that is larger than the cut stock of the same paper.
Duplex PAPER ( C O NT INUED)
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I. Screen (Stencil) Printing
i. This process is one of the oldest and most widely used methods of reproduction. Traditionally screens consisted of porous materials, such as silk, mounted on a wooden frame. Modern day image carriers or screens are usually made of polyester fabric or stainless steel mesh. Printing is done by forcing ink through the image areas of the screen with a squeegee. The non-image areas of the screens are blocked by stencils which are hand-cut or produced by photo-mechanical methods. The simpler systems make it difficult to register additional colours accurately. For this reason it is mostly limited to simple and bold reproductions, for example, posters, report covers, invitations, programs, etc.
ADDITIONAL PRINTING OPTIONS
Screen (Stencil) Printing
ADDIT IO NAL PRINT ING O PT IO NS
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II. Thermography vs. Engraving
1. Thermography is an offset printing process. The type/image goes onto the paper as flat ink and then while the ink is still wet, a very fine powder is dusted onto the paper and it goes through a very high heat oven. That powder liquefies and hardens to form the raised print. Thermography usually has a glossy look and there is no ix “white”.
1. Engraving requires the design to be etched onto a copper plate. The engraver then forces the paper on to that plate with very high pressure and the result is a raised image on the front, and you can see the “bruise” of the plate on the back of the paper. That is the evidence of true engraved stationery. When metallic inks is used, the paper passes through the process once more to burnish the ink and give it a finished, smooth look. Engraving usually has a matte-finish (unless metallic) and allows for light colors on dark paper stock.x
Thermography
III. Embossing/Debossing
Engraving
Embossing
Debossing
i.Debossing and embossing are similar processes that create a different result. Both processes involve making a metal plate and counter. The plate is mounted on a press and the paper is stamped between the plate and counter. This force of pressure pushes the stock into the plate creating the impression. Embossing creates a raised impression on stock – pushes the image above the level of the paper. Debossing is the reverse of embossing. Debossing creates a depressed impression on stock – pushes the image below the level of the paper.xi ADDIT IO NAL PRINT ING O PT IO NS ( C O NT INURD)
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IV. Varnish
Gloss
i. Varnish is essentially ink without pigment, so it can be run using a regular unit on the press and hold exact dot-for-dot registration. A gloss varnish deepens colors on a printed piece, while satin and dull finishes reduce contrast. Though there is extra cost and will often yellow over time, adding a flood or spot varnish can provide dramatic effects at a relatively inexpensive cost.xii
V. Foil
i. Foil stamping, typically a commercial print process, is 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.xiii Foil
Matte
Silk or Satin
UV
All-over
Spot
VI. Die Cut i. Die-cutting is a process used to cut a thin flat material into a specific shape using a steel cutting die. It can be used to punch out a decorative shape or pattern to incorporate within a larger piece, or it can be used to create the main shape of an object by cutting the entire sheet of paper in an distinct/designed way.
Die Cuts
VII. Other There are many other options available. This is simply an introduction. Ask your print vendor about possibilities that will enhance designs.
ADDIT IO NAL PRINT ING O PT IO NS ( C O NT INURD)
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I. Folds and Binds
BINDING
i. Accordion Fold
Gate Fold
iii. Saddle Stitch
Perfect binding
B INDING
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II. Scoring
i. Scoring refers to the process of making a crease in paper so it will fold easier. Basically, a paper score is a ridge that is indented into the paper where the fold line will occur. This indention is made using a blunt metal edge – from either a wheel or a rule – that compresses the paper fibers to create a hinge-like area. This “hinge” is what allows for smoother folding. Scoring also helps improve the appearance of the fold because it provides a consistent guideline as well as reduces the potential for the paper to buckle or crack. In addition, scored paper is less likely to cause harm to toner-type inks or thicker clear coats during the folding operation. A score is generally used prior to folding heavy weight papers, such as cover weight papers, card stock and cardboard. In fact, the thicker the paper, the wider the score must be. Lighter weights of paper generally fold well without the need for scoring.xiv
III. Creep
i. In a saddle stitched booklet the bulk of the paper causes the inner pages to extend or creep further out than the outer pages when folded. When trimmed the inner pages are narrower than the outer pages, counteracting the creep. Creep varies depending on the thickness of the paper and the number of pages. If there is no creep allowance, pages are trimmed the outer margins become narrower toward the center of the booklet and there is the possibility that text or images may be cut off.
IV. Guter
i. The inside margins or blank space between two facing pages is the gutter. The gutter space is that extra space allowance used to accommodate the binding in books and magazines. The amount of gutter needed varies depending on the binding method. In saddled-stitched publications the amount of gutter, as well as the outside margins are adjusted to allow for creep. Gutter is sometimes used to refer to the alley or space between columns of text in a page layout.xv
Creep
Scoring
B INDING ( C O NT INUED)
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V. Impostition,Pagination, and Signatures i. Imposition is the term used for preparing for pagination in a multi-page document when the printed sheet is folded and trimmed so that the resulting pages (signatures) back up correctly and run consecutively. This also relates to work and turn (see first chapter).
B INDING ( C O NT INUED)
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I. Endnotes i
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepress_proofing
ii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_printing
iii Ibid. iv Ibid. v
http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/T0390E/T0390E12.htm
vi http://graphicdesign.about.com/od/printproductionglossary/g/digital_print.htm vii http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cmyk.htm#did-you-know viii http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantone
COLOPHON AND ENDNOTES
ix http://bellacartastudio.blogspot.com/2009/07/engraving-versus-thermographybenefits.html x
Ibid.
xi http://www.brooklynartproject.com/forum/topics/668279:Topic:74068 xii http://www.na.sappi.com/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=6c559fee-547e-4dc6-aef9-b5d3c0754288&groupId=10165 xiii http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foil_stamping xiv http://formaxprinting.com/blog/tag/printing-score/ xv http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/pagelayout/g/gutter.htm
C O LO PHO N AND ENDNOT ES
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II. Colophon
My name is Miguel Castillo and I am a Graphic Design student. I am originally from Hot Springs, AR but after high school I decided Jonesboro was the Mecca of the design world (NOT) and decided to move here; and to be more frank, because Arkansas State University is more generous about scholarships. But now that I am here, in the Art Annex at two in the morning, I would say that I love the Graphic Design department at ASU. I really enjoy all of the time I spent working on projects and ideas. I hope to one day become a succesful Graphic Designer with new creative ideas that will result of expanding my creative walls.
III. Process of book This type of paper I used to print was legal paper. This types used for this book were Baskerville, Helvetica, and Palatino. The printing process used for this book was laser print. The bound used for this book was coil-bind.
Having said that I would like to credit myself for working really and tremendously hard on this book you are holding with your hand(s) (hopefully because any other way and I may not want it back) and getting it done. I would also like to thank Print For Less, 48 Hour Print, and others that I lied to so they would send me printing samples. I would also like to actually thank the Mac computer that allowed me to work my project from start to finish. Lastly I would like to thank the most loyal, moving, and comfy friend that is the chair I use. I could not imagine having somebody sit on my for countless hours. This book is dedicated to you.
C O LO PHO NE AND ENDNOT ES ( C O NT INUED)
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