THE DESIGNFOR FOR THE DESIGN PRINT GUIDE PRINT GUIDE BOOK BOOK A GUIDE ON HOW TO PROFESSIONALLY PREPARE HOW TO PROFESSIONALLY PREPARE YOUR YOUR DESIGNS FOR PRODUCTION PRINT PRODUCTION DESIGNS FOR PRINT
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BYAND SOPHIE WILSON WRITTEN DESIGNED BY SOPHIE WILSON
A concise guide for preparing your work for print; from initial design development and colour model translations to costings and print finishes.
SOURCES, WITH THANKS TO... All images featured within the publication have been linked to their orignal source alongside the particular photograph, diagram or design. Utilised with gratitude and appreciation.
CONTENTS Colour Modes: CMYK/RGB Colour Modes: Spot/Pantone The CMYK gamut Converting to CMYK Printing processes Stock choices Spot Colour to CMYK conversions Costings Proofing/Reprographics Format and Imposition Print Finishes Registration/Linen Testers Glossary
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COLOUR MODES CMYK/RGB CMYK
is the subtractive four colour process by which all images and designs are printed. C, M, Y, and K stand for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Black is referred to as ‘key’ as all printing plates are aligned to the ‘key’ black plate. Printed in over-laying inks of CMYK, images are produced in full colour, made up of a tiny dot pattern named halftones.
RGB is the additive
colour model used to produce colour for screen based design. R, G,and B stand for the primary additive colours- RGB, which, when combine, produce a multitude of visible colours.
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CYMK// Cyan/Magenta/ Yellow/Key (Black)
RGB// Red/Green/ Blue
The colour mode utilisied for print-based design from it’s 100% solid to 10% tint variant.
The colour mode utilised for screen-based design from it’s 100% solid to 10% tint variant..
COLOUR MODES SPOT/PANTONE SPOT COLOURS
is the term for printed inks which are generated by a single print run. Spot colours, are often they are colours which cannot be reproduced from the four colour process. To obtain a consistent spot colour from design to print, colour matching systems are used- the most common being ‘PANTONE’.
PANTONE
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‘Arena Afrika’ by Heydays, a publication about the Norweigan Council in Africa, one spot colour.
A Pantone swatch booklet, with colours being examined by a linen tester
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Arena-Afrika/315025
http://photo-dict.faqs.org/ phrase/2476/pantone-swatch. html
is a brand most commonly known for their “PANTONE matching system” (PMS). Through the aid of swatch books, colour consistency can be ensured from digital design to print.
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THE CMYK GAMUT THE CMYK GAMUT is the
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range of colours visibly reproduced from the print process. As shown on the diagram (right) the CMYK gamut range is considerably smaller than the RGB gamut (design for screen). Therefore, many colours available on screen will appear dramatically desaturated when printed. There are several ways that this can be avoided (as best as possible) and “warnings”. For example, when picking a colour in Adobe software, if a small yellow triangle appears on the right of the swatch colour, this //Top means it is out of the A diagram of visible colour gamuts. CMYK gamut. Clicking on the triangle will http://waleedsgallery.biz/_foconvert the colour to rumuploads/colorspaces.gif the nearest print-safe shade.
//Below An example of the “out of gamut warning” symbol, as visible on Adobe Illustrator software. Red, being a difficult colour to achieve in print.
CONVERTING TO CMYK CONVERTING TO CMYK is
essential when converting RGB files to print readydesigns. Due to the limited range of the CMYK gamut, colours will often appear more saturated. In Photoshop, this can be easily achieved. IMAGE> MODE> CMYK OR VIEW> PROOF SETUP> CMYK PROOF SETUP> IMAGES> ADJUSTMENT> REPLACE COLOUR //Top
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An original RGB photograph, SOOC, Canon 350D DSLR camera.
Editing the original image in Adobe Photoshop software with the ‘replace colour’ adjustment in the “images” tab.
http://www.flickr.com/ photos/37905387@ N05/5926753802/in/set72157623410446273
This will help you to produce print-safe colours in the CMYK gamut which most effectively represent the original RGB image.
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PRINTING PROCESSES PRINTING PROCESSES
are a fundamental process when considering the item(s) you are printing, and the outcome you want to achieve. Some print processes in professional practice include: DIGITAL PRINT is a low-run, economic print method. Digital prints convert digital files straight to print-based designs. FLEXOGRAPHY (Flexo) is a costeffective, low quality print process which can be used for print on plastic, cellophane, //Top paper, etc.
‘Computer Arts’ maga-
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zine, printed in the litho GRAVURE (or process with spot UV Rotogravure) process varnish print finish. entails the image being engraved onto a cylinder http://k-mead0912-dc.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_arin a rotary print process.
//Below Food and drink wrappers are usually printed by the flexography process to ensure low cost, but also resulting in low quality. http://www.grandsenfants.fr/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/carambar2.
PRINTING PROCESSES ROTARY SCREEN PRINT the digital screen print process in which several mechanisms are utilised for a cost and timeeffective print outcome. SCREEN PRINTING the traditional printing process in which ink is squeezed through a woven mesh to expose a printed design in spot colour of combined CMYK process colour inks.
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‘Alice’s Adventures...’ books by Claire Nicholson which combine traditional screenprint with digital.
Web Offset printing- most commonly printed by this process are newspapers or magazines.
http://www.clairenicholson. co.uk/index.php?/work/alicein-wonderland/
http://www.lavaprint.com.au/ jakfiles/Offset.jpg
WEB OFFSET is the print method most commonly used for low-cost, high run newspapers and magazines. Rolls of papers are printed at huge volume, and cut and/or folded post-print to the specific dimensions required.
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STOCK CHOICES STOCK CHOICES
are a necessity in the printing process from the initial design stages. Elements to consider are the gsm (grams square metre) which determine thickness and flexibility, colour (in combination with colour/ monochromatic inksdoes this dull/brighten them?) size and format, and, one of the most important factorswhether the paper is coated (polish, smooth surface) or uncoated (unpolished), as this will determine the choice of spot colour application from the appropriate coated/ uncoated PANTONE swatch booklet(s).
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Paper stock considerations include weight, colour, size, coating and absorbancy of texture.
These pastel-coloured prints for a gelato company have been printed onto established paper retailer, ‘Fedrigoni’’s stock.
http://www.bookworks.com. hk/main/images/oldMill_big. jpg
http://noregretscoyote.files. wordpress.com/2010/12/fedrigoni_3.jpg
SPOT COLOUR TO CMYK CONVERSION SPOT COLOUR TO CMYK CONVERSIONS
may occur when the wrong choice of printing process is chosen to produce print-based designs. Spot colours (such as specialist Pantone brand colours) which cannot be made from CMYK cannot be produced by digital print, only a professional print job will ensure that your spot colour remains consistent and doesn’t automatically convert to a process colour.
//Top The vast variety of PANTONE colours cannot be achieved by digital print as they require special inks. http://www.smartgarmentpeople.com/images/page_image/ pantone%20swatches.jpg
Ensure that the print process method required in known before you apply spot colours //Below to your design, and Digital print inks consist feel free to speak to of CMYK- any colours not made up of CMYK will au- the printer beforehand tomatically be converted about any possible to CMYK ink. concerns or confusion. http://www.fineimageprint. co.uk/digital.jpg
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COSTINGS COSTING your
print job correctly will ensure that you have the most cost-effective outcome- whether it be for personal design or working for a client. Several factors determine the price of printing, such as paper stock and binding methods. To gain the clearest insight into printing costs, check the price per unit (individual printed outcome), and ensure you shop around before committing. Feel free to talk to printers to find out what’s most suitable for your aspirations of the print outcome, as well as //Top your budget.
Designs by Graphic Designer Liam Hine for the LCA End of Year Show 2011.
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l-hine0811fmp.blogspot. com/2011/05/end-of-yearshow-private-view-invite.html
//Below Special print finishes will add a considerable amount to a print job- so ensure you/your client are aware of the costs. l-hine0811fmp.blogspot. com/2011/05/end-of-yearshow-private-view-invite.html
PROOFING/ REPROGRAPHICS PROOFING/ REPROGRAPHICS
//Top Examining a proof postprint, examining the quality of colour, resolution, etc. http://www.colourgen.com/ images/pressroom/EFI_042_ Large.jpg
is an essential practice in the print production process. At the start of a print run, a “proof� print will be made to ensure that no mistakes have been made, and give the designer an opportunity to make any necessary corrections or amendments. This job is usually carried out my the reprographics team at the printers where the work is produced, so it is a worthwhile task to discuss your projects with them to make them aware of any potential issues that //Below may arise, or concerns A photograph of the you may have about printing process- applying the print run. ink to be transferred onto stock.
http://www.janoschka.com/
about/
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FORMAT AND IMPOSITION FORMAT
considerations are a fundamental requirement from the initial design stages. Considering the size of your paper, whether it be an ISO standardised paper size (see example, right) or something a little more unique, the format will play a large part in time of your print run, value for money, number of units produced within your budget, and, in some scenarios, the stock that the design is printed onto. Feel free to talk to printers to find out what’s most suitable for your aspirations of the print outcome, as well as your budget.
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The dimensions of the ISO paper ‘A’ series sizesOther paper sizes include the ‘B’, and ‘C’ series, to name a few.
This diagram shows the ‘A’ series, ranging from A0 to A8 dimensions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ File:A_size_illustration2_with_ letter_and_legal.svg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Paper_size
FORMAT AND IMPOSITION IMPOSITION is a
method of print formatting which ensures both a time-effective and economical print run. Imposition is the arrangement of printed pages on the printer’s sheet, when making a folded document (book, pamphlet, etc) which fills the sheet as much as possible and in the correct folding order- reducing both time and cost. Considerations when imposing your design include the format, number of pages, paper fibre direction and alignment (with the fold of the page) and the finished binding method. //Top
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‘Arena Afrika’ by Heydays, a publication about the Norweigan Council in Africa, one spot colour.
The Adobe InDesign Help diagram- with advice on how to impose a document for printing.
http://www.behance.net/gal-
http://help.adobe.com/ en_US/InDesign/6.0/ WSa285fff53dea4f-
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PRINT FINISHES PRINT FINISHES
are an integral part of the print process, and can transform and enhance your work to achieve a desirable, and luxurious finish. Some print finishes include: DIE CUTTING utilising a metal stencil form named a ‘die’, shapes are cut out to form patterns or outlines from paper or fabrics. DEBOSSING a print finish in which the design is indented onto the surface, often accompanied with stamp colouring. The opposite of emboss. EMBOSSING //Top the design is carved or moulded onto a surface A saddle-stitched booklet for Gold and Silver Dots so that it stands out in a Exhibition. three-dimensional relief.
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http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo/archives/2010/03/gold-and-silver-dots-exhibition-catalogue. php
//Below Print finished with 2 spot (PMS 871 Gold/PMS 877 Silver and UV Spot Varnish on the dots/cover) http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo/archives/2010/03/gold-and-silver-dots-exhibition-catalogue. php
PRINT FINISHES FLOCKING fine grain wool or felt that is applied to paper and heated to produce a velvet-like texture. FOIL BLOCKING an area of a design is covered in solid foil (usually metalliccoloured) and heated for a high-end “metallic” look. SPOT COLOUR/PMS a specified colour generated by an ink which is printed by a single run. Pantone is the most widely used colour matching and specification system.
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Business Cards for ‘Second World’ design collaborative.
As well as imploying letterpress techniques, spot colours are used: PMS 538/PMS 629/Blind.
http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo/ archives/2010/03/secondworld-business-cards.php
http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo/ archives/2010/03/secondworld-business-cards.php
SPOT UV VARNISH a liquid coating print finish that is applied to a printed design for a translucent, gloss. Talk to printers about the correct application of preprint finish preparation in the initial design stages.
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REGISTRATION/ LINEN TESTERS REGISTRATION
is the print method in which inks and overprinted to produce a full-colour image, as in the four colour/CMYK process. CMYK images are produced by minute halftone dots, which, when effectively overlapped produce a crisp and colour-rich print outcome. Registration marks are also often used in print-based design (particularly in proofs) to align the print layers to //Top ensure a high- quality Print patterns created by result and design the overlaying inks in a halftone CMYK design. outcome.
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http://mocoloco.com/fresh2/ upload/2010/01/handmade_ cmyk_by_evelin_kasikov/ cmyk_evelin_kasikov.jpg
//Below Registration and print marks used for proofs. http://www.iworkcommunity.com/system/files/download/59/printers.jpg
REGISTRATION/ LINEN TESTERS LINEN TESTERS
are strong magnifying lenses which help to assess quality within print. Originally used in the textile industry to measure weft and warp it provides a similar purpose in print. Being able to assess the halftone measure of your print will educate you of both the print process, and quality of colour application.
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‘All The World’s a Page’ utilisises a linen tester for magnification of Marx’s text ‘Das Kapital’.
A linen tester here, testing and evaluating the stamp’s print quality
http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo/ archives/2011/01/all-thewords-on-a-page-poster-1.php
An inexpensive and worthwhile investment- a linen tester will ensure you get the quality of print that you desire.
http://www.vision-call.co.uk/ Desktop-Magnifiers/LinenTester.html
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GLOSSARY ADDITIVE COLOUR is produced from a primary source
of light from the colours of the visible spectrum (which when combined make white). Screen colours are primarily made from Red, Green and Blue (RGB) which combine to produce millions of other visible colours.
CMYK stands for ‘Cyan’, ‘Magenta’, ‘Yellow’, and ‘Black’, which are the four base colours used in colour printing.
DEBOSS a print finish in which the design is indented onto the surface, often accompanied with stamp colouring. The opposite of emboss.
DIE CUT a print finish which utilises a metal stencil form named a ‘die’ to cut out shapes, patterns or outlines from paper or fabrics.
DIGITAL PRINTING a printing process in which digital files are printed from an Inkjet or Laser printer.
DUOTONE the reproduction of an image using two colour
layers- one traditionally black, which draws attention to middle tones and highlights within the image.
DUPLEXING a print finish used on paper or cardboard
which produces a different colour on opposite sides of the stock.
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GLOSSARY EMBOSS a print finish in which the design is carved or moulded onto a surface so that it stands out in a threedimessional relief. The opposite of deboss.
FLEXOGRAPHY a rotary print method which uses rubber or
plastic plates in combination with inks or dyes. Usually used for printing on low-cost, low-quality designs such as confectionary wrappers.
FLOCKING a print finish of fine grain wool or felt that is applied to paper and heated to produce a velvet-like texture.
FOIL BLOCKING a print finish in which an area of a design is covered in solid foil (usually metallic-coloured) and heated for a high-end “metallic� look.
FOUR-COLOUR PROCESS another term for the CMYK print process.
GAMUT the range of colours produced by an output, e.g, screen (RGB) or print (CMYK).
GRAVURE a print technique which utilises etched plates or cylinders (also referred to as Intaglio)
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GLOSSARY GREYSCALE an image composed of shades of grey,
varying to weak intensity black to strong intensity white.
IMPOSITION the arrangement of printed media to form a sequence of pages.
OFFSET LITHOGRAPHY a printing process in which the
image is transferred or “offset� from a rubber blanket, and then to the print surface.
PAD PRINTING a printing process in which the two-
dimensional design is transferred from a printing plate onto a silicone pad onto a three-dimensional object.
PANTONE a colour-matching system and brand often referred to as the Pantone Matching System (PMS) to ensure colour consistency from design to print.
PROOF a trial sheet of the printed design to examine for any checks or corrections.
REPROGRAPHICS a general term for reproduction of mediaoften involved with the proofing process.
RGB an additive colour model in which when red, green and
blue are combined, produce a vast array of colours. The colour model utilised in screen-based design.
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GLOSSARY ROTARY SCREEN PRINT the print process in which designs are mechanically screen printed.
SCREEN PRINT the print process in which ink is forced through a woven mesh in open areas of an exposed image stencil.
SPOT COLOUR a specified colour generated by an ink which
is printed by a single run. Pantone is the most widely used colour matching and specification system.
SPOT UV VARNISH a liquid coating print finish that is applied to a printed design for a translucent, glossy effect.
STOCK the particular material onto which you are printing. SUBTRACTIVE COLOUR the mixing of colour in which a full range of colours is produced by absorbing wavelengths of light, and reflecting others, as in the CMYK colour model. The opposite to additive colour.
UNIT an individual item or print outcome. WEB OFFSET a print process in which designs are printed on a continuous roll of paper, being separated and cut post-print. Commonly used for high-volume printing such as newspapers or magazines.
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DESIGNED 2011//BAGD LEEDS COLLEGE OF ART