The Art of
Printing
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PRI
INT The Art of
Printing Yordan Silvera
What’s the purpose:
Answering specific goals will help answer questions about design, quality, quantity. Each of these affect and answer questions about the path that you will be taking in the print manufacturing process.
Who’s the Audience:
Besides the obvious advantages to learning and knowing your audience for design purposes, it also has an affect on your possible choices of print manufacturing choices. High-end, water-marked, engraved letterhead on Cranes Crest, or typed letterhead Docuteched on bond? Additionally, variable-data printing has now allowed designers and marketers to do things they could never do before.
How will the piece look?
Again, besides design answer to this question, those design answers will, in turn, effect your choices in ink colors, papers and print quality.
How will the readers use the piece? A menu must be strong at the fold and resist spills
How will other processes handle your piece?
Labels, pocket folders, inserting machines, coordinating with your mailing vendor.
How will it reach your audience? Mailing?
Matching envelopes, inserts and handwork, GBC binding needs a jiffy bag, should the printer pack 12 to a carton or 24? What about weight? On-site storage, or what about incremental fulfillment?
Where else might you use your content?
Interesting notes on file management keeping in mind that you should keep your files flexible so that you can make the change to online or DVD production.
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Delivery deadlines
Working backwards from the delivery date to create a design, production and print schedule including correction cycles (how will that work with your client)?. • Outside processes – what is in-house? • Paper purchases • Web presses and publications
Optimal Quantities
Unit costs – offset printing: more economy with numbers Never go back on press, shelf life, paper and ink life, storage factors
Quality
Your choice of quality has a dramatic effect on which printer you will choose. • You usually get what you pay for. • A printer with the lower bid Why are they less? Should be competitive
Budget
Your design solution and your client’s desires and expectations will determine what kind of printer you will be using. If your not buying the printing, you are probably responsible for it, or want to be to be sure that your design is responsibly cared for. • Getting bids • House stocks • Negotiating • Location…does it matter?
Environmental Concerns
If this is a consideration for you and your client and especially your client’s audience in your design and printing, this will definitely affect your print buying decisions. • Printer the company you keep– waterless, recycling, what’s their stand on the subject? What procedures or programs do they have in place? • Inks – soy / vegetable based • Recycled paper – post consumer waste
Workflow
Depending on the kind of printing, and printer, your responsibilities will vary. Are you scanning or getting scans from the printer? Preparing PDF files? Press check. Pre-planning can determine the proof cycles. Randoms.
Delivery of the file to the printer Be sure that the printer you pick has the capability to deal with the software applications you have. Tell the DCS2 story. How big is your file…how will it get there?….ftp site?….digital workflow policies…..proofs and approvals
Planning for results in printing
Printing methods Engraving
•Used for high-end stationary •Direct printing method •Usually demands a high-end paper stock •Dull, chalky feel •Very sharp and precise, like all engraved processes •Images are etched into a metal plate •A thick ink is pulled across the plate, then wiped off, then, under intense pressure, is pressed onto the paper. Even leaving a slight indentation on the back side. •Images areas are usually small – the top and bottom of a letterhead takes two passes •Verify that the ink is laser compatible •Limited press runs •Hand time, small presses, limited plate life
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Thermography
•Known as “raised printing” •Business cards, invitations, letterheads – cheap engraving •Fine resin powder is sprayed on to the wet ink and put into a heater where the powder swells as it dries and creates the raised, glossy look. •The power usually takes in the color of the ink, but that must be verified •It may crack over folds •Large solid areas have a wavy, imperfect look and feel.
Reprographics
•Copying and duplicating •Digital in nature, toner based •Increasingly better reproduction •Good alternative for tight deadlines and low budgets •Xerox Docutech •Variable Data •Bindings: Saddle stitch, tape binding, wiro, comb, coil •Kinkos, etc.
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Letterpress
•Original printing technology •Direct printing method •Relief Printing – the image area is higher than the non-image areas •Like rubber stamps •Final product may feel indented •Plates can be mechanically and chemically etched to make halftone dots and line work •Imprinting business cards •Crash numbering •Today it is associated with hand-made papers and other crafts
Screen Printing
• T-shirts, signs, stickers, binders, glass, billboards, political signs • Ink pulled through stenciled screens with a squeegee and • Bright colors • Low line screens 60-150 • Test run to show gradations and fades • Loose 4-color registration • Loose leaf binders • Opaque and transparent inks • Screens and line screens depend on the material your printing on. • Alternative print method for odd thicknesses or sizes • Low to medium runs • Heavy ink coverage • Durable – good for outdoor • UV inks • Slow process, slow drying (except with flash units) • Print on anything
Flexography
•Prints on odd substrates that offset can’t handle • Direct printing method • Popular in packaging industry • Another type of relief printing
• Ink is thin and dries quickly allowing it to be printed on non-porous surfaces like plastics • Prints on thin plastic bags as well as thick cardboard • Milk cartons, bread and candy wrappers, gift wrap, cereal boxes • Loose register and low line screens • Lowest dot it can hold is 10% (compared to 3% in offset)
Gravure
• Metal plates mounted on web presses, etched with millions of tiny cells of varying sizes that get filled with a thin ink. • Direct printing method • Transferred directly to the paper • Not offset, no blankets • Used for huge runs of money, magazines and direct-mail catalogs • Long runs – millions • Very wide presses – 70-118” – cutting sheets that are 50-75” long • Sheet sizes that create 48-64 page sigs • Great color and ink coverage • Runs of over 1 million • Plates cost 4x as much as offset
Digital or Print on Demand
• Printing process using a 100% digital workflow. • No film or plates • Instant turnaround • Exact and Short runs (starting with 1) not recommended for large runs • Toner or electrostatic ink • Limited size up to 20” • Requires approved special papers • Variable data • Duplex • Online storefronts
• Low makeready • Lower unit cost for the relatively high-end product • Answer to shelf life • Pleasing color
Offset Lithography
• Most popular print method • Offset printing method • Fast and sharp and inexpensive • Oil and water principle. • Offset – meaning that it is not direct to the paper, but that the image is transferred to a rubber blanket then transferred to the paper. • Sheetfed and Web • Waterless http://www.waterless.org/NwhatIs/howItWorks.htm • UV Printing • Most likely sheetfed when under 25,000. Tight color, showcase quality, expensive stocks. • Most likely a web candidate when over 25,000. cheaper paper, can be perfected. • Web press sizes – half web has made inroads into the sheetfed market • Tight register – 1/1000 inch • Press sheet sizes are made for 8.5 x 11 • On press color correction • 1-10 color presses • Varnishes • Aqueous coating • Forms & Sigs • Work and turn
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What’s the right color?
·Everyone’s idea of the “right” color is
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different. What is flag red? What is royal blue? This is not only true with solid color, but also full-color photos.
What cookies look appetizing?
·Who is correct? Designer. Client, Prepress scanner operator, print salesman? ·Your expertise and experiences with successes and failures will develop your design tendencies.
What you and your print vendor CAN control:
·Quality of the original (within reason) ·Paper – surface, condition ·Inks – choosing the right methods and inks to do the job, good inks ·Press production ·Your environments for creating the scientific control
What you and your print vendor CAN’T control
·Color blindness ·Light source for viewing printed pieces by your audience ·Yellowing of paper and inks over a period of time ·Environment – wet, sun, temp ·In this class, we’re here to make sure that whatever color you choose, is what comes off the press.
Color Gamut –
The range of colors that any given process or device can produce (understanding that all people have different levels of color acuity). Visible RGB Pantone CMYK
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than women. 7% of males have some sort of color blindness, as opposed to only 1 percent of women. When you are on press, keep in mind getting peoples “opinions” and nor looking at the numbers at the same time. Ultimately, the “who is right factor” makes the decision. Who is your audience? You are giving direction to the photographer, color scanner operator, or making adjustments to the digital photos, or on the press check.
· · · · ·The color gamut of nature is about 10 million colors. ·You get less and less until you reach CMYK ·CMYK gives you about 4,000 colors
The original source of your color image:
·Transparency ·Print ·Reflective art ·Provided digital file ·Each stage of the image is its own medi-
um…its own interpretation. Nature, photo/ painting, scan, monitor, printed piece. If your desire is to “match” the original or to create your own vision, you must know the best way to get there on the printed page…. ie: cmyk, conventional screening, stochastic, fluorescent, varnishes?
CMYK, RGB and Spot – Getting into the ink side of things
·Known as Subtractive color, RGB is what
your monitor uses to display. As shown above, compared to the printed CMYK gamut, the color gamut is much broader on your monitor, just like viewing a transparency on a light table.
·Total ink Coverage. Each printer also has
a total ink density that they have for certain processes on certain papers. All 4 colors at 100% would equal 400%. No paper can handle it. The shadows will fill and colors are hard to manage. Newsprint – 180-220% Digital – 220-280% Uncoated Stock – 240-280% Matte Coated stocks – 280%-310% Gloss Coated stocks – 300-340% Offset printing can handle 320% density. Web printing can handle about 280%.
Ask your printer!
·Rich Black: Each printer has their own
formula 80.60.40.100 If you printed a field of just 100% black, it would look weak. You add “undercolor” to richen-up the black to give it body. This is a great design tool.
efinign
·Color acuity: men are more color blind
·Many printers have 6-color presses that
allow them to print CMYK + two extra PMS colors or vanishes. Most common setup for achieving most goals of designers. Within those available 6 units + aqueous coating, you can get where you need to be, most of the time.
·Ink manufacturers: Toyo, DIC, Kohl
·CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. ·CMY by themselves didn’t have enough
Madden, etc, Each printer chooses one main company that they contract with. You will find that all produce good images, but certain companies have better reputations than others. Toyo works with paistes that are very rich in pigment. Also they have excellent color consistency and quality control. They are the parent company, unlike Kohl Madden which is owned by a German company.
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Inks to watch out for
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Transparent white
snap or contrast, so printers added the black (K) -- 4-color process printing – In most cases, black is the producer of detail in a photo, as well as cyan and magenta, but never yellow. Obviously there is no black in RGB to when you convert images to CMYK, “black substitution” takes place. Printers can give you their specific settings for conversion. It is important, because it will give you the best results. Their specs will control the total ink coverage (density), black substitution, and dot gain.
Reflex Blue - Pantone Spot color Scuffing, smearing and slow dry times
Metallic Inks - be cautious about using metallic inks on stationery. The stress of being
passed through a laser or inkjet printer can cause metallic flakes to find their way into the printer. Be emotionally prepared for some dulling over time. Metallics will oxidize. Varnishing helps to slow it but doesn’t prevent it. Also varnishing will not make it shinier. Fluorescent ink pigments have a limited life span when exposed to sunlight. Be cautious about using fluorescent’s on stationery that will be run through laser or inkjet printers. Heat is used to fuse the ink to the paper initially and putting it through more heat could cause it to dislodge.
Dot Gain
Also known as tone value increase, dots increase in size through the many steps in manufacturing…the biggest being when the ink hits the paper. How the ink stays in its place and doesn’t fill in is called ink holdout. ∑ “ink holdout” is a GOOD thing. Dot gain effect the outcome: Loss of detail Color shifts in tint builds Screens print too dark Unmatched proofs
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Dot gain is influenced by:
·Paper -uncoated has more, coated has less ·Printing method – more gain on web, less
olor
on sheet-fed. All 9 printing methods have different guidelines. Inks – old petroleum inks had better holdout than soy-based inks, but all printer have to use vegetable-based inks today. Higher screen rulings show greater dot gain – smaller dots grow more than bigger Screen patterns have different results with dot gain Waterless printing process has less than conventional
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A 50% screen of a color with 10% dot gain, becomes 69%. Midtones (35-65%) have the most dot gain.
Draw-downs : great way to see an ink on paper. Metallics -- Old days, metallics were made with real metal flakes. Today its synthetic. They actually go on smoother and can wet trap better. Whole range of metallic colors, as well as, special metal fx mirror inks Varnishes Varnish can be thought of as another kind of ink. Special protective and reflective properties Clear or tinted Gloss, satin, dull Reduces fingerprints, scuffing and scratches You can print halftones Strike through varnish Adds cost (plates and ink)
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Tint Values
·You can use any combination of the 4
process colors to create thousands of additional colors Color Bridge Choosing you tint builds wisely Should you use a spot color instead?
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Trapping
·Trapping: the method of adjusting areas
where two distinct, adjacent colors meet so that press misregistration won’t cause white spaces (paper) Don’t confuse bad trapping with misregistration You should never have to set your traps for offset litho Check with your vendor for any print method (screen, flexo) Pick your battles: you don’t want to trap or impose. Do you want to color correct? Do you want to buy the paper? Financial liability. Wet trap (in line): all run at once Dry trap (off line): varnishes are run a day later, when the inks have dried. Varnish affects are more extreme when applied dry (a separate press run)
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Color management
Relationship of Monitor, Laser Prints, Proofs, and Press…and Calibration Profiling – is the process of using specialized equipment to evaluate devices such as scanners, monitors, proofing systems, and presses to determine the color characteristics of each device.
Control your environment:
·Minimize lighting interference ·Subdue that psychedelic monitor background ·Calibrate and profile your monitor ·At the very least use the basic built-in Mac color utility System Prefs/Displays
Images obviously will look different on your screen from the way they look on a printed page. The goal of profiling and calibrating your monitor is to get it to look as close to the printed page as possible.
Image Resolution
·We all know that 300 dpi is the standard for image resolution. ·Screen ruling (lpi) and print method and product will determine your dpi. ·Scans can be enlarged to 125% of their original size ·Scans can be reduced ·The larger you go, the lower the dpi ·Vector images don’t have resolution Notes:
·If you need to make an image larger or
smaller than 50-75 percent and you are able to rescan the original then do that rather than resize via the software. If you start with a high res image and need to enlarge it, go up in increments of 15% to reach the total size. Use Unsharp Mask at each step to tighten the detail. CS3 has solved much of the enlargement issues. Photoshop uses Bicubic scaling as the default in the Image Size window. Consider trying Bicubic Smoothing for enlargements or Bicubic Sharpen for reductions (though this can over sharpen so experiment). The only safe rotations are 90˚ turns, all other turns result in some softening. It’s not wrong to rotate but consider not rotating too many times.
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1 Must have DCS2 (a variant of the EPS format) 2 Page-Layout applications rasterize vector content in TIFF’s and PSD’s 3 EPS’s cannot be re-opened in Photoshop with vector content intact
TIFF (Tagged Image file format) Quark, InDesign, and Word EPS
Can contain vectors, rasters, or a combination of raster and vector content. If your photoshop file contains text that is not rasterized, it is best to save your file as an eps, retaining the vector data. PSD files work too.
PSD native InDesign CS3 has no problem. Check with your printer. Photoshop PDF
Not used to often but you can retain vector items and spot colors when placed into a layout program.
Layered files
Ask you printer about layered files and placing them in your page layout. They may say to supply the layered version separately, but to place a flattened version. Inappropriate Bitmap file formats for Print PNG BMP GIF JPG – with the exception of high res jpg’s
Vector Graphics
·Vector images are not resolution dependent ·Vector EPS can be used in both InDesign and Quark ·You can also use native Illustrator files
and copy and paste them into InDesign for editing with in InDesign. Excluded from this would be blending modes such as drop shadows. Create drop shadows in InDesign.
·If you must rasterize a vector file it’s best to export direct from the Vector program
rather than rasterizing using Photoshop. Rasterizing from Illustrator to a TIFF or high res JPEG would be appropriate.
·It is appropriate and in your best interest to outline all fonts that are in vector files that are going to be imported into your layout application. Inappropriate Vector file formats for Print Microsoft Windows Metafile Format (WMF) Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF)
Fonts
·Postscript – contains screen font and
printer font • True Type – single file font • Open Type – single file font, can be used on both Mac and PC with no special handling and the entire font family which formerly required separation into sets is not in one font. It’s easier now to use these fonts with out fear of imaging problems. They are compatible with all recent RIP’s. Watch out for substitutions! When collaborating on a design try to avoid substituting a True Type version for a Postscript font with the same name. OS X includes system fonts named Helvetica, Helvetica Neue, and Times Roman just like their poscript cousins. Under the hood these are True Type fonts. The problem is the names are indistinguishable from their Postscript counterparts. If the job is created by multiple people who are using different versions of a font, this may result in font substitution and consequent reflow. If you think this might be a problem deactivate the system fonts.
Font licenses
Think of fonts as software that is purchased with a license for use. A license agreement might read:
You may send a copy of any font along with your documents to a commercial printer or other service bureau to enable the editing or printing of your document, provided that such party has informed you that it owns a valid license to use that particular font software.
Supp orted Featu RGB re Colo r Spa TIFF ce CMY EPS K Co lor Sp X PSD a ce Gray X scale PDF X X ICC P X X rofile X s X Clipp X ing P X aths X X Layer X s X X X Alph X a Cha X nnels X X Spot Colo X r Cha X X nnels Dueto X nes X X Bitm 1 ap X X Vecto X r Data X X X Trans X paren X 2 cy X 3 X X 2 X X X
Intro to Imaging 9
constructing a document With all your knowledge from the previous weeks in this class, you should have a full understanding of the proper steps in preparing to create a document
From SAPPI’s The Standard “Ten Best Practices of Successful Art Preparation”. This list and the practice of building a proper foundation for producing a printed piece is the same for all projects.
Different kinds of Projects:
·Business Cards:
What to say: Description to a printer Set up Multiple names Bleeds Common color background to determine chopcut or not Don’t guess -- consult your printer
·4-Pager or “folder” (not a pocket folder):
What to say: Description to a printer set up Reader or printer spreads? Final folded size? Extra fold for mailing?
·Brochures:
What to say: Description to printer Flat size vs finished size Number of folds Kind of fold Paper weight and thickness
Knowing your folds
Definition of panels or pages 4-page simple fold 4-page with a short fold 4-12 panel accordian fold 6-page/panel (or more) roll or barrel fold 8-page/panel gate fold
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French fold 8-page parallel fold Knowing your panel sizes Printer requirements and tolerances
Talking with your printer and getting panel sizes
·Pocket Folders (portfolios)
Standard sizes Templates Glue ears Ink, vanishes and glue A pocket folder is an interactive piece—plan for use Paper dummy is a must 100-120# cover stocks Get a template from your printer Business card / CD slits
·Tabs
2-8 Tab banks Work with your die cutter or printer Document size Bleeds Live area (critical) Colors tabs (trapping into page)
·Binding considerations
Wiro & Plastic Coil Binding Perfect 3-ring hole punch Other kinds of binding and live area Ask you printer about the ramifications of special binding techniques and “live area” and the gutter. Get a dummy made!
·Multipage documents
Besides all the prior prep we have done…
See SAPPI The Standard page 16-17 Self and plus cover and folio rules Printers vs readers spreads Cover and text together or separate documents? Creep and pushout Live area Gutter
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Working with Printers Truly working with a printer is knowing your print vendor like YOU work there. After taking a facility tour, you should know enough about the printer and have your gut feeling about if you wish to give them a shot at producing your job.
You have the knowledge.
You have the ability to evaluate and choose the right printer. This will put you in the best position to get your job done correctly, on time and on budget. Understanding How Your Job Flows Sales, estimating (designer, scanning?– submission) -- project manager/csr, planning/ estimating, prepress (proof – designer) – plating, press, bindery (in-house?), delivery / fulfillment / storage Estimating and Bidding a job: -have the same pre-designed estimate sheet that you send to all printers -fit the job to the printer (3 or less) -reps then should call back and ask questions about details of the job -the weight is on their shoulders to get you the right price -variations -additional 1000’s -professionalism of quote (characteristic of a printer) -pay for overs? Credit for unders? Usually 10% -- costs for exact quantities -preliminary schedule Designing your own Bid sheet. Possibly put in your journal as a page. Department Roles:
Sales: - He represents you in the plant. - He is you initial contact and your “go to” person for bigger problems. - He is a resource—use him - If you like the company, but not the rep, ask for another one CSR/Project Manager - most likely your contact, once the work has begun - they know where your job is at all times - they may know more about the current situation than the sales rep
Planning and Estimating
- once a job has arrived, it goes back for planning and estimate confirmation - they layout the pages as they will print on the press sheet - in many plants, the estimator and planner are one person. Having a good estimator/ planner can save thousands
Scheduling
-once your job hits the plant, it gets scheduled in the plant. You should get -you should get an interim schedule for proof arrival, proof return, print date and delivery.
Imposition
They impose the pages for the plate, according to directions of the planner
Pressroom
-another form of check and balances -first time that ink actually touches paper -ask to talk with the press foreman on a tour
Bindery
-what can it handle?
Fulfillment and Shipping -policy on pick-ups and deliveries -own drivers?
Evaluating a Printer
- Samples with Final Proofs - Equipment - Will they get a chance to bid?
Choosing the Right Printer - The evaluation goes on - go with your instinct
Relationship with Your Printer Bidding a Job Negotiating
Prepress
-Evaluates your file – creates proper trapping and “rips” the file for imposition -scanning -proofing -“point of no return” regarding costs
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At this point in your project
· You have produced your design in your page layout application · You know which printer it is going to · You have notified the printer (a few days prior) that your file is coming ·You have knowledge of how the file is going to get to the printer ·You should know the tentative production, proof, and delivery schedule. · Tentative press check time? · You should have the print vendor’s estimate number · You should have an absolute estimated cost and time frame. · You have all the contact info for your salesman and csr and they have your contact info (cell phone)
Everything that we have gone over in prior sessions should have brought you this moment. Epic. Take the time! Its only 30 minutes out of your day, but it could save you everything. Time Money Ass kicking Insist to your impatient boss, client, courier that you must check to see if there are any loose ends. “Do you want it done?...or done right?” (Don’t actually say this. You won’t make any friends.) Before you write the file to the CD or upload it to the printer’s FTP site, you must tie up all the loose ends and check over your file.
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Your Pre-Release Checklist: File Organization All files have proper names and extensions? Files located in designated folders? All images included? All fonts included? Final hard copy matches file? (no revisions—even tiny ones) Die cuts, perfs, folds noted?
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Overall file review
· Deleted items on the pasteboard · Document size correct? · Panel sizes and fold marks · Bleeds at 1/8” (not less or more) · Spell check · Consider binding in live elements? · Double check important items such as phone numbers, names, contact info. · Check transparency · Rotations and scaling Colors
· Delete unused colors · Spot colors? · Color names consistant? · Colorspace of Colors: “broken out” to CMYK not RGB?
Imported Images
· Pictures trapping to photo frames and boxes · All images linked to the “Images” folder · Rasterized images scaled to less than 125%? · Scans butt against rules? · Colorspace of images: CMYK not RGB · Colorspace of imported images? · Imported vector images outlined fonts? · Any embedded fonts or images within imported images?
Fonts
· Check your font usage for unusual of unused typefaces All fonts in Fonts folder? Any problem fonts? NO MENU STYLING?
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Utilize InDesign’s built-in features to review your document From SAPPI’s The Standard (page 18-25). “Releasing [your file]” Preflighting Before Release What is preflighting? This is the term that is being used to denote that the file(s) have been reviewed and ready for prepress. Markzware’s FlightCheck Designer www.markzware.com In the package for the printer: All files on clearly labeled discs Printout of disc directory Marked-up hard copy (also mark if not printed at 100% final size) Folding dummy? Company “file submission” sheet with all info and instructions
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ile UBMISSION
Make your printer your printer pal Printers are often your allies when it comes to picking paper. Talk to the printer about paper and dimension at the onset of the design before you present to your client Time frame, budget, paper choices Locally available papers Ask for printed samples rather than looking at paper promos
Recycled stocks
Choosing the right paper for your design:
FSC; The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) shall promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.
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· Subject matter: whiter looking paper
which has more blue dye is good for medical, food, cars, landscapes …while warmer papers are good for the cosmetics and lifestyle family images as well as greeting cards. Glossy paper vs uncoated - Ink holdout - Bulk - Image types - Text heavy?
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· Smooth vs textured · Uncoated stocks have greater dot gain · Folding: will the paper crack or tear, do you have the right weight? · Binding: is the papers weight a consideration · Publications: coated stocks tend to weigh more · Publicaitons: lock into paper prices early · How well does this paper fold? · How does it react to foiling or embossing? The economics of paper are the opposite of printing. The smaller the quantity, the more luxurious the materials can be in terms of paper. For example, if you’re doing a small batch of invitations upgrading your paper won’t cause as much budget strain as it would be for a large direct-mail campaign.
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· Pre-consumer waste: paper that never
reached the end user. Unprinted papet such as trimmings, roll ends, damaged paper. Post-consumer waste: paper that has been discarded by the end user. Intercepted by recyclers before going to the landfill Recycling shorten the grain. Traditionally, it does not reproduce as well as paper made from virgin fibers Not as white
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Environmentally appropriate forest management ensures that the harvest of timber and non-timber products maintains the forest’s biodiversity, productivity and ecological processes. Socially beneficial forest management helps both local people and society at large to enjoy long term benefits and also provides strong incentives to local people to sustain the forest resources and adhere to longterm management plans.
· Economically viable forest management
means that forest operations are structured and managed so as to be sufficiently profitable, without generating financial profit at the expense of the forest resources, the ecosystem or affected communities. The tension between the need to generate adequate financial returns and the principles of responsible forest operations can be reduced through efforts to market forest products for their best value.
Paper tips:
Get a paper dummy. Your printer or paper merchant will gladly make paper dummies that are trimmed. Folded and bound. If not a dummy get sample flat sheets - shows specs and flocking (if applicable) - swatch books are misleading (tiny piece) Don’t just one weight of paper. The whole point is comparison. Weigh pieces that you plan on mailing
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Need to save money?
· Spec a house sheet
- Good paper bought at a volume discount by the printer - Common weights and finishes Ask your printer about sheet size and what final sizes can save you money Use the whole sheet of paper going through the press Will not bleeding save money? Picking a colored stock and going from 4-color down to 1 or 2-color
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Specialty papers
· Avoid Disappointment. Talk to your
printer before presenting more unusual paper samples to a client. The printer can insure that paper is available and point out potential technical problems. What are some technical no-no’s? Many stocks are not available Likeability vs. printability How will 4 color photos look on this paper? Printers can give you an idea of how that paper will perform. Not in stock, have to buy minimums You can actually design a custom paper
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Hold paper up to the light – check out how the fibers group Score the sheet when you have solid ink coverage
Envelopes
· Many pre-made envelopes in many sizes for many functions · Open on top and sides, they have square flaps, short and long flaps · Catalog, booklet, window, ticket, policy, baronial, announcement · Obviously printing on pre-made is less
expensive, but limits your design - Cannot bleed – usually 1/4” off the edge check with printer - Cannot emboss/engrave without showing through - Cannot print on the inside Envelope conversion can take 3 weeks or more Check postal regs You don’t have to design according to the category Only some come ready-made Is the project going to be mailed? Does an envelope exist in the paper you want? How much will it cost to make them?
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Paper
Touring the manufacturing facility of a perspective print vendor is a must in your decision making process. If a rep balks at the idea of a tour… red flag! This list is the list of intangibles. These are the things that really show something about a printing company (or any manufacturing plant) that reflect who they truly are beyond the equipment list. At this point, when considering a print business partner, you have to rely on a company’s reputation, referrals, and your gut instinct. 1. Visit more than one plant.
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4. The environment. How are the working conditions? Along with rule #3, these are indicators of how you as a customer and your job are treated and cared for. 5. Meet the sales manager. Establishing a relationship can be helpful in times of need. 6. If possible meet the managers in each department. 7. Plant layout and organization. Efficient workflow requires an orderly plant layout, staff with clear job definitions, and materials and technology in an orderly and logical storage system and location.
2. Quality printing requires a clean facility. Going back to #1, if you were to visit only one printing plant, you might think it looked a mess. Thousands of pieces of film on tables in the prep area, stacks of envelopes near a scanner, piles of orangecolored sheets in the plate area, and paper stacked from floor to ceiling. Look at a dozen more plants, however, and you may find you were mistaken about the first. What might have initially struck you as cluttered could in fact be the cleanest plant on the continent. So before you eliminate a plant because it’s dirty, you need to know what “clean” is. After seeing a few plants, you can begin to trust your gut instincts on the question of sanitation. If you get bad vibes from the way a plant looks, you’re probably right. Something’s wrong.
8. Get the tour guide to give you information as it related to your specific needs, not all the extra bells and whistles that you are not interested in. You would like to hear that too, but be sure to get the info that you came for.
3. Employees. How are you greeted? With a smile? With courtesy? Generally, employees treat other as they are treated. It is a sign of the overall working environment.
11. Is the company proud of who they are and what they have accomplished? Does it show on the tour?
9. Support equipment and personnel. We can assume that any plant you want to take the time visit, has a featured piece of equipment you are interested in. But what is the rest of the equipment like? Additionally, do they have enough of, and the right employees to do the job? Does it all fit together in a logical plan? 10. See the sample room. Is there one? Good or bad it should show you what they think is worth saving and showing.
Plant Tour
The Print Facility
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Imposition
Arrangement of pages so they appear in proper sequence, position, and margins after the press sheets are folded or bound. Sheetwhise To print one side of a sheet of paper with one plate or plates, than turn the sheet over and print the other side using the same gripper and opposite side.
Pre-Planning Ideas Call your bindery Dummy Books Bulking samples Blueline approvals Layout approvals CALL YOUR BINDERY FIRST!
· · · · · ·
Typing and attaching Ink Jet Imaging & Electronic Binding Imaging unit that forms characters by spraying droplets of ink directly on to a substrate at high speed. Drop On Demand System Printers drive “tubes” capable of one or two lines of image. Image can be placed randomly on piece.
· ·
Array System
· Image confined to “Label Area” · Higher resolution image · Multiple fonts/art can be downloaded.
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Bindery Tour
Work and Turn Printing on Both sides of a sheet using the same leading edge (gripper) for both passes through the press.
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So when someone at 3:00 AM opens your envelope, they get a rough idea of what needs to happen. At this point in your project: • You have collected all of your files (fonts, imported images, application file) • You have already known how you were going to get it to the printer…. Ideally you would have a package that would include: • CD with files and a printed directory 1. proper folder structure 2. no stray files 3. all links to images to “Final Images” folder on CD • Marked-up hard copy printout (must be same as file) • Project submission form (cover sheet) • Folding dummy if needed At this point in your project: • You should have contacted your printer and know when the package must get to the printer be start the production schedule to get your job printed and delivered on time. A note on estimating: Remember that it is good to send your sales rep a pdf file to make a really good estimate.
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A note on scheduling: Your schedule must have your proof approval time built in. Mock Schedule: Mon Apr 2: File to printer Wed-Thurs Apr 4-5: Digital Blueline and/ or high-end proof from printer (depends on size of project) Will your client have to see the proof? Fri Apr 6: Proofs returned to printer QUESTION: are there changes, who will do them, how much will it cost, how will it affect the schedule? PE (printer’s error) AA (Author’s Alteration) Let’s assume there are no changes (you were so perfect) Apr 10: On Press (do you ask for a press check?) Apr 11: In Bindery Apr 12: Delivery Your job is at the printer and has been assigned a job number. It no longer is being referred to be the estimate number (although the estimate will always be relevant until you get the bill.) Proofing Cycles When you are planning/estimating/ scheduling the job, you should (your design will demand) a certain level of proofing. Each print vendor has their own method of proofing. Learn it. Know what’s involved, the costs and turnaround times. Choose the proper proofing method for your job. Folded proof (digital blueline) Color proof -- hi and lo end (pleasing color) Hi-end scanning and proofing: • If you have transparencies, illustrations, or prints and need scanning, or even if you have provided the printer with digital stock photos or digital photos from your photographer you will have to get a proof to
know what’s going on. • Even if your photographer or in-house color expert has “color-corrected” the image, you need to get a random proof. From that proof you can move the right direction. • Was your printer told about a round of proofs so the he estimated it in the price? Are other printers bidding on the job putting this in so that their prices seem lower? Was this proofing cycle scheduled into the overall delivery time. • Marking up proofs: pages 16-17 SAPPI’s How To Read A Press Sheet.
The Press Check “…if you and your print salesperson have covered all the bases and made necessary changes and corrections, the press OK should be fast, fun, and uneventful.” —SAPPI’s How To Read A Press Sheet, page 20 It is the printers goal to match the color proofs as close as possible, but remember, I said that each process in the production process in an interpretation of the original. The final step of ink on paper is yet another medium. Once you see the press sheet, your thought may change on how much you wish to match the proofs. The proofs are not your final product, your press sheet is. Main Rule: Time is money. Learn a process. Be efficient. • On a press check, your sales rep should be there with you. They can be a buffer between you and the pressman. They should also be able to interpret and voice your desires to the pressman. • The cost of a press check should already be built into the estimate. You are paying for the extra moments that it takes to hold up the press for your OK. • Pressmen are naturally leery of press checks. (Damn designers) Bringing the client (you) in at the point that the ink hits the paper can sometimes
roject
Three forms you should have: • Estimate sheet • Pre-release checklist • Project submission form This form is a cover sheet that goes in the envelope – attached to your marked-up laser proofs. It could be your company letterhead and should include major info about the job: • your contact info • the estimate number • the Salesman/CSR’s name • job title • due dates: into prepress, first proof date and delivery date • alert notes that you want everyone who looks at the job to remember. i.e. rush turnaround, or special delivery needs.
management
be a painful and lengthy experience. Many clients are not prepared to see the actual product (this will not be you). Many clients do not handle themselves professionally (this will definitely not be you!) • Bring your favorite loupe. • Bring a Red/Blue Sharpie
stock and finish. First Inspection: The Reader Sheet • Position of content and art • Check against the folded blueline • Check for the latest changes • Check for color breaks • Scratches and broken type
SAPPI’s How To Read A Press Sheet from page 20-25.
When you meet the pressman for the first time, establish a friendly rapport. If your salesman doesn’t do it, introduce yourself by name…learn the pressman’s name. Your first response to a sheet will set the tome for the entire press check. Take a collaborative approach to fixing problems on press. He should know printing and his presses better than you do. Ask for his advice rather than telling him how to do things. He can be as passionate (or not) about perfecting your work as you are.
You should develop your own step-by-step methodology of checking a press sheet. It will ensure that you have checked everything and also catch big issues early in the process. Overall you are going to: • Check the stock. Is it right? Weight, color and finish. • Check for missing elements, the latest copy changes and corrections • Check overall 4-color for serious issues • Check registration • Check spot colors for look, density and consistency • Compare process images to proofs – make moves if necessary • Check text for blurriness or fuzziness • Look for holes in solids and any broken type. When you arrive at the print facility, they would have already had your job up and running. The time of the press check it the estimated time of day that a press sheet will be ready for you to view. You should also have all the proofs and ink draw-downs on hand for reference. When you get there and your job is on press, but they are behind schedule (it will happen) and still in “make-ready”, ask for a “reader sheet” to check for content. This will make your time at the facility efficient. Tell the salesman that you know that the sheet is not “up to color”, but you want to review it for content and confirmation of
Following sheets: Number the press sheets as they come out. It helps keep order and show adjustments.
Take an approved sheet back to the office with you. Also, the sheets will be reviewing will be wet. Dryback will occur by the time the job is ready to go to bindery. Darker colors may dry slightly lighter and light colors may dry slightly darker. Problems: Errors at this point in the game are considered MAJOR. You need to decide if you really need to make the change. Is it up to you? Determining problems can be easy (your mistake) or very hard (trying to point a finger as the printer, bindery or paper company). Your #1 goal is to still get the project delivered on schedule and on budget. Signing off: When you like it, sign it. Bring a sheet back to the office.
Fold and trim your sheet down. Sometimes problems only come to light when pages are facing each other.
Delivery: Next step is bindery and finishing. Take that proactive step to talk to your CSR to be sure that the project is on schedule.
Check for crossovers. Color consistency. Review 4-color images and design elements for serious plate issues, like scratches
If your client is receiving the final product, do you want samples delivered to you before they get there’s?
Check registration: • Check register marks all over sheet • Look for blurry images • Check process line art for colors not lining up • This is something you check early because misregistration can shift the color • Check for spot color register and trapping
Again, this should have already been determined in the planning stage.
Check for hickeys caused by paper dust and foreign objects.
Getting the bill: Has this been worked out ahead of time? Did you fill out a credit app? Is your client being billed? Are you being paid for your time for the press check and handling the printing?
Take your press sheet for a walk. Looking at it in different lighting. Try to emulate your clients lighting. Remember that the viewing booth is your scientific control.
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PRI I am ready
to print now!
Am I?
INT
Designer: Yordan Silvera Class: Print Production Instructor: Robert Walker Fall 2007 Corcoran College of Art+Design