Design Production for Print/Print Workshop//7 Things to know about print.

7 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT PRINT

This week's workshop with tutor Lorenzo, talking about the general factors which are a necessity when working in a professional print environment. 

Great inspiration for the ISSUU 'Top Ten In Print' brief, which will soon be published on my Design Practice blog.

COLOUR MODELS

FORMAT

ARTWORK

STOCK

PROCESSES

FINISHING

COSTING

COLOUR MODELS

- RGB & CMYK (the print differences)

- Hexachrome

- Spot Colours

- PMS (Pantone Matching System)

FORMATS

- Standard ISO paper sizes

- A & SRA Sizes

- Imperial (North America) versus metric (rest of the world)

- Tabloid (Compact), Broadsheet, Berliner (The "Inbetween" size)

SRA Sizes= the colour bleed printing sizes (slightly larger dimensions)

DL Size= 1/3 of A4 (standard business envelope size)

STOCK

- Weight (gsm)

- Finish (Gloss/Silk/Matt//Coated/Uncoated)

- Laid or wove (paper weave structure)

- Boards, carton

- Plastics & Acetates

- Many, many more...!

ARTWORK

- Document set up

- File format & fonts

- Spellcheck

- Colour spec

- Printer marks

- Pre- flight check (Ensures all of your files are CMYK before print, embedding fonts, etc)

- Mock ups

- Proofs (The final responsibility lies with the client in the sign off)

- Sign off (V. important)

- Check copyright of typefaces//Creative Commons- A range of possible legal uses (usually with specific requirements- not for financial profit, etc).

PRINT PROCESSES

- Litho

- Gravure

- Screen Print

- Flexography

- Pad Printing

- Six Colour

- Laminate (gloss//matt)

- Foil Blocking

- Emboss//Deboss

- Spot UV varnish

FINISHING

- Binding (what type?) (eg swiss binding, spiral, perfect, saddle stitch, PUR)

- Folding & Creasing

- Die Stamping/Drilling

COSTS

- Get a quote early on, before you start the job in earnest, if possible.

- Identical specification for 3 print estimators (tendors) to work to.

- Learn roughly what things cost per unit.

- Understand viable minimum quantities- the number may determine the print method used (e.g- litho- digital)

- Extras/Author corrections

- Delivery?

PANTONE BOOKS

- Solid coated

- Solid uncoated

- 4- Colour process coated/uncoated

- Colour bridge (compares RGB against CMYK)