Willow Creek Arts - Day 2 - Breakout 4 - Graphic Design for Print

Friday, June 13th, 2008

This was a good session to help complete my understanding of printing and the process to get there. These guys did a great job showing us the start-to-finish plan for getting the best results in print. Here are my notes.

Session 4 Graphic Design for Print
by Mark Wells, Joe Dascenzo

Getting started

Know the final intent
Pick the right program
Start from file templates if possible. Make them if you would use them frequently.
Start with highest resolution file size or larger

While you’re working…

Save a version of your files for each time you present it. Not just raster but your working document.
Save often
Back it up
Use character styles
Use keyboard shortcuts

Revisions

Encourage clients to use a PDF workflow for edits/feedback
Get edits as a batch and not a ton of emails with little edits on each one
Get a sign-off on all presentations

Printing

Take advantage of gang-run goodness. Can you have things printed together?
Paper companies give away samples and even useful items demoing their products.
Befriend your printer and they will help you out.
Get new quotes often.
Buy large amounts of your own paper if possible or prepay printer for paper in large amaount.
Is there a house rate for printers?

Proofing

Have the client send pre-proofed content. it is not your job to fix a ton of bad gramamar and misspellings unless it IS your job to fix.
Check your files
Proof it all
Proof it again
Have proof team proof it!
Content is proofed by client, signed off, and all liability is on the client

Preflight

All images need to be 300 dpi
Color mode should be CMYK for color and Grayscale for b&W
Does it bleed?
Proof it again!

Production

Typically a vendor will want a print-ready PDF with all fonts outlined
Give printer actual print-outs - folded and cut - of your project for reference with any instructions on them
Proof the match print

Printing

What does the end user expect? What does our culture expect? Secular culture hands out full color for no good reason, so why are Christian pieces in Zerox B&W?

Finishing