| SELECTING THE RIGHT PRINTER |
| GETTING A QUOTE |
| PLANNING & BUDGET |
| CHOOSING PAPER & PICKING COLORS |
| SUBMITTING YOUR ARTWORK |
| PROOFING YOUR WORK |
| HOW TO DO A PRESS CHECK |
| POSTPRESS CHECK |
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While some jobs like stationery are delivered as printed, most printing is usually not complete until it is converted into a "finished" product. Postpress operations include embossing, foiling, die-cutting, scoring, folding and bindery, to name a few. If your job requires finish work, you may want to schedule a post-press check.
Look for sharp, well-defined edges. Hold the paper up to the light and check for pinholes and ruptures. Be sure there are no "halos" or shadows around the emboss.
Check for feathering, color changes, scuffing and peeling. The edges should be sharp and crisp.
Look to make sure die is making a clean cut in the correct position.
Before the printed sheets are folded or bound, review a trimmed dummy of the finished piece to make sure all the pages are in order and line up correctly. Check to make sure inks are not cracking along folds.
We encourage press checks because they aid in successful project completion. The press check takes place after the press is set up, but before the actual run is underway. It is your last chance to make sure all your expectations are met. While errors should have been corrected during the proofing stages, occasionally something is missed. Be aware that revisions at this time are costly, but it will be cheaper to catch and fix an error at this time than finding an error in the finished piece and having to reprint the entire job.
This is the main reason you attend a press check - to make sure that the color on press matches or comes as close as possible to the color you approved in the proof. Color proofs are valuable guides but they never match press colors exactly due to differences in printing methods and materials. The press check allows you to see how your job looks and provides the opportunity to make small overall color adjustments, or to change color/s if the result is not what you expected. These "fine-tuning" adjustments can make the difference between an acceptable or exceptional result.
Take a collaborative approach to fixing problems on press. The best way to get the color you want is to work with your press operator, utilizing their expertise and experience. Concentrate on critical areas like flesh tones or corporate logo match colors. Let the press operator know what you think is out of order and ask for suggestions on how to remedy the problem. If the operator has a good sense of the results you are looking for, they will come up with the right solution.
Keep in mind that the color on press may never exactly match the color proof. Your goal is to make sure the images look as good as possible and to sign-off on a sheet you can be proud of.
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There are different types of proofs available.
are quick and inexpensive to produce. Confirms file contents, shows position, color splits, and copy so you can check for any necessary type corrections. Fattens the appearance of thin type and photo reproduction quality is mediocre.
are used to show content and folding. Iris proofs can be 1/s or 2/s. They show color split but are not used for accurate color.
are pretty accurate. Shows 90-95% color accuracy. Color images look brighter and sharper than they will on press. Black and white photos look somewhat flat. The Epson (unlike the actual printing process) produces images without dots.
are produced directly from the printing press. Very expensive, since the press must be set up and operated to produce the proof, but sometimes necessary. This is the only true color representation of the finished product.
To avoid surprises don't use "illegal" RGB colors when designing for print - colors not available in the CMYK palette. We will convert RGB files but this may effect color.
All CMYK / Grayscale images are 355 dpi or higher. Bitmap images are 1200 dpi or higher at 100% of printing size.
Do not use Truetype or Stylized fonts.
Special effects with truetype fonts do not work. (Note: Bring into Illustrator and convert to paths then import.) When using fonts in a layout program, use the actual font (i.e. if bold use bold; don't select the box for bold while using a light or medium font).
Review copy for typos. Double check photo(s) for blemishes. Check keyline around photos for gaps-Quark tools enable you to zoom in 1200%. Stay away from using hair-lines in dialog boxes. Use registration color for crops. Extend images past trim for bleeds. Output separated lasers. If applicable, make sure layout conforms to US Postal Mailing Regulations.
Label your disk with contact name, contact telephone number and list of contents. Do not send any unnecessary files. Provide final layout file. Create folders to organize other necessary files. For example, include all image files used, tiff, EPS etc. in an "image" folder and include ALL fonts used in a "fonts" folder.
Check number of plates.
When printing screens inside a solid reduce screen percentage for dot gain.
This occurs in gradations when too small of a screen percent change is made over too large of an area.
In process work black is strengthened by adding a % of cyan, magenta and yellow to create a rich black. Our standard is 40 cyan, 30 magenta, 30 yellow, 100 black.
Need to be converted to CMYK for printing.
Refers to how much colors overlap to eliminate white lines between printed colors.
This effects readability. Sometimes it is necessary to fatten up thin type.
The file size and amount of resolution determines the quality when printed (smoothness of image).
When too much ink is printed in one area effecting the ink density of another area.
FTP is preferable over e-mail to transfer files larger than 2MB from one computer to another on the internet. To use FTP you must have FTP Client Software like FETCH to control the transfer of your files.
Capitol Press operates an FTP Server for clients contact us for more information. (You can download FTP Client software from links on our website.)
| Grade Classification | ||||||
| Quality | Super Whites | No. 1 | No. 2 | No. 3 | No. 4 | No. 5 |
| Brightness | 98 to 99 | 85.0 to 87.9 | 83.0 to 84.9 | 79.0 to 82.9 | 73.0 to 78.9 | 72.9 and below |
Experienced print designers know that a planning session with us during the design stage can eliminate costly surprises and ensure that the results you and your client expect are achieved.
Always ask us to share the tricks of the trade to help keep costs down.
It is a good idea to show the printer an example of how the pieces will be used and the effects you are hoping to achieve.
It's also a good idea to develop a working knowledge of printer's jargon to improve communication with us. We recommend you get a copy of the Pocket Pal Graphic Arts Handbook by International Papers. To purchase a copy go to their website www.ippaper.com.
Printing truly is a customized product. The possibilities of what you can print are endless. Therefore, there are a large number of print shops with a diverse variety of specialty print equipment, from color copiers to huge web presses and with varying degrees of technical ability, skill and experience. One printer cannot serve every type of client with every printing need, but you should be able to find one that can guide you through the majority of your needs.
In addition to presses and the number of colors they can handle, ask if they specialize in any certain type of work or quantity ranges. Understand what services they perform in-house and what services they have to buy-out.
Quality of work may vary greatly from printer to printer. Remember great press equipment does not make great press operators. Ask for some printed samples similar to pieces you have printed or plan to print.
What separates a great printer from an average one is a team of dedicated, experienced people. Tap the knowledge of the company you work with. They should be able to offer creative ideas and practical assistance to solve any printing issues that may arise.
Occasionally work needs to be revised. Is the situation resolved equitable to all? It is a good idea to inquire in advance what costs will be to make changes.
Look for someone you will enjoy working with. More importantly, look for someone you can trust because dependability is key when it comes to delivering a project as expected, on time, and within budget.
