Printing Basics
Designer & Printer
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!
Designer Roles:
Conceptualize ideas.
Brings the design to life.
Creates or curates artwork.
Creates layout files.
Delivers print-ready files to the printer.
Printer Roles:
Advises Design on stock and ink choices.
Informs designer of printing options.
Informs designer of print requirements.
Analyzes design files.
Provides print proofs to designer.
Types of Printing
Offset Printing
Offset Printing is a widely used commercial printing technique that produces consistent and high quality printed materials. As a general rule, this technique is used for production runs of 1,000 or more pieces.
Offset printing presses use a sequence of rollers (also called cylinders or drums) to deliver ink to the paper.
Offset printing presses are often described by the method used for feeding paper into the press, namely sheet-fed or web-fed.
A sheet-fed offset press uses single sheets of paper that are fed into the press one after the other. Sheet-fed presses are used for many popular printed items such as brochures, flyers, letterhead and booklets. Depending on the project, the sheets used may be the same size as the finished printed piece or they might be larger sheets that are trimmed down to the finished size after being printed.
A web-fed offset press uses a long, continuous roll of paper that is fed into the press from a giant spool. The paper feeds into the press through a series of tension rollers which keep the paper taut. After printing, the paper is trimmed to the desired size. Web presses run faster than sheet-fed presses and are used for high volume printing such as newspapers, magazines, books and catalogs.
Letterpress
Letterpress printing is a form of relief printing, where the text or image is on a raised surface, similar to a rubber stamp. Ink is applied to the raised surface and then paper is pressed directly against it to transfer the text/ image. Although the exact details of the invention of letterpress printing remain hazy, most scholars credit Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz Germany around 1440.
While letterpress was never intended to be printed with a dramatic impression, or deboss, into the paper, it is often the most desired feature today. What began with hand-set wood and metal type has become an industry centered around the photo polymer plate. Designing for letterpress today begins on a computer, and as such, new fonts, embellished ornaments, graphics, patterns, and complicated multi-color designs can be produced with relative ease. The printing part is still by hand, one at a time. So, letterpress is not ideal for large runs.
Digital Printing
Digital printing is the process of printing digital-based images directly onto a variety of media substrates. There is no need for a printing plate, unlike with offset printing. Digital files can be sent directly to the digital printing press to print on paper, photo paper, canvas, fabric, synthetics, cardstock and other substrates.
Digital printing enables additional advantages, including:
Personalized, variable data printing (VDP)
Print-on-demand
Cost-effective short runs
Fast turnarounds
Flexography
Flexography is a modern high-speed printing process suitable for most packaging and label applications. It allows for fast, cost-efficient, high- quality label printing for a variety of mass-produced goods.
In flexographic printing, the starting material comes in the form of a roll, which passes through a series of rotary flexible relief plates. A specialized roller feeds each flexible plate with ink, with a single flexible plate required for each individual printed color. The relief plates work in tandem to provide all colors for the final print product.
Flexographic printing also allows for printing on various substrates, including:
Paper
Plastic film
Corrugated cardboard
Non-woven fabric
Metallic surfaces
Multilayered film composites
Silk Screen (Serigraphy)
Silkscreening, or serigraphy, consists in applying stencils to a screen (constructed of silk or of some synthetic or metallic material), in such a way that when ink is applied it is prevented from passing through some parts while penetrating the rest of the screen, thereby printing an image on paper placed underneath.
Over time screen printing has been highly valued for its versatility and ability to print on nearly any substrate for any purpose ranging from clothing to fine artwork. Since its invention at the beginning of the 20th Century, serigraphy continues to be one of the most popular and widely practiced methods of printing to this day.
The silk screen printing process is very labor intensive; from the creation of designs, to transfer to the screen, mixing of colors, and printing of an edition. A silkscreen printer usually makes a limited edition of his designs. An edition of a fine art print includes all images published at the same time. Editions of silkscreens range from 1 to 500 prints. Edition size can be determined by the printing process itself, as when a stencil wears out, but usually the edition is limited by the artist. Since the stencils are destroyed after printing, each edition is unique.
Color Space
A color space is a defined range of colors.
RGB VS CYMK
RGB:
Stands for Red, Green, and Blue.
Has a very wide color spectrum.
Anything you see on your screen is made up of RGB.
Made of light (Pixels)
|
Obtaining the Color: Red |
Obtaining the Color: Yellow |
Obtaining the Color: White (All Lights On) |
Obtaining the Color: Black (All Lights off) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
R: 255 |
R: 255 |
R: 255 |
R: 0 |
|
G: 0 |
G: 255 |
G: 255 |
G: 0 |
| B: 0 |
B: 0 |
B: 255 |
B: 0 |
CYMK:
Stands for Cyan, Yellow Magenta, and Black (key)
Has a narrow color spectrum
Anything you see in print is made up of CYMK inks
Made of pigments (Dots)
|
Obtaining the Color: Red |
Obtaining the Color: Yellow |
Obtaining the Color: White (No Pigment Added)
|
Obtaining the Color: Black |
|
C: 0% |
C: 0% | C: 0% | C: 0% |
|
Y: 100% |
Y: 100% | Y: 0% | Y: 0% |
|
M: 99% |
M: 0% |
M: 0% | M: 0% |
|
K: 0% |
K: 0% | K: 0% | K: 100% |
Spot Colors
A spot color is any color generated by an ink (pure or mixed) that is printed using a single run. A process color is produced by printing a series of dots of different colors to obtain an illusion of a solid color.
Why Use Spot Colors?
CYMK has a limited color gamut.
Brand Colors
Metallic Inks
Fluorescent Colors
Special requirements (passports, currency, etc.)
PANTONE
Pantone provides a universal language of color. In 1963, the Pantone Matching System (PMS) revolutionized the printing industry. PMS is an an innovative tool allowing for the faithful selection, articulation and reproduction of consistent, accurate color anywhere in the world.
Pantone is also used in the United States and Europe as a Spot Color system.
Accessing Pantone in Photoshop:
1. Access the Color Picker Dialog Box.
2. On the right side of the box, click Color Libraries.
3. In the drop down menu, locate PANTONE Solid Coated.
4. Find a specific Pantone color and click, OK.
Accessing Pantone in Illustrator:
1. Locate either the Fill or Stroke color options in the Options Bar at the top of the workspace.
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to either the Fill or Stroke.
3. At the bottom of the color panel that appears, you will see an icon that looks like books on a shelf, this is the Swatch Libraries Menu icon. Click the icon.
4. You will then access a drop down menu full of options. Locate Color Books. Then, click Color Books.
5. Locate PANTONE + Solid Coated, Click that option.
6. You will then have a panel for Pantone colors.
Paper
Paper Properties
Weight & Thickness
A paper’s weight refers to the weight of 500 sheets of a given paper stock in its basic size. For example, the basic size for cover stock is 20-inch by 26-inch and the basic size for text stock is 25- inch by 38-inch.
Paper thickness is exactly how it sounds – how thick the paper is, as measured by a caliper. Paper thickness is often express as “points,” where every point equals .001 inch. So, if you ask “how thick is 10 point text paper,” you can multiply .001 by 10 to get .010 inch.
Thick paper stocks lend a sense of quality to your marketing materials, and thickness also plays an important role in direct- mail marketing pieces that need to be fed through post office sorting machines.
Surface
Surface refers to the smoothness of a given paper stock, dictated by how level the fibers are. Smooth, level paper stocks reproduce colors in sharp, vivid detail.
One way to determine surface quality is to shine a light through a sheet of paper. If it’s uniform without a lot of mottling, the paper is likely rather smooth. Another way is to test ink absorption: smooth papers absorb inks better than unsmooth papers.
Coating
Paper stocks can be enhanced by coatings. Common paper coatings include:
Gloss: Gives paper a polished sheen and produces vibrant, crisp images
Matte: Offers a softer, glare-free sheen that’s perfect for type-heavy pieces.
Velvet: A soft, luxurious coating that feels amazing in the hands.
Linen: Lends the look of woven linen to paper for an elegant finish.
Dull or Silk: A non-gloss surface that offers superior readability.
Your choice of coating can affect the smoothness of your paper, which is measured by the Sheffield scale – the lower the number, the smoother the paper.
Brightness & Whiteness
Brightness refers to the amount of blue light reflected by a given paper stock. It’s measured on the TAPPI brightness scale, scored from 0 to 100, with 100 being the brightest paper.
As brightness increases, so does:
Faithful color reproduction
Ink brightness
Contrast between printed and non-printed areas
Generally speaking, the brighter the paper stock, the better.
Whiteness
Where brightness refers to blue light, whiteness refers to how the entire spectrum of light is absorbed or reflected by a given paper stock. There are several variations, or grades, of whiteness; and the most popular are:
Balanced White: Reproduces “true-to-life” images and is good for print jobs featuring illustrations and paintings
Warm White: Makes images feel warm by absorbing blues and greens, and reflecting reds and oranges, good for print jobs featuring photographs
Blue (Cool) White: Commonly used for retail marketing due it is ability to produce “hard,” metallic images; it’s a cooler type of paper stock (since it reflects blues and greens) that’s well-suited to product images and black and white photographs
Opacity
Opacity refers to the amount of light that can be transmitted through a given paper stock. High opacity lets little light through, while low opacity lets more light through.
Opacity is an important consideration because it enhances brightness, surface and formation. It’s a great choice for projects that require full-color and heavy ink, which is why it’s often used for marketing materials. Though it costs more per pound that normal offset papers, stocks with high opacity reduce total paper and mailing expenses.
Paper Tips
The best paper stocks for printing feature:
High opacity, which allows for heavier ink coverage
High brightness, which makes inks more vivid
High thickness, which offers stability
Smooth surface, which quickly absorbs inks and minimizes ink blots and other imperfections
Different types of papers and grades are best for different uses. For example:
Uncoated offset paper is good for books and manuals, as well as uncoated business cards you can write on.
Opaque papers are good for marketing tools: business card printing, flyer printing and brochure printing
Bond or writing papers are good for corporate identity pieces, such as corporate letterhead printing
Text and cover paper stocks are excellent choices for both corporate identity and premium marketing materials
Parchment paper is a good choice for certificates
Index paper is typically used for index cards
Safety paper is used for coupons and checks
90-gsm Paper: The 90-gsm paper falls into the uncoated paper category, and is a natural, wood-free paper, which is not subjected to any chemical treatments. It is ideal for printing large quantities of text, producing a relatively light and thin printed document. It can be used in either a white or ivory colour for the inside pages of books and for printing documents or headed paper.
130-gsm Paper: Paper with a grammage of 130 gsm is suited to reproducing high-quality color images and is perfect for printing glossy magazines, brochures, posters and folded flyers. It is relatively resistant to ageing and can have either a matte or gloss finish.
170-gsm Paper: A relatively light paperboard, which ensures a pleasant texture and excellent colour rendering and is ideal for printing catalogues, presentations, certificates and posters. It is available in coated, environmentally friendly or recycled versions, and can be given a gloss, satin or matte finish, depending on the type of paper.
350-gsm Paper: This semi-rigid paperboard is recommended for creating business cards, book covers, presentation folders and invitation cards. Its thickness ensures excellent strength and durability.
380-gsm Paper:This is a cardboard used for packaging, rigid book covers and folders, counter displays and product tags. It is highly shock- and dent-proof.
Image Resolution
PPI VS DPI
PPI and DPI are two important terms that anyone who works with images should know. Both define the resolution, or clarity, of an image but each refers to separate media—that is, digital versus print.
PPI, or pixels per inch, refers both to the fixed number of pixels that a screen can display and the density of pixels within a digital image. PPI utilizes the RGB (red, green and blue) color model, also known as the additive color model. This does not exist in print—only in the electronic display of images, like television screens, computer monitors and digital photography. An image with a higher PPI tends to be higher quality because it has a greater pixel density, but exporting at 300 PPI is generally considered industry standard quality. PPI does not really matter for distribution on the web because the pixel density of your monitor is fixed. A 72 PPI image and a 3,000 PPI image will appear the same on your screen
DPI, or dots per inch, refers to the resolution value of a physical printer. Printers reproduce an image by spitting out tiny dots, and the number of dots per inch affects the amount of detail and overall quality of the print. DPI uses the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and key/black) color model to control the amount of red, green, and blue light that is reflected from white paper. This is also known as the subtractive color model. Dots of each color are printed in patterns, enabling the human eye to perceive a specific color made from this combination. DPI is a measurement of this density. These dots are a fixed size and resolution is only affected by how many dots appear per inch. Inkjet printers produce a resolution around 300 to 720 DPI, while laser printers produce images anywhere from 600 to 2,400 DPI.
Preparing Files for Print Checklist
When sending your file electronically to a printer, be sure to include the following:
1. Your FINAL document(s). Triple check that this is your final version of the design(s).
2. A folder of all non-embedded images; linked images.
3. A folder of all fonts used in design if not converted to shape. These will be font files.
4. Notes regarding Inks (if you are choosing Pantone Spot Colors), Bleeds if any, and preferred Paper Type.