By: Javi Moreno

Javi Moreno — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:45:39 +0000

Great article I am sure web designers will find it useful.

By: Web Design Hull

Web Design Hull — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 09:24:53 +0000

Interesting collection of tutorials… I’m another that’s worked in the Print Design world first and gone on to learn about Web Design. When I started out as a Typesetter, the number of companies and skilled people that needed to be involved to get a printed brochure out was ridiculous in todays terms. People that have grown up using the apps in Adobe CS can’t imagine the skilled jobs they’ve replaced (ie using Photoshop for a 10 minute job that might have cost something like £500 at a traditional repro house).

Thanks for posting.

By: Marvin Goldstein

Marvin Goldstein — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:14:05 +0000

MY ERROR:
50# offset (equivalent to 30# sulphite bond — what you desktop printers use @ home

CORECTION:
50# offset (equivalent to 20# sulphite bond — what you desktop printers use @ home

By: Marvin Goldstein

Marvin Goldstein — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:12:09 +0000

Printing is very costly; especially short runs less than 1,000 copies —
— your first price break will usually be 2,500 copies whether one or two sided
— this has nothing to do with black and white or color reproduction
— it has to do with press set up runs getting the sheet to print square and straight;
it has to do with getting ink distributed properly across the sheet;
it has to do with work/turn, work/tumble and work/flop sheet/Image registration
— your first price break for black + one (spot) color is about 2,500 to 3,000 copies
— your first price break for CMYK one side printing will be around 3,500 to 4,000 copies
— your first price break for CMYK two side printing will be at 4,000 to 5,000 copies

Everything hinges on your paper selection:
50# offset (equivalent to 30# sulphite bond — what you desktop printers use @ home
60# offset (equivalent to 24# sulphite bond — what you desktop printers use @ home

You always want marketing literature, for folding, to be with the paper grain; you “gotta” be careful, and work with your printer about finished size BEFORE you get involved with four side edge bleeds — unless your printing source has a special folder “knife” adapter for crisp folds against the grain, be careful …

Offset white opague stock weighs more than 60# white gloss enamel; but, gloss enamel stock is a bear to lift in quantities of 100 sheets or more — whereas a good guillotine operator will lift 500 sheets 17″x22″ offset versus 100 sheets 60# gloss enamel stock !!!

When you design a job, talk with your printer and your job, the material size, and ask the printer where you’ll get the best cut — for example, you’ll get four 8.5x11s from 19×24 sheet with bleeds — our presses handled 24″ x 36″ stock; made life easy for all clients …

Here’s something I developed when printing for clients who wanted to protect their artwork from being copied by anyone, using any type copy machine: we printed client’s material on special German Stock Paper Type which had a tremendous high gloss reflection —

There were no copy machines capable of duplicating images from this stock because the reflection bounced back into, blowing fuses and other internal parts due to the strength of the reflection …

When you add overlay spot color (to four color process work) or add gloss varnishing to your job (whether offset or gloss enamel) be aware of the fact your job will increase because the printer has to prep spreads, chokes and dupes of images — and this is darkroom work; I don’t know nor would I trust even today’s computer technology (Adobe Software or other) to do these special requirements ???

Something I forgot to mention the other day: the quality of your work rests on the shoulders of your printer and the crew and the lead press operator better be pulling a delivery sheet every 100 sheets during the “ENTIRE” press run because ink heats and ink changes and the need to control the alcohol and ink mixture must be accurate at all times during the press run —

I believe there’s far greater satisfaction than seeing a finished printed job (offset, silk screen, letterpress, gravure, or, like Nat’l Geographic Magazine [combination letterpress and offset]) — because it appears nearly every artist attempts to be another Michaelangelo, sculptor, rather than keeping their work down, dirty and simple — you know what I mean >>> KISS <<<
— and why not ??? It doesn't cost as much as putting your life on the line paying a printer to do what you can do so cheaply at home and on the Net …

Regards,
Marvin / retired print shop owner

Comments on: From the Browser to the Page: Resources for Web Designers Dabbling in Print

By: Javi Moreno

By: Web Design Hull

By: Marvin Goldstein

By: Marvin Goldstein