Graphic design and Pre-press Tips for Photoshop Users

There is some ?must-know? tips for CG people who decide to start doing some pre-press and design for printing.As beginner you have to know that design for printing has some differences than web design or other screen designs.Always use CMYKFirst of all, printing technology uses CMYK color description and screen design use RGB. CMYK (Cyan Magenta Yellow blacK) is used because of printing technology that uses these 4 colors to make picture on paper. This color model is for Reflective surfaces. RGB (Red Green Blue) is for self-lighted surfaces, like screens and TVs. If you have photos or illustrations in RGB, allways convert them using Photoshop?s...

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Additive Color

Color reproduction on the computer monitor (and on television) is achieved by combining Red, Green, and Blue light (RGB) in varying levels to produce a full color image. Red, green, and blue are the primary colors of white light and they cannot be produced by the combination of any other colors. When they are combined full strength, they will produce white light. The combining of red, blue and green colors is known as the "Additive Color Process", because when the colors of light are combined with one another, or added together, the result is an increase in light intensity. If none of the additive primaries are present, the color is perceived...

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Color

Color ConversionThe color gamut of RGB is broader than CMYK and the file size is smaller as well, but CMYK is the better choice for documents that will be used on the Web and for print. CMYK documents work well enough in the RGB environment, but RGB doesn't work as well in the CMYK environment.TrappingTrapping can help compensate for registration problems by slightly expanding one color into another and eliminating the gaps and color shifts between colors. PDF stores the trapping instructions in such a way that the trapped images will look the same on any computer and also when the images are output.For trapping to be effective, it must compensate...

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Color Bar

Color bars are also referred to as color control bars, color control strips, or proofing bars. Color bars are rows of different colored patches printed in the trim area of the press sheet. They are used by proofers and press operators to control the trapping, ink density, dot gain, and print contrast of the proof or the printed sheet. They usually consist of solid and tint blocks of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black; two and three color solids and tints; and additional elements and patterns such as resolution targets and dot gain scales.Solid process colors ofBlack, Yellow, Cyan, andMagenta. A color bar are used to measure ink densities.Solid...

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Spot Color

The colors used on spot color proofs are also known as "matched" colors, special colors, or by one of the brand names "Pantone" or "PMS" colors. Spot colors are printed from a single ink on a separate printing unit of the press. Spot colors can be standard, pastel, fluorescent or metallic colors. Several colors can be printed in select areas to create two, three or more color jobs. Spot colors can be used on may types of jobs, such as business cards, letterheads, forms, brochures and direct mail pieces. There are several variables involved with spot colors. A few manufacturers create color guides such as binders, chips, and fan books to show...

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Color Separations

In order to reproduce or prepare a full color image for printing using four process colors, the image must be divided into the the individual subtractive primary color components. The separation process can be accomplished photographically or electronically. Photographic Separations: Using a large process camera, a full color image is converted into halftone negatives which contain a series of dots of various sizes to represent shades of gray. The dots are achieved with the use of special screens placed over the negative material during exposure. When printed, the smaller dots create the lighter areas of the image, with the lightest appearing...

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Common problems encountered in Offset printing

Here is a list of problems that need to be paid attention to during the process of offset printing:Uneven colour: Always make sure that the colour is the same on both sides of the sheet by rolling the sheet up so that you can look at opposite edges of the sheet side by side.Ghosts: These are eitherImages formed in areas where they should not appear, orFormation of lighter areas where there should be even inking. Hickies (aka Fish-Eyes): These arenon-inked circles created by lint on the plate or blanket. They are generally something that can be cleaned up when appearing on several sheets in a row. However, chances are you will never be able to eliminate every single hickie, especially if you have large solids in your printing piece and have to print thousands of sheets.Picking: These are the...

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Three Color Printing

Theoretically it is possible to produce an adequate range of colours using just Cyan, Magenta and Yellow. However, three colour printing may also refer to the use of either.Three special inks orBlack combined with two special inks The Four Colour Printing Process, which is a system rarely used today, uses a black plate to add shade and depth reducing the amount of ink requir...

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Four Color Process Printing

Four colour process printing is the most common system for producing full colour print. In fact, the vast majority of magazines and colour books are produced using the four-colour process.Originally the artwork and originals had been separated using filters and four printing plates were produced.The four colour process printing consists of four ink colours namely, Cyan (Blue), Magenta (Red), Yellow and Black and is often referred to as CMYK. The inks used for four colour process printing are translucent due to which they can be overprinted and combined in a variety of different proportions to produce a wide range of colours....

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Advantages of Offset Printing

There are many advantages to offset printing namely:Economical-It is less expensive, especially when there are large quantities involved.Widespread Usability – It can be used on the widest range of printing surfaces, including paper, wood, metal, even leather.Ease of creating the printing plates.The paper does not have to be rated for the high temperatures and stress of either the copiers or laser printe...

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Offset Printing Process

The process of offset printing:Offset printing has been the most common form of commercial printing for the last sixty years. The most important element of the offset printing process is a plate manufactured from metalor polyster. This plate carries the copy of the image to be printed. The process of printing takes place as follows:The plate is chemically treated so that water may be absorbed only by the non-image areas of the plate.The plate is next attached to a plate cylinder, which rolls past the water roller. At this stage, the water on the water rollers is absorbed by the non-image areas of the plate, i.e. the areas not requiring ink.The cylinder next rolls over the ink roller. At this stage, the ink on the ink rollers sticks to the areas of the plate that are free of water.The rubber...

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What is Offset Printing

Offset printing is a printing process in which the inked image is transferred (ie, "offseted") from the plate to an intermediate blanket before being printed on the substrate. Following are the common terms you come across in offset printing.Opacity - This refers to the quality of being impenetrable by liquids or light. With paper, it refers to the ability to keep print from showing through to the other side.Opaque - In production it refers to a solution or paint used to block out areas on a film negative to keep them from being reproduced on the plate.Overprinting - It generally refers to printing an image over another impression. It also refers to printing a secondary color over a primary color in graphic arts wo...

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Johannes Gutenberg is known for the invention of the Gutenberg press

The earliest dated printed book known is the "Diamond Sutra", printed in China in 868 CE. However, it is suspected that book printing may have occurred long before this date.In 1041, movable clay type was first invented in China. Johannes Gutenberg, a goldsmith and businessman from the mining town of Mainz in southern Germany, borrowed money to invent a technology that changed the world of printing. Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with replaceable/moveable wooden or metal letters in 1436 (completed by 1440). This method of printing can be credited not only for a revolution in the production of books, but also for fostering rapid...

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What is a Printing Press?

A printing press is a machine used to make multiple copies of something an artist has drawn onto multiple pieces of paper or fabric. The printing press takes the ink and transfers it to paper or fabric. The printing press was originally developed by Johannes Gutenburg in the 15th century. Gutenburg was the first man to show how practical moving type was. He is credited for developing the first printing press in histo...

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What are Phenolic Bed Plates for a Printing Press?

Phenolic bed plates are an alternative to the old metal plates found in printing presses. These phenolic bed plates are lighter than metal bed plates and great for use in a printing press that uses water based ink because these types of plates will not get rusty like metal plates will. These types of plates for a printing press are typically sold separately and can cost a bit more than metal plates but are a great addition to your printing pre...

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Why Should you Printing Press be Aligned?

If you are using a printing press it is important that you have it properly aligned before printing your material. If your press is not properly aligned you will end up applying an uneven force to the object you are trying to print on. This will allow for your art to turn out fuzzy and obviously not looking even or straight on the surface you were printing. Plus, uneven alignment of a printing press can do damage to the press in the long run. It is best to keep your printing press aligned to avoid these potential proble...

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Some Digital Questions in Printing

Q: What is the difference between vector graphics and bitmap graphics?A: A vector graphic is defined in a mathematical nature which makes it resolution-independent. A vector graphic can be printed clearly at any size. A bitmap image is formed by a rectangular grid of small squares, known as pixels. Each pixel contains data that describes whether it is black, white, or a level of color. Bitmap graphics are resolution-dependent they can appear jagged and lose detail if they are created at a low resolution and then enlarged or printed at a higher resolution.Q: Where do vector graphics come from?A: Vector graphics are typically created by illustration software such as Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand.Q: Where do bitmap graphics come from?A: Bitmap graphics are typically created by pixel-based...

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Choosing the Right Paper

Paper grade defines paper in terms of its use. Each grade serves a purpose, usually suggested by its grade name. Below are some of the most common classifications of printing papers.Bond papers are commonly used for letters and business forms. They have surfaces which accept ink readily from a pen or typewriter and can be easily erased.Coated papers are used when high printing quality is desired because of its greater surface smoothness and uniform ink receptivity. There are many kinds: cast coated, gloss coated, dull coated, machine coated, coated one- and two-sides, etc.Text papers are noted for their interesting textures and attractive colors. They enjoy frequent use for announcements, booklets and brochures.Offset papers are considered the most economical printing papers. Offset papers...

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Choosing the Right Ink

Choosing the right ink combinations can have a dramatic effect on your finished product. Use this handy ink guide to help you make the correct ink selection. Black ink, as you might expect, is the most common and least expensive ink.Spot colors and tints are printed with premixed inks. You can choose from among thousands of different spot-color inks. A spot color printed at 100% is a solid color and has no dot pattern. A tint is a lightened spot or process color and is created by printing smaller halftone dots of the base color.Process colors are reproduced by printing overlapping dots (halftone screens) of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK)...

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Colors by its Means

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