Print Design TipsTips and Information About Printing

In the last post we started discussing color and the different ways in which it can be used but we also touched on some terminology such as grayscales and halftones which we shall clarify here for you today.

A black and white photograph is probably the best example we can give you of what a grayscale actually is – the picture is made up of differing shades of gray between black and white and the differences create the picture reproduction you actually hold in your hand.

The grayscale has an absolute black, an absolute white and between there are 254 differing shades of gray – this is 256 “colors” in total or in computer tekkie parlance is 8-bits of information.  

An image is only grayscale if it is made up of differing shades of gray; another way to make an image is using absolute black and white lines to create the effect of differing shades making up the image – in this case it is known as a bitmap and not a grayscale.

The difference is important when it comes to the printing process because you can scan an image as grayscale or bitmap – scanning a grayscale image as a bitmap will render all the information contained within it that is no absolute black or white meaningless i.e. not reproduced and you lose the detail.  Perform this in reverse and you get a blurred image i.e. scan a bitmap image using grayscale.

Screens and Halftones

A screen is what is applied to a photographic image which gives the impression another color has been used or is present when it was not at the time the photo was taken.

Using screens or halftones, you can convey a lighter image effect or a change in the color tone itself and they come in a wide variety of strengths so you can play around with your final image result and all you are using is one ink which reduces the cost to you with your final product.

Herein lies the key – using a lower number of inks allows for cheaper cost and this is where screens come in handy for you as the buyer as well as helping create a better image for the reader and enduser.

Designing your printed materials is something we all must face sooner or later, but whether you are experienced with the process or a first-timer, the results are truly only limited by your imagination and the ability of your printer to render the imagery created.

This is one area where good communications with your printer are essential as there will be some things that to you as the customer may seem a little off the wall and “out there” but to him are pretty straight-forward pieces to create.

To get your creative juices flowing and hopefully help you with your next meeting with your print partners, here’s a few hints and tips for you to use.

Think Outside the Paper

The mind works in funny ways sometimes and one of the quirks you can capitalize on is the m nd w ll f ll  n th  bla ks.

You can use this to your advantage when designing your marketing media so when you are looking at layout, don’t focus simply on what will fit in the space – use the borders too and don’t worry about overlapping the edges.

Paper Standards

Depending on the purpose of the printed communication you are likely to use the established paper sizes bu, there are times when you shouldn’t and there is no reason why you have to follow them religiously.

If you are looking to get your brochure noticed, use a non-standard size so it doesn’t fit precisely into a neat pile of letters and other documents – make sure it overhangs or peeks out of a stack of papers and this will help get it noticed in the sea of junk that everyone accumulates.

Content is King

Foxus on the content – this is where your message is contained and not within the imagery – don’t let design take over your project, it is important but remember people read so focus on that first and make teh design revolve around the content.

Finding a printer who delivers a quality product can be hard enough but finding one who delivers the same standards repeatedly as you order and re-order should not be a life or death issue that takes over daily life.

There are two issues with printing quality – the objective standards that can easily be measured and the more subjective aspects such as color tone, design layout and ideas that flow between you and the print shop.

When you are checking through the work produced, and particularly when you are making your selection for an initial print run, check out the objective issues first as these are straight forward and errors are simply and quickly found:

·         Are the pages in the correct order?

·         Is the binding straight?

·         Have the pages been printed positive with no mishaps with over-printing and the colors merge properly rather than casting color shadows due to misalignment?

·         Have the pages been properly typeset so they are printed with correct margins and footer and header spacing as well as appearing straight and true rather than offset at some angle?

Once you have this out of the way, you have to consider the more subjective issues which for the most part will be dealt with by a combination of your gut feel which will significantly improve over time and the feedback you get from others, especially the readers and users of your material.  In particular, consider the following:

·         Color scheme and mix; how the subtle use of color is brought to bear on your printed materials’

·         The ink coverage on your materials – is it acceptable across the whole spectrum of the publication or medium you are using?

·         Editorial and physical layout – make sure you do not allow the graphics to dominate your written message.

·         Compromises over colors and how your requirements are interpreted, this really comes down to how well you work with your print partner and the quality of communication between you.

This brings about one of the issues you need to consider; if the print quality is not up to the grade what is your position when it comes to getting the printer to accept responsibility for work that is not up to scratch.  You shouldn’t have to be looking over the shoulders of the printer at the shop, nor is it practical – you have every right to expect consistent quality, run after run, no matter where you happen to be situated and if a printer isn’t prepared to step up to your mark when it comes to quality they really have no justification for expecting your repeat business.