As your client base grows so will the size and scope of the creative work you do for them. If print design is one of your services, adding print services to your menu will add more value to your business and your bottom line. Even with the shift toward online print ordering, some printing due to the quantity and/or expense will require an in-person press check.

Even before the advent of desktop publishing, designers and printers have had a tenuous relationship at best. The reason being, we do not think alike, we do not speak the same language, and quite frankly we just don’t understand the limitations and complexities of the printing process; yet we need each the other to coexist.

It is incumbent upon the designer to have a basic understanding of preflighting, the printing process, and standard procedures surrounding a press check to be successful at it. Do a little research, buy a Pocket Pal, and ask a lot of questions from your printer or others with experience.

Printers are very helpful if they see that you have a genuine desire to make their job easier. Having worked in the printing industry for several years, over 90% of the jobs I produced had problems directly related to a designer’s failure to grasp the basics principles of printing.

With that said, let’s take a look at the basics of preparing, performing and concluding a press check.

Your Ultimate Goals

Revenue–As a designer, the primarily objective is to add revenue to your business. Marking up printing is different for each job, but a simple rule of thumb is to look at the time you will devote to it and multiply that by your hourly rate. That includes quoting, preproduction, travel, press check, billing and delivery. It should fall somewhere between 10-30% of the total cost of printing.

Relationships–Creative work that transfers well in print reflects well on you and ultimately on your clients in front of their potential and existing customers. Your goal is to make your client satisfied (ecstatic if possible) to continue using your services and hopefully increasing your workload.

Second, it is to enhance your relationship with the printer by showing yourself to be easy and profitable to work with. Print works and press checks that are efficient in time, manpower and materials will help you become a part of the team in the printer’s eyes. In return they may also give your time sensitive jobs preference in the future and even overlook additional charges that were yours or your client’s error.

Referrals–In marketing, few things are better than a referral. Printing in itself is an advertisement for you and your business every time someone compliments your work either to your client or your printer, and as a result both may provide referrals to you.

Preparing (Do Your Homework)

There’s nothing like being prepared, so let’s touch on the fundamentals of what you should have completed and collected ahead of time from your client, the printer, and the items you will need to take with you.

First, you must have final approval in written form; either via email or a signed off proof. If the project is a multi-page piece or has a custom shape, I suggest showing your client a full-size mock up. A signature or written approval will be your main leverage if the job has errors that were not initially identified by your client. If can also protect you financially if it is reduced to litigation.

Be sure to call the printer the day before or earlier that day if the press check will take place in the afternoon. You want to make sure that they’re on schedule and that all the needed materials have arrived. Confirm the time and leave a number where they can reach you easily if things change at the last minute. The objective is to spend as little time as possible with the printer. You’re a service industry; you don’t make money unless you’re in front of a computer.

If you have any last minute questions or concerns, bring them up now. Let me emphasize that…bring them up now! You don’t want to waste everyone’s time and money correcting mistakes on your project while it is on the press. Speak with someone in prepress if you have a revision or a question about your files. Also, talk to your CSR about any other last minute details. If your client has specific areas of your design that he or she consider critical, such as “make sure the sky is blue” or “will this red match the red in our logo?”, be sure to communicate that.

You should also view a digital proof beforehand or request a PDF version so you can check for text reflow or anything that may have gone awry in prepress production. I recommend bringing a complete set of files with you too, which includes fonts and support files. It will save you valuable time if a font was substituted or an image was color corrected improperly.

Many printers have a separate room for their customers with phones and internet connections, so bring your laptop and prepare to make the most of your time while you wait. If you are bringing your client, let them know the same and be prepared to take them to lunch if things take longer than expected. Your CSR may also be happy to give both of you a tour and meet with other key staff members.

Performing (Making it a Success)

I recommend arriving 15 minutes before your scheduled time. This puts everyone at ease and shows that you are considerate of the printer’s time. Be friendly and relaxed with everyone involved in your job; especially the press person(s) responsible for printing it. If this is the first time you have worked with the printer and you have requested a specifically higher grade paper, ask to view a sample of the paper in the warehouse. Most printers are honest, but some are tempted to substitute your request for a lower grade and increase their profit margin. Paper is generally half the cost of a job so it could be significant amount on a large quantity. This practice constitutes fraud, so it is very unlikely, but be mindful that it could occur.

As I mentioned, good relations with the person(s) directly printing your job is essential. They have a wealth of experience in getting the most out of their press, so defer to their recommendations and make it clear that their opinions are valued. View them as an intelligent colleague that knows the limitations of the equipment and materials.

Bear in mind that they do not get a lot of the perks they see given to management and customers, so if you have any early morning press check or realize that they will be working through their lunch, bring in a box of pastries or order out pizza for them. The small cost to you will bring much more goodwill than you realize.

When you are asked to inspect the first press sheet, you could approve it and the press check is over. But, there are a number of things to check off your list beforehand. Do not feel pressured to sign off or make a decision quickly. It should take you at least 5 to 10 minutes of inspection and questions before you make your decision.

Things to Consider

Color–Compare the press sheet with the digital proof to make sure the colors are vibrant and true. If you want to further enhance or reduce a color, be sure to ask if other areas on the sheet will suffer to achieve it. Inspect solid color areas and central items to the job such as a main image. Are there pinholes or “hickies” in them? If so, circle them on the press sheet as an indication that they need to be eliminated.

Registration–Look at the crop marks at the corners of the sheet and the marks at the center of the sheet. They should be aligned with no individual color hanging outside it. The pressperson will have a loupe or magnifier to take a closer look. Remember, printing is not a perfect science, but registration should very accurate.

Alignment–Check that colors are butting up next to each other without overlapping too much or having white space between them. This could happen even if the sheet is properly registered.

Sharpness–Look for detail in the photographs of the proof and compare them to the sheet. You should be able to see the same clarity and detail; especially in the highlight and shadow areas.

Non Image Areas–Make sure there are no ink spots or slight color hues in the white areas of the sheet. This can be caused by a lack of fountain solution in non image areas that is used to repel ink.

Text–Inspect the text to make sure it is crisp and that there are no broken characters. If the text is a color other than black, make sure there are no other colors hanging out.

As you move forward, be specific in what you want to achieve with the next press sheet. Be clear about the corrections you need, ask if it is possible and assure them that it will be approved if the corrections are made and nothing else changes. You will be escorted back to the waiting area and depending on the adjustments it could take between 30 minutes to an hour for the next press sheet.

Do not leave the building without informing your CSR; you won’t score any points if you can’t be found. When the next press sheet is ready, compare it with the previous one and the proof. If everything is acceptable, sign off and thank everyone for their time and effort. The average number of press sheets it takes to get to final approval is 2 to 3. If there are more than that, then there is a mechanical problem, a problem with the digital files or someone’s expectations are unrealistic. A press check should never be used by you or your client as tool to throw your weight around. Petty or unattainable demands will reflect poorly on the party involved.

Conclusion

Press checks can be a great learning tool for any designer and the added experience creates a higher greater value for you, your clients and the printer. Use it to build lasting and profitable relationships with both of them. If you go into a press check prepared, and communicate clearly and concisely everybody wins.

Finally, consider sending a short “Thank You” note to your printer if the job went well and communicate your client’s satisfaction by adding a short quote from them. It may go a long way in being remembered the next time your printer is asked for a referral. It has worked for me.

This article is a part of the Designers Working With series.

Derald Schultz | Atlanta Graphic Design + Web Design + Printing
Mediarail Design, Inc. | Creative Latitude Articles Editor

©2004, Mediarail Design, Inc.
First published on Creative Latitude

The Designers Working With series is based on opinions from the different industries we depend on: other designers, photographers, writers, printers and pre press specialists (marketeers to be slipped in later).

In the photographers section of DWW we were taken through a Photographer’s Day by talented Jon Boyes. For the print section, I’m equally pleased to give you my Canadian buddy, Matt.

A day in the life of Matt Beazley, Printer

BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ *WHAM*

The time I get up in the morning depends on how busy I am. Today I am up fairly early and dealing with those nervous butterfly’s I still get even after 7 years. Usually on the busy days I wake up before my alarm and mentally plan out my day…of course that will change.

7:00 am: Arrive to work, open the doors, turn on the machines and grab a cup of Joe. Sitting at my desk I go over my to-do list and check my email (checking email will usually rearrange your to-do list).

7:30 am: Time to start loading up the printing queue’s with the “ready to print” jobs. Generally these are all business cards/rack cards/post cards from brokers ( I handle 2 of them while Bill handles the other one). While these are printing I can pre-press the “not so ready to print” jobs.

- Time to tally up what must be done today: 12 sets of business cards, 1000 post cards, 200 tickets, 200 Newsletters, logo revision, follow up two cheque orders, follow up quotes/proofs. That will keep me out of trouble.

8:00 am: I realize I’ve made a mistake. Yesterday I gave a quote with a broker supplying stock and I shorted the quantity of stock by half. Pick up the phone, take some heat, make it right (which means I usually offset my cost to save his profit. This is fair as it was my fault).

-Continue printing and stacking jobs to be cut later.

9:00 am: The “Open” sign gets turned on along with the rest of the lights. Kevin is in the back making coffee and he’ll do administrative work for most of the morning (someone has to take care of the books). After nine is also when the phone starts ringing - anything is possible now.

10:00 am: Time to follow up with suppliers. I have a 3 part invoice job with an offset printer I need to make sure is on time, which it is (quick email to the client to let him know, everyone likes an update). A call to a cheque supplier let’s me know both orders have been shipped, batting a thousand so far.

-For the rest of the morning it’s problem solving other peoples artwork. Bouncing some marketing ideas off each other and making sure the machines keep printing. So far so good. The inevitable wrench hasn’t been thrown into my print gears thus far.

Noon: Do I have time for lunch today? A quick one. Up to Subway and back to my desk. Phone rings…here comes that wrench. Our largest broker has a rush job for a funeral (service cards). 8.5 X 11 scored and folded to 8.5 X 5.5 due first thing in the morning. Do I take it or pass? I accept the job. There is no way I can farm out the scoring (we don’t have that equipment here) and have it finished in time. It will have to be hand scored, all 200. This is the point I realize I am not going home anytime soon.

-Revamp the to-do list, continue pushing jobs through.

1:00 pm: I realize my pile of jobs to be cut is stacking higher by the minute. I had better tackle it before it gets out of control. Cutting is my least favorite activity, but it’s got to be done. The next hour and half is spent in the backroom.

2:30 pm: With a good portion of my cutting done, and the machines behaving, the day is on schedule. I sit down to the emergency job and start prepping. Fairly simple but will take some time to print and even longer to score.

3:00 pm: Funeral cards are printing and now it’s time to take back my desk from the hustle and bustle. Having a clean well organized desk (work area) is paramount for me, the moment you let it go is when things get missed and mistakes happen. Printing requires a constant level of awareness and a disdain for complacency.

3:30 pm: With my desk organized I am finishing up all the little loose ends such as answering quote requests, calling clients to let them know their jobs are completed (or that they are on schedule). Kevin’s printed the receivables list (always a lot out there with a 30 day net term) and we go over who we should bug and who not to. After that it’s finishing up any other cutting that needs to be taken care of.

4:00 pm: The front side of the funeral cards are done and now I’m lining up the back. With that printing I sit down to invoice. I like to do all my invoicing near the end of the day. All my jobs are on a table behind me and this way I don’t miss anything. Invoicing complete I box up my main brokers jobs and drop them off right to the front door of his house (that’s right, beat that service).

4:40 pm: Back in the office and finish off the backside of the rush order. Now I cut and start the tedious task of hand scoring. I’m assuming this will take me a couple of hours and it does.

7 ish pm: Finally time to pack it in. Funeral cards will be shipped by courier first thing and that’s a wrap….now where is my beer.

Matt Beazley | Printer
www.eyemean.com | Canada

Matt, after reading about your day, I’m sufficiently shagged out to join you for that beer!

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

An Addendum to my earlier post. Enjoy!

… and el queso grande said he wanted 400. I explained that 400 32-page documents was going to cost a lot per piece and he said “nope…that’s all we need.”

I call up my printer, who tells me the same thing about cost per piece, and also said turnaround was 4 days. I was thrilled.

Long story short — too late! — the job comes in and it’s gorgeous. I’m thrilled at the quality of the print as well as my own brilliant design. I take one to el queso grande, who flips through it and says “this is great! In fact it’s SO great, I want 400 more of them!”

*sigh….

So I call the printer, who says “well, we’ve got other projects in the queue, but we’ll be glad to get them to you in another 4 working days.”

That was Thursday at 4 p.m. — now it’s Tuesday. Since FRIDAY I’ve gotten four phone calls asking where the extras are.

Once again, we turn to mathematics to solve this issue. Four working days means

1. Friday
2. Monday
3. Tuesday
4. Wednesday

See, the Saturday and the Sunday are days that don’t count. Gone are the days when printing companies chained children to the presses.

And if I say Wednesday, I don’t mean Friday noon, Monday morning at 8, Monday during my lunch hour, and most certainly not Tuesday at 3.

No…I will not call the printer. He said Wednesday on Thursday and I believe him.

When are they being delivered on Wednesday?

Why the ^&@* do you wanna know? What, you gonna come down and unload the delivery van?

And how much does it cost? Well, funny question — see…if you had really thought about this,we probably could have saved a quarter on each report — which would have saved us about 200 bucks, if you’d ordered 800 when we started — but because, oh, I dunno…now that you saw the report and realized it was *blood curdling sneer* “pretty” — we’re getting charged double.

What was that? You’re mumbling, speak up just a jot…OH! The printer should give us a discount for ordering more?

I’m sorry — I totally fazed out there for a sec. C’mere….I wanna show you the edge of my metal ruler…

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits

Some of us went to design school, others are self-taught, but one thing many of us share in common is needing to learn the ins and outs of printing.

When it comes to learning about printing, what works and what doesn’t, don’t be afraid to ask. Your printer and/or printing rep can become one of your best friends and make you look good. They can also help you avoid needing to reach for the antacids and aspirin.

When asked, “How can a designer improve their skills in your industry?”, the answers below will help ensure your printing goes smooth.

Alex

By doing two things:

1. Before submitting projects, ask the printer questions about necessary precautions and parameters required by the printer for the project.
2. Do a bit of their own research into the printing process and how the printed page is put together.

Designers should also learn some common binding methods and how those methods require a bit more tweaking by the designer for a solid workflow and better final product. Most printers would be happy to answer these questions instead of having to have a back and forth after problems have already occurred.

Alex Noguera | Prepress Operator
www.bowne.com

Chris

I think it’s been said time and time again and I’ve heard it myself and even said it. Get experience in the field with others who know the industry and have been doing this work for some time. Whether it be an internship or part-time job, experience with a design firm or even a printer is priceless for any designer. I know for myself, that’s always been something that holds me back and I have to learn a ton on my own.

Chris Tomlinson | Owner: Gonink - Design & Print
Gonink - Design & Print | A Designer’s Journey | USA

Derald

Designers need to have a good working knowledge of the printing process. Printers can be the best educators so it is important to ask questions and use that knowledge for future design work. Ultimately, designers and printers want the same thing; a printed product that your customer is pleased with.

Find a few printers you enjoy working with and have reasonable pricing and develop long-term relationships with them. The information they provide builds value in your design company and can save you unexpected errors that can cost you and your customer additional charges.

Derald Schultz | Atlanta Graphic Design + Web Design + Printing
Mediarail Design, Inc. | USA

Genie

Ask questions BEFORE starting design. If you don’t know about dielines/embossing/foils/spot colours, ask BEFORE making them. Don’t tell the prepress person that it is their problem because it prints fine on your printer at home. Offset printing is not the same as your printer at home.

Genie Ho | Prepress and design
PDQ Print | New Zealand

George

Learn the printing process. Visit printing factories.

George Lee | Printer
Nan Sing Printing | Thailand

HotGloss Printing

Learn and buy the appropriate tools of your trade. For goodness sakes, don’t use Publisher or Word for your next design project. Find out your printer’s needs and set up your files accordingly. The less work a printer has to do to your file, the greater the chances of success.

Understand that the Printing Industry is still a craft, even as equipment gets more high tech. People are running equipment, and a ‘perfect’ print job is rare (closely examine print all around you that is riddled with imperfections - menus, magazines, etc). There are many variables and steps involved in completing a print job. Don’t accept crap printing, but be realistic in your expectations.

HotGloss Printing | USA

John

Well, if you are young, get a production artist job at a newspaper, magazine, print shop, etc. Invaluable typography training and preproduction procedures will be learned. If you are older, ask a lot of questions to your printer and to designers you think have different experience. Keep an open mind, there is always room for self development.

John Carvalho | Owner/Graphic Designer
Mixed Media: Design & Printing Services | USA

Matt

In a perfect world, designers would pop out of university “print ready”. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. My advice; do your homework. If you are not sure how to set up your files for printing you are going to have to educate yourself (either that or prepare for a lot of mistakes and extra costs). Pick up a book, “google it”, call your printer when in doubt (trust me, we really want to get files we can work easily with. If we have to take a minute or two to save us a headache down the road, we are more than happy). An awesome resource for any designer would be to join a desktop publishing or prepress forum, ask and learn from the pro’s. Links below:

Prepressforums.com

Desktop Publishing: About.com

www.allgraphic.com: Working with a Commercial Printer

Below is a complete list of printing definitions (learn to speak print):

PrintUSA.com: Glossary of Printing Terms

Matt Beazley | Printer
www.eyemean.com | Canada

PrintDriver

A designer who has basic prepress skills will do ok as long as they call beforehand to get the specific machine specs and bleeds for their project. Also, a designer working large needs to know the vagaries of the various programs. There are mistakes you can get away with at letter size that will cost you a lot of money at mural size because the programs are not built with wide format in mind. Learn about gradient and blend stepping, what happens with gradient meshes and color, the proper application of fuzzy drop shadows, glows and other raster effects in Illustrator (a common misconception is that Illustrator is only vector but these effects are RASTER based and unless applied properly, they will pixellate at scale), how to use scale when designing large, in Quark especially, but also in other programs when the artboard isn’t big enough, and how to use the coordinate system and snap tolerance to align your design elements. A 1/32″ at 1:12 scale (inch=foot) is 3/8″ at actual size. That’s a big gap.

PrintDriver | Print Consultant | USA

Tom

Asking questions without fear of looking inexperienced or foolish. This requires a thick skin at times, but most prepress operators that I know are more than happy to answer production questions.

Tom Stege | Lead Prepress Operator - Seattle Location
Print Time Online | USA

And there you have it. Follow their advice and you’ll be save yourself from loads of aggravation.

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

At the end of the day, it all comes down to money. Right? Not necessarily. When choosing a printer or prepress specialist, it’s important to match the job with a shop’s strengths, skillsets and equipment. You may need to pay a bit more to ensure your project is produced the way you want and beaming with quality. That should come first. You don’t want to sink a bunch of time and effort into your brilliant design only to have things fall apart at the delivery end of the press. Money should come second, at least within reason and the budget constraints of the gig.

As you’ll learn below, like many things, there isn’t a set of rules for estimating printing and prepress. It’s always a good idea to get at least three quotes, look over some of their work, look over their shop and make your decision. A shoddy shop often means shoddy work. Plus, you’ll want to be sure the chemistry between you, your rep and the pressman and/or prepress person is good.

So, without further ado, we ask:

“How do you charge?”

Chris

I run really fast at first and then scream charge! Kidding aside, it’s typically based on what the customer needs/wants. If I have to design something, there is an hourly rate we add into the cost(s) of printing such as paper and ink. Being strictly a digital printer, we’re either black and white or we’re full color. That’s it. So there is a price for each of those accordingly.

Chris Tomlinson | Owner: Gonink - Design & Print
Gonink - Design & Print | A Designer’s Journey | USA

Derald

Quotes are figured based on the cost of paper, prepress production, press time and any other costs such as bindery, delivery and any special processes. All these products and services carry a markup to generate a profit for the printer. In addition to this a markup is added for the sales person.

Derald Schultz | Atlanta Graphic Design + Web Design + Printing
Mediarail Design, Inc. | USA

Genie

By the hour - but many jobs have prepress included into the pricing.

Genie Ho | Prepress and design
PDQ Print | New Zealand

George

We usually charge the unit costs and printing plates. Depending on the customer, we need 30% downpayment and 70% upon delivery.

George Lee | Printer
Nan Sing Printing | Thailand

HotGloss Printing

HotGloss Printing is a ‘pay upon ordering’ company. University and State Gov’t can use P.O.’s

HotGloss Printing | USA

John

I’ve tried several ways, but currently I provide an official estimate or quote for every new job, then I invoice upon final design approval. All my clients usually pay on delivery of the prints. For strictly design jobs they pay within a couple weeks of approval. This means I am fronting the costs for 2 or 3 weeks for every print job.

John Carvalho | Owner/Graphic Designer
Mixed Media: Design & Printing Services | USA

Matt

A lot of what we print is at fixed rate (business cards, colour copies, rack cards). The price is, for the most part, dictated by what the market will bare. However, there are also a lot of specialty jobs that require custom quoting. For instance, a presentation folder that requires a custom die made for an embossment. Outsourcing to trade only printers (things we can’t produce in house like cheques, NCR forms, pens, etc.) will see a mark up between 30 to 50 percent (again, what the market will bare and the trade discount the supplier gives).

Graphic design and pre-press are billed at the same amount; $65.00 per hour.

We also have a trade only rate for those who we supply. For instance, we have two major print brokers we do work for. In exchange for their consistent volume, they get a trade discount that allows them to mark up the product. The amount of volume determines the amount of discount.

Matt Beazley | Printer
www.eyemean.com | Canada

PrintDriver

Most projects are charged by the square foot with additional charges for proofing, special mounting, hemming, grommeting, specific PMS color matching and Rush charges. Printing big stuff is not instantaneous. Standard turn is usually around 5 business days. Industry standard is 3-10 business days. Schedule appropriately. Please bear in mind that rush charges are not a penalty fee, they are used to pay overtime to the employees working late on your rush project or on the projects your project bumped off queue. Work is always by contract and usually requires a deposit unless the client has an established credit history.

PrintDriver | Print Consultant | USA

Tom

We charge hourly for prepress (1 hour minimum), and accept money after the finished piece is delivered (either COD, or Net 30 terms depending on the credit worthiness of the print buyer)

Tom Stege | Lead Prepress Operator - Seattle Location
Print Time Online | USA

In closing, seek out those vendors who compliment your design practice. Have a group to pull from with various skillsets, experience and equipment. Build the relationships and don’t nickel and dime them. These are the folks who make you look good. Pay them what they’re worth and for the value they bring to the table.

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

For each of the professions in the Designers Working With Series, we asked the same question, “At what point should your profession be brought into a project?” The designers pretty much agreed on “early”. The writers in the series agreed. The photographers were a bit more relaxed, but they did agree early was a good idea. So, what are the printers and prepress people going for? Well, as you can read below, they are a bit more exact on their entry time.

Alex

To save time and money for printer and client, prepress workers should be brought into every project substantial enough to merit a more thorough process of checking and processing.

Alex Noguera | Prepress Operator
www.bowne.com

Derald

The best time to approach a printer is in the concept phase. If you have a relationship with the printer they will reasonably expect to receive the work and they can help your design stay within the limitations of their presses.

Derald Schultz | Atlanta Graphic Design + Web Design + Printing
Mediarail Design, Inc. | USA

Genie

From the start.

Genie Ho | Prepress and design
PDQ Print | New Zealand

George

Usually before making the artworks, so we won’t waste time adjusting,

George Lee | Printer
Nan Sing Printing | Thailand

John

4 weeks before you think it should.

John Carvalho | Owner/Graphic Designer
Mixed Media: Design & Printing Services | USA

Matt

Once you roll up your sleeves and start any design you should be considering the method in which it will be produced. In other words, you should be considering your printing/printer from the get go. Is this a high volume job? If so, offset press makes more sense than a short run digital. Is it full process or spot colour? Pantones are for an offset, CMYK is more for digital machines or DI presses. Is there embossing, raised ink, foil, etc….once you have a complete list of your projects printing specs you should be on the phone asking: Do you have the capabilities of producing this project? If so, how do you want it supplied, and please fax/email your spec sheet. There is nothing worse than telling a designer that he/she will have to basically change their whole colour scheme (or in some cases, start from scratch). You wouldn’t bring your full colour brochure to a printer who only has a 1 colour press.

Matt Beazley | Printer
www.eyemean.com | Canada

PrintDriver

A wide format print vendor should be consulted before the actual design elements are laid out. It is very important to know a few things up front, the most important being the output device’s optimum image resolution and the media width limitations. There is no need to be working in Photoshop at 300dpi when the machine only needs 50dpi and no mad scrambling when the media you want isn’t manufactured in the width you are requesting. Knowing this beforehand also helps with image acquisition and selection and with accommodating any large bleeds that may be needed. A good rep will be able to suggest products for your specific application without hype.

PrintDriver | Print Consultant | USA

Tom

If necessary, before any design is done. The designer should know that a job can be produced as visualized before too much billable design is done. After that point not until the end user has signed off on the work as complete and correct. If there are production issues after that point the designer should be prepared to be the end user’s eyes when viewing changes done in prepress to make a job actually printable. If prepress is unable to make the piece work correctly, the job may have to go back to the designer and the end user until it’s ready to be resubmitted.

Tom Stege | Lead Prepress Operator - Seattle Location
Print Time Online | USA

Following will be How Printers / Prepress Specialists Charge.

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

When I choose a tomato, I don’t select the biggest and reddest of the bunch. And I don’t grab a bag marked Del Monte either.

Nope. I stick my face right into the fruit. I poke a hole in the package when no one is looking. I crush a few leaves if I can.

Why? Because with tomato picking, smell is a taste indicator.

Is tomato sniffing a 100% sure winner? No. But it’s the easiest way to choose a decent tomato.

Picking a good printer or prepress specialist is a lot like choosing a good tomato.

That’s right. Go ahead and bypass the wrappings. Poke a few holes if you have to. Dig in to see how they work.

Dig into “WHAT?”

Glad you asked. The printers and prepress specialists from the series came to my rescue when answering the question, “How should a company or individual in your profession be chosen?”

Alex

A company should look for someone with an eye for detail who has a solid understanding of design software and methods designers use to create projects. Who has at least a basic knowledge of the printing process from computer to plate to press, and knowledge of the types of presses out there.

Alex Noguera | Prepress Operator
www.bowne.com

Chris

As printers we ’should’ be chosen according to our deliverables and service to the customer/client - not solely on price. If I as a printer can give you the quality you desire and treat you not as a number but a partner in business, then price should take a back seat to a decision. Is price an issue? Absolutely, but don’t make it the sole reason for your choice.

Chris Tomlinson | Owner: Gonink - Design & Print
Gonink - Design & Print | A Designer’s Journey | USA

Derald

Printing has become a price driven industry and a compression of the time customers allow for delivery, but there are several other areas to consider when selecting a printer.

Price:
First would be price, but the lowest price will not always be the printer with the most value. Use the cost of job as a good indicator of their price structure compared to other printers. Look for a “trade printer” as this type of printer does not include a mark up for their sales force. They also tend to be better with complex jobs.

Service:
A good printer will have knowledgeable staff to guide you. They can make recommendations on paper, specialty processes and better ways produce your project to produce the printed piece.

Look for a printer who is consistent in making their deadlines. You may need a referral from another designer to find this out. And ask yourself if you are comfortable working with them…are they pleasant and informative? Do they return your calls promptly?

Capability:
Find out the range of jobs they can produce. Some printers are better at smaller quantities and sheet sizes such as digital printers, while others are more competitive on quantities over 1000. Most printers have developed a niche for a specific size and quantity, so ask them what they are the most competitive at. Over time, you should have 3-6 printers that you can go to for quotes and you’ll know who to send them out to.

Location:
If press checks are a frequent necessity it’s a good idea to find ones that are within driving distance. This also helps develop a “face to face” relationship with them.

Derald Schultz | Atlanta Graphic Design + Web Design + Printing
Mediarail Design, Inc. | USA

Genie

According to qualifications and ability to learn and troubleshoot.

Genie Ho | Prepress and design
PDQ Print | New Zealand

John

Choose someone with experience and responsibility. I hear so many stories about clients being neglected by their previous designer or agency. Manage people’s expectations, and keep in mind that the goal is not to make a pretty picture, it’s to improve your client’s public perception and profitability. As a designer / printer I am integral in helping a client achieve that goal with their marketing.

John Carvalho | Owner/Graphic Designer
Mixed Media: Design & Printing Services | USA

Matt

I think forming a good relationship between a printer and a designer is paramount. My suggestions would be to call and ask to meet the manager/owner of the printer and essentially see what they can do/can’t do for you. Look around the place; is it organized? Are people running around chasing their tales? I think you need to get a “feel” for the place that is right for you and that can only be obtained through an actual visit/sit-down. Perhaps the most important asset to a solid printer/designer relationship is consistency. Consistency in the quality of the output (printer), consistency in the quality of how the file is prepared (designer). Cutting corners and complacency equals mistakes.

The worst way of making a choice for a printer is basing your decision solely on price. If you want a cheap looking product, then by all means, go that route. If you want to have a quality job, done by quality people who care/take pride in their work….you are going to have pay for it!! The design on your screen is one thing, the tangible finished product in your clients hands is entirely differe

Matt Beazley | Printer
www.eyemean.com | Canada

PrintDriver

A wide format printer should be chosen carefully. A referral is the best thing. Or get references from other clients. If at all possible, visit the shop and get a tour. That way you can see actual production work rather than just samples. Check samples for color, print head resolution and head banding. Check any finishing work samples on banners and panels, etc to see the quality of the stitching and grommet webbings, the quality and cleanliness of the mounting and overlamming. See the machines to learn what the limitations are. TAKE NOTES! When talking to a sales rep, prefer the one who says, “I’ll have to ask the tech” rather than one that gives you a wavering answer to a question. Is the rep just a salesman or has he actually worked in the industry? Run a few small jobs before giving large ones to get used to the vendor’s work flow. The print industry is truly a “get what you pay for” deal. Low cost, Quality, or Fast. Pick any two.

PrintDriver | Print Consultant | USA

Tom

The most valuable skill I have is being able to troubleshoot and fix jobs. If somebody isn’t able to adapt with technology and constant upgrades on both the Windows and OS X platforms they will find their job increasingly more difficult and cumbersome.

Tom Stege | Lead Prepress Operator - Seattle Location
Print Time Online | USA

Happy printer / prepress picking. And I’ll see you this same time next week. Or close enough.

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

When it comes time to print your brand identity materials, there’s one overarching question for you to consider - whether to print the resulting materials on a digital printer or traditional press. There are many differences between the two processes, some of which are outlined below.

Digital Printing

Less expensive - Digital printing is a direct-to-paper printing process. As a result, it often runs about one-half of the cost of press printing.

Lose color accuracy - Digital printing is a four-color printing process. Four colors - cyan, magenta, yellow, and black - are printed in tiny dots that when visually mixed together, create various colors. This, in addition to the different set-ups and settings on the machines from press-to-press, batch-to-batch and printer-to-printer, can produce a wide range of different color results. You can never be certain what you’ll get.

Lose color range - Four-color printing has limitations on the brightness, saturation, and range of colors available - when mixing colors in this way. To produce bright reds, oranges, blues, and purples, especially, press printing is a better choice.

Cost of proofing - Proofing is one way to produce accurate color. Proofing can be costly, especially when compared to the overall cost of the job. But, since the proof is created on the same equipment that the final job is printed on, it is often quite accurate.

Can be faster - Since no pre-press work or press setup is needed, running your job on a digital press can be faster, depending on how many jobs the printer has in the queue before yours. Some printers can even offer same-day service. Three days is a standard turnaround time for many of the web-based digital printing companies.

Limited paper choice - Digital presses can only accommodate a limited paper thickness, and many digital printing companies only offer smooth, white papers. Thus, if a thick business card is important to you, then digital printing is not your right choice.

Limited finishing choices - Foil stamping, metallic inks, and embossing services are usually not offered by digital printing houses. Some digital printers also do not offer die-cutting or special folding services.

Limited choice of material sizes, styles, and formats - Digital printers will offer a very specific “menu” or range of products. If you want to create innovative marketing materials, such as the brochure-style business cards that we create at elf design, then digital printing is not a choice for your project. Large formats are also not available with many digital printers, as the largest paper size they can accommodate is 11″ x 17″.

Press Printing

More costly - The difference in costs is mainly due to setup costs. For press printing, films must be produced, and plates may have to be produced as well, which are additional items that add to the overall cost. Additional time is involved in setting up and aligning the press, as well as washing the press. Also, there are more overruns from traditional printing, since you cannot program in a specific number of pages to be printed as you can with a digital printer. Most printers consider overruns to be billable, or they add an additional cost for that into the initial estimate. Jobs done on a press will typically run about twice the cost of digital printing.

Excellent color accuracy - The Pantone Matching System (PMS) offers great color accuracy. Pantone colors are mixed to precise, pre-set specifications, which are printed each year in their color matching guides. You can consult these books to see exactly what the final color will look like in advance. It’s a lot like going to the paint store and specifying colors for your home on the paint chips they offer - you know what you’ll get. So, if color accuracy is important to you, then press printing may be the best choice.

Brighter colors are available - Since the Pantone colors are mixed using inks, they can be created to be much brighter and more intense. So, if lively colors are important to your brand image, then press printing may be the way to go.

Cost of proofing - For four-color press jobs, proofing is often not too expensive when compared to the overall cost of the job. However, it can be inaccurate, depending on the type of proof run and the type of press on which your final job will be printed.

For two- or three- color jobs printed using the Pantone system, complete color proofing is often not available. However, samples of the colors are available in the Pantone books. And, inexpensive laser prints or inkjet prints can be created to view the positioning of the elements of the page. With a little imagination, you can visualize how the final job will look.

Press printing can take longer than digital - There are several additional steps involved in press printing, which are taken care of using direct-to-press, digital technology. Films and plates must be made, the press set up, run the job and then tune us needed for drying. Then cutting, folding, and other finishing must take place.

Types of paper - Choose from an entire rainbow of paper colors - fire-engine red to deep blue, sunflower yellow to pitch black. There is also a wide range of thicknesses and textures from which to choose, including specialty papers, such as vellum and metallic papers. If you are considering using nontraditional paper your card or materials, press printing is the best way to go.

Fine line screens are available - The result of this is that even under close inspection, the color will look smooth and seamless. It will also appear brighter and more intense.

Wide range of finishing techniques - All finishing options are possible with press printing. Metallic inks can be run through the press as easily as can a nonmetallic ink. Embossing, die cutting, and foil stamping can be done in traditional printing houses. You can create materials that really stand out using these techniques.

Innovative formats, shapes, and sizes are possible - Traditional press printing can accommodate a wide range of paper sizes and can result in innovative and creative finished projects. This is largely due to the “have-it-your-way” range of options, where you can specify special sizes and finishing techniques.

We hope that the above primer on the pros and cons of both digital printing and press printing helps you to decide which you will choose to produce your materials.

This post is part of the Designers Working With series. Check it out for more …

Erin Ferree | Owner and Lead Designer
elf design | eBook Stand Out! Differentiate Your Business to Build a Solid Foundation for Your Brand

©2005 Erin Ferree
First published at Creative Latitude