Colour for print, Studio session.

Presentation-

Die cutter.

Typography. Grahams Workshop.

Task:

Wrap it up: Crit

'Wrap it up' Crit: 

Packaging design and exploration.

STRENGTHS:

- Use of stock.

- Use of colour.

- Pattern works well and reflects subject matter.

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Lack of consistency.

- Try something new with the packaging- reinvent it/ modify it.

- Try type.

- More information needed.

'Good is'... Concept boards

CONCEPT CRIT:

Screen printing Tees.

Preparation:

Preparing documents for print.

Task:

Find the 8 mistakes that will mean the print won't come out as desired on screen.

1.

RGB is used.

Because the design is for print we know that this RGB colour won't come out as on screen because this colour is solely for screen, the printer will automatically convert it to CMYK.  The only way to solve this problem would be to try and find the closest match within the CMYK colour space.  By double clicking the swatch it can be edited to CMYK.  

2.

Only five plates are allowed, and this design uses 7.  We would have to check to see if these spot colours aren't being used and then delete them, otherwise they will just print out black and waste money.

3.

One of the images isn't linked.  This means that when it comes to printing the image will not appear because technically it isn't there.  The only way to solve this would be to talk to the designer and get hold of the file.

4.

RGB.  The printer will automatically shift to CMYK.  To resolve this open the image in Photoshop and change the colour so that it is printable.

5.

One of the images is 72dpi, which means is it designed for screen not print.  This can only be resolved by replacing the image, because otherwise it will print out as it is seen on screen.

6.

No bleed on first page.  This will be an issue because when it is printed the ink won't print past the cut down, finalised area.  Easy to fix because it is a flat colour and can just be extended to the edge.

7.

Registration was used on type on the last page- it has exceeded the ink limit.

You would just change the colour to black.

8.

Dimensions for image are wrong.  It has been scaled down by 15%.  This can be resolved by rescaling in photoshop.  Hold down alt key and double click to open the programme it was designed in.

Design Development

Stock.  Cellophane.  Interesting concept to work on.  A repeat pattern of the logo printed as the packaging for the t-shirts.  Allows the audience to get a glimpse of the product inside.  Can you print onto cellophane?

Design for print, InDesign Induction

InDesign Colour management:

Ready for print.

Document setup:

Paper size- the finished/ printed/ trimmed size.  Not the size of the paper.

Bleed is recommended for every document.  To compensate for any errors in trimming.  Standard value for bleed is 3mm.

Select 'Facing pages' if you are making a book.  Assists in layout when printing.  Not necessary for poster/business card etc.

Shortcut for hiding margins/edges of frames etc is SHIFT+W.

Applying colour in InDesign:

Apply colour to fill or stroke of the frame:

Shortcut to switch fill/stroke:

SHIFT+X

Alternatively:

Exactly the same as creating new swatches in Illustrator.  Make sure they're in CMYK.

Global colours and tints:

Then once the initial colour is changed all the tints change because it is a global colour:

Spot colours:

Adding it to swatches palette-

You can also create different tones of the spot colour.

Save the swatch library you have created if you think it is going to be useful to use again.

Image considerations for commercial print.

-preparing images to import into InDesign:

If image is in Photoshop make sure colour mode is (converted to) CMYK.  Or grayscale.

Resolution for commercial print is 300dpi.

Make sure that the image is it's actual size.  Always do resizing in Photoshop.  Don't enlarge images on InDesign.

Save it in the correct file format.  i.e. Tiff or Psd.  There are other formats that will place into InDesign however they aren't suitable for commercial print.  With Psd files you can maintain transparency.  Recommended for a cut-out image.

If image is in Illustrator the default mode has to be CMYK.

Flexibility with sizing.

File format should be Illustrator.

Importing images into InDesign:

The swatch palette has been saved from the duotone image.  Spot colours will be brought in that are attatched to the artwork.

And again:

If necessary the transparency can be turned off. 

Close-up the image doesn't look great because it is just a preview.  When you place a file you establish a link between the file and the programme.

Links can be checked on the side bar above the stroke toolbar.

Another advantage of links is that you can go back and edit the image on Illustrator and the InDesign artwork will automatically update.

Hold down ALT and DOUBLE CLICK and the image will automatically open up in the document it was created in so that it can be edited.  

Edit the image.  Then save it.  Then open up InDesign again, and the changes will be applied.

(file management)-

This means that whenever you do the above shortcut the artwork will appear in Photoshop rather than preview or Illustrator.  Much more helpful.

The black has been replaced with the spot colour.  Now a one colour print job.

Separations:

Information on what is going to happen to the file when printed.

Double checking it will all work when getting sent off to print:

During the commercial print process some of the setting are changed:

Output.

Click on separations and the separate inks will be shown.

Alternatively, before going to the print choices you can go to separations preview:

This allows you to see the number of printing plates needed, if the spot colour isn't being printed in CMYK and if all the colours are working properly in the right places.

MAKE SURE ALL OF THE SPOT COLOURS YOU HAVEN'T USED ARE DELETED IN THE SWATCHES PALETTE.  MAY RESULT IN ADDITIONAL COSTS TO PRINT JOBS.  TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REMOVE.

Overprinting:

You will only see the overprint if you turn on separations preview.

Unless you give an ink limit value the overprinted area will have double the amount of ink against the rest of the artwork.

The dark gray area shows where the ink will be printed heavily, you can change the percentages to increase/decrease amount of ink applied.