Before Beginning

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Before Beginning

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Planning is one of the most important parts of the printing process. Improper planning, design or setup can cost more than just time and money. Sometimes it can even result in unprintable projects. Recognizing a customer is and their target audience is of utmost importance when planning a project. Being aware of a customer's expectations and budget is also important when planning for type of paper, number of colors, size of project and any other factors.

It’s good to know how to finish the printed piece before starting. Some things to keep in mind are:

  • Will the trim size of the finished sheet allow the best use of the signature sheet? A small change in one dimension can sometimes save a lot of wasted paper.
  • Make a dummy to be certain the correct number of pages are set up.
  • Signatures consist of four, eight or 16 pages in most cases. The amount of pages must be a multiple of four.
  • Which paper and printing process will be used? This information is required to set the correct halftone screen, image resolution (one and a half to two times the halftone screen) and dot gain for photographs.
  • How many ink units are on the press? If printing a four-color process job, three spot colors and a varnish, the job will require an eight-color press. If the printer doesn’t have an eight-color press, they may have to run it through several passes, which can add substantially to the job costs. Also, using PMS standard color inks can save money over having the printer mix a custom color. Keeping in mind trying to match a PMS color by using process colors will be close but not exact.
  • Are the color settings correct for the printing process? If using scanned images or other graphics, they must be set for CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), not RGB (red, green, blue).
  • If supplying the film to a commercial printer, is it correct? Are there registration marks, center marks, color bars, correct halftone screens and screen tints at the right percentages and angles? Is the bleed size set according to what the printer advises (usually 1/8”)? Check with the printer to see how they would prefer the film to be output, such as RRED (Right Reading Emulsion Down).
  • Decide how the document will be bound. If it’s going to be saddle stitched, make allowance for the margins if there are a lot of pages. Make sure to set the margins correctly for left- and right-handed pages so that the paper cutter won’t cut through live copy. If a three-ring binder is to be used, make sure there is room for the punched holes.

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