The designer and the pressman October 02, 2009, by Chris Pelicano, Peter Mirus in Design
It can be a great benefit to have your veteran graphic designer attend the "press check"—the last phase of production for print communications. By doing so, the designer accompanies the project from initial concept to ink-on-paper, thereby completing the print design production cycle. The press check is, in a sense, the most critical phase of production—and the last chance to make small detail or global design adjustments prior to the actual print run. The presence of the designer "on press" can ensure that the client's interests are being heard—because even a good commercial printer will be a bit more attentive to its own priorities (work flow, press time, paper consumption, etc.) than to the client's aesthetic concerns.
In this digital age, a print design may never appear on paper until it gets to the printer. Digital Proofs (mostly PDF documents) are often circulated via email because of the benefits in efficiency. However, because the same document can look very different on the wide variety of display screens, a predictable standard is needed.
Therefore, the designer sets the standard for accurately evaluating digital layouts and proofs.
I work on a color-calibrated screen in a room with controlled, balanced lighting. This calibrated digital work station allows me to accurately anticipate the difference between on-screen color and ink-on-paper color. Moreover, an experienced designer has what I like to call good "color memory". This means that throughout the entire print design cycle the artist knows what the key colors are and how best to achieve them on screen, on proofs, and on press. Familiarity with the entire design development process and the capabilities of modern press technology allow the designer to avoid potential problems and create a piece that is "printable".
Ultimately, when the job gets to press, the designer is the best interface with the resident pressman— whose own color sense may influence how he sees color on the printed page. The pressman's expertise is the operation of the press—not color interpretation. So it is doubly important that the designer be there to make sure that the client's interests are represented.
Conclusion
So, whenever necessary and possible, include the designer at the press check! It is a great way to ensure that you get what you intended out of your printed communication pieces, ensure smooth press checks and runs, and solidify the relationship with your printer.
Additional Note
While including the designer at the press check may not be practical for small projects, the designer should be included for large significant projects, or when the printed piece is highly complex.
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