The Print-Design-Production Cycle September 11, 2009, by Chris Pelicano in Design
Commercial printing has not "gone away" as some cyber publishing enthusiasts predicted. Environmentally friendly inks, high efficiency paper recycling, and state of the art presses have allowed commercial printing to remain an invaluable business communications medium. So, how do you get an important communications piece designed and printed? You enlist a print-savvy graphic designer and engage the Print-Design-Production-Cycle.
Typically, the Print-Design-Production-Cycle incorporates five phases, with occasional variations depending on the scope and complexity of the project and priorities of the client. Likewise, the number of iterations within a particular phase, such as the number of concepts presented at the start of the project or the number of revisions to subsequent layouts, depends largely on budget and time constraints.
The first phase is concept development, which includes information gathering and the creation of one or more "roughs" which are presented either verbally or visually to the client for consideration. These "roughs" are created with expediency and presented thoroughly so the client can preview the merits of various design solutions. "Roughs" may be modified based on client feedback and re-presented for review or approved for refinement into working layouts.
Client approval of one or more "roughs" marks the beginning of phase two, which is layout design. In this phase, the designer incorporates elements of copywriting, photography, illustration, decorative graphic design, typography, etc, to create a digital layout that approximates the appearance of the finished printed piece (promotional poster, advertisement, brochure, etc.). This phase will include one or more layout review stages to reassure the project team that the work under development satisfies client expectations. Client feedback may lead to revisions and additional layout reviews and ultimately to client approval before the project moves into production.
The third phase is Production Art, during which the designer prepares the approved layout for print production. This phase requires the designer to ensure that the contents of the layout are in their final form and constructed according to the printer's technical specifications in order to ensure trouble-free printing. Final proofreading takes place during this phase and is generally the responsibility of the client, who then provides final production art approval prior to file transfer to the printer.
Once the production art has been approved by the client and transferred to the printer, the fourth and fifth phases begin: Printer Proofing and Printing & Delivery. Some clients prefer to handle these last two phases without the designer's involvement. Other clients want the designer to oversee the activity of the printer, or at least share oversight responsibilities. There are many advantages to keeping the designer involved in these last two phases of the Print-Design-Production-Cycle.
Printer Proofing involves the creation and review of either digital and/or hard copy pre-press proofs supplied by the printer. These digital proofs (usually Adobe Acrobat PDF files) allow the client to make certain that the designer's production files move successfully through the printer's internal press-ready process. Potential problems with complex graphics files will show up and can be corrected at this proofing stage. Hard copy proofs allow the client to hold a physical rendition of the communication piece in their hands (perhaps for the first time in the design cycle) and preview the finished size, folds, and approximate ink colors. The Printer Proofing phase is the last best time to scrutinize the communication piece for any errors before it goes to press. Approval of Printer Proofs usually gives the printer the official "O.K." to print the job.
Printing & Delivery entails coordination and verification of final print specifications (print quantity, paper stock, folding, trimming, binding, etc) as well as packaging and delivery details. This phase can often be handled via email and phone. However, some print jobs are of such high quantity and entail such expense that a client press check is warranted.
A press check allows the client and/or designer to attend the set-up of the job on the printing press immediately prior to the full press run. If a project warrants a press check it demands the presence of a print-savvy designer or client representative. The press check allows a client a final opportunity to view the actual printed piece in a limited quantity and potentially cancel the print run if needed. It is primarily a quality control check-point and disaster prevention release valve. Some slight global color corrections can be effected on press, but no real changes can be achieved. Instead, the press check allows a client to catch a potentially deal-breaking error, that somehow passed through all the earlier proofing stages, before thousands get printed.
There are other important benefits to a press check, which will be presented in future articles.
The Print-Design-Production-Cycle is a collaborative process involving the graphic designer, client, and printer. Central to the process is the print-savvy designer who can efficiently and effectively turn a client's message into deliverable print communication pieces.
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