Definition:
Artwork that is properly prepared and ready to be photographed for platemaking is camera ready.
Traditional prepress consisted of boards or mats with all elements in place. Today, laser or inkjet print-outs from a desktop printer may serve as camera ready art.
Typically the printer creates printing plates (or simply makes copies) directly from the mechanical (camera ready artwork). In some cases a negative is made from from the mechanical and that is used to create the printing plates. Camera ready art preparation is less common today with the growth of computer-to-plate processes and digital printing directly from the digital files prepared in desktop publishing software.
Also Known As: camera ready art | print ready | mechanicals
