Talk to Your Printer

When do you first talk to your printer (or service bureau) about a project? When your project is ready for printing? Halfway through the project? Ideally, you should talk with your printer as soon as you take on a new project -- perhaps even before you accept it from your client.

If you plan to deliver camera ready art to your printer, consult with him or her before opening your drawing or layout program, or before scanning any artwork or photos. You will get better results, save time, and possibly save money.

Giving Your Printer Camera Ready Artwork

Camera ready art is a mechanical. Unfortunately, the definition of a mechanical is not quite so simple. Basically, it is something that is ready for placement in front of a camera that shoots printing plates to run on the printing presses. However, the many types and styles of mechanicals which you might use can depend on the different presses and cameras used by your printer. Additionally, you should consider the type of project and the client's budget when selecting a printer. Let's look at a few of the types of mechanicals common to quick printers, with their respective methods of production:

• Laser-printed copy.
  This is the most basic mechanical, and is good for black & white photocopies or printing at a quick printer.
  
  
• Loose registration spot color separations.
  These are easily produced by most page layout programs. They usually consist of one computer-printed sheet with the black image and one sheet with each spot color. Or, they can consist of a one-piece mechanical (all items on the page) with overlays of paper used to block out the spot color when the plates are made.
  
  
• Close registration (colors very close, touching, or overlapping), more than two spot colors, or very large press runs of 5000 pieces or more.
  Negatives are shot from the mechanical or directly from computer-generated files. The printer creates printing plates from these negatives rather than directly from the mechanical.
  
  
• Metal plates or disposable paper plates.
  Some quick-printing shops use only disposable plates. On a large run, these plates can stretch and spot color registration can shift noticeably. Metal plates can cost extra and may be the only option with some printers. Some shops will shoot the negative for the plates from your mechanical. Others can take your computer file in place of a "paper" mechanical.
  
  
• Computer files.
  Some printers can work directly from your application files and others will need files saved as PostScript or PRN files. Find out if your printer accepts Mac or PC-formatted disks or if you can modem the file directly to the printer.

What to Discuss With Your Printer

Three points to discuss with your client and your printer to determine the most cost-effective method of producing your project are purpose, quantity, and paper.

1. Purpose
   You will probably produce and print 500 copies of a 4-page black & white newsletter distributed free to the Mt. Pleasant Bottle Cap Collectors Club quite differently from HairArt, Inc.'s 3-color digest size product catalog for a convention of beauty supply retailers.
   
   
2. Quantity
   A project normally suited to shooting directly from the mechanical may require negatives simply because the client needs a large quantity -- and that could add to the cost.
   
   
3. Physical Dimensions, Type of Paper
   Can the printer's presses handle the size and type of paper required? An odd size can add considerably to the cost of production. Perhaps the client will want to reconsider.

Work with your client and the printer from the beginning stages of your project. Work out the most cost-effective production and printing method to ensure that the publication envisioned by you and your client is how the final printed piece will actually look. Your client will remember you as the designer who delivers top quality work -- start to finish. Your printer will remember you as the professional who not only knows how to design good newsletters, brochures, or logos -- but who knows how and when to talk to a printer.

^{article originally published in the INK Spot magazine and based on presentation at STAR 95 by Pat Gibson, Sulfer Creek Enterprises, Dripping Springs, TX}