-- Introductory knowledge explanation of printing studies
In order to improve the design, it is necessary to be proficient in most printing techniques so as to be able to handle the realization of design products with ease. However, getting familiar with printing itself is not an easy thing, because the printing process is rigid. With the same process, the finished products printed by those with good design skills will have a fantastic effect, while the finished products printed by those who don't know how to design will still have a very poor effect. So printing is a tool. Your design won't be good just because you're driving a Bentley.
When you come into contact with designers or pattern makers, you may have seen how we work on computers. Of course, it would be too cumbersome to talk about this. Now let's talk about what we need to do next after confirming the design draft on the computer:
1. Completed:
Abbreviated as FA, (FinalArt), when I store electronic files, I always keep the file names in this order: project name + manuscript number + file status + version number + date + text status. Extension name. If you see in the file name I gave you, the file status is FA and the text status is OP (to curve). Then this means that this document can be sent directly to the printer.
When the client receives our design proposal, what they usually get is a PDF document or a JPG sample. When viewed on a computer screen, the display color mode is RGB, a 3-color mode. However, for printing, the 4-color mode of CMYK is required. Therefore, it is necessary to convert the file color mode and maintain the accuracy of the colors. If the printed matter includes photos or images, the picture resolution must be at least 300dpi per square inch; otherwise, the printed image will be like the quality of a VCD played on a high-definition TV. This is why pictures directly found online cannot be used for printing, as the resolution is usually far from satisfactory.
Text must be converted into curves. During printing, text is not text but should be treated as graphs. To avoid font loss or layout misalignment caused by font loss is a very elementary mistake, but beginners will not understand it. Only by making big mistakes can things gradually improve. That's why we require text editors to do a good job of proofreading before the printing is completed. After the printed draft is completed and the text is revised, it is basically no different from redoing. It wastes a lot of time, does a lot of useless work, and is very prone to errors.
2. Produce film and make samples:
"Film" is actually the transliteration of "film", which means negative. In the past, professional cameras were used to take pictures and develop the negatives. Now, a film printer (about the size of two cold cabinets placed horizontally) is used to directly print on transparent film, and the image appears black. Each of the four colors in CMYK produces one negative: C= cyan, M= magenta, Y= yellow, and K= black. Only when the four color films are overlapped can a color image be produced.
Proofing is a highly skilled craft. It involves printing one or two samples first while minimizing the cost and avoiding significant losses.
Since most of the proofing processes are usually done by hand and the printing machines are relatively simple, the proofing masters are mostly highly experienced people. In the past, the responsibility of the sample-making process was to present finished samples to designers and clients, check for errors, make minor design adjustments, control costs, and confirm colors. Nowadays, this process has basically been replaced by digital printing machines (large printers) for short-run printing, which is low-cost and fast. However, even though it can be done immediately, it usually takes half a day. Please note that this does not mean that printing has become as simple as printing. This kind of printing can only produce extremely simple products and can only use 5 or 6 types of ordinary paper. Not to mention special paper and special processes. Nowadays, there are very few such workshops in Beijing. A large number of them have been replaced by digital printing copyshops. In a social environment that only pursues speed and is shoddy, this is quite normal. But if you want to create exquisite and high-quality design products, traditional workshops are still more suitable.
3. Plate making
Nowadays, with our printing technology, we can skip the process of film and proofing, directly print the computer-designed images onto metal plates, and then put them into the printing machine for printing. I'm deeply sorry about this, but there's nothing I can do. Everyone hopes the speed will get faster and faster. In terms of the complete process, the finished film is first assembled during the plate-making process, especially when making things like books. This process is particularly important. Usually, for the common 32-page (142x210mm) books, 16 pages are made on one page, printed on a large sheet of paper (full page), folded five times, and then cut with a knife to get a 16-page book. In printing terms, it is called "Dai4". Finally, the plates are placed on the printing press and printed one by one.
4. Printing
Although this is the main process, with the increasingly advanced equipment nowadays, this process is actually the fastest. The principle here is too complicated to explain, so I won't go into detail for now. It can be simply understood as a huge Heidelberg offset printing press (about the size of a small boiler) with one end in and the other end out. There are only a few dozen sheets per minute. It's worth noting that if we assume the printing starts at 8 a.m. and there are 1,000 printed materials, and you suddenly find a typo at 11:30 a.m., it will be too late to correct it by then, and the printing will definitely be done. The domestic printing cost is relatively low. Firstly, it is because domestic labor is very cheap. Secondly, the vicious competition leads to very little profit. Therefore, almost all domestic printing machines operate 7x24 hours a day continuously, with people taking a break but the machines never stopping.
5. Special processes (if necessary)
In Hong Kong, this process is called "special effects", which is a general term. It encompasses a wide range of techniques, such as gold and silver hot stamping, embossing, punching, edge trimming, oiling, UV coating, oil pressing, high-gloss, crescon-shaped knife (after binding), and so on and so forth. There are just too many, and they are constantly and slowly increasing with the advancement of technology. If everyone is interested in this kind of thing, I'll explain the individual stunts to you in detail later.
6. Cut the finished products and bind them:
This process is the one that requires the most manpower. Although there are machines and equipment, their advanced levels are mostly similar to those of sewing machines. So the requirements for workers are also relatively high. There are no particularly high-tech or mysterious machines; they just work one by one. 1,000 copies and 100,000 copies are both. Most of the time that the client and the designer need to wait patiently is here.
