PRINTING PRIMER

Color Printing is a commercial sheet-fed printer. (Our presses run flat sheets rather than paper from rolls.)

This printing primer is designed to outline some of the of printing basics.

A quality printed piece provides a professional presentation to your customer or your constituency. The professionally done piece says that your customer is important to you.

PAPER
Choosing the right paper requires an understanding of how papers are described and evaluated.

Availability.
The paper mills produce swatch books to show the papers each manufactures. The Twin City paper merchants are usually generous in handing out the swatch books for the mills they represent. NOTE: Just because a paper is shown in a swatch book does not mean that the merchant carries all the papers shown. Or, the merchant may carry one paper weight but none of the others. It is always best to check with us to see if the weights you want to use and the envelope sizes are available.

Paper grades and weights.
Coated Papers - The basic coated finishes are matte and gloss. Coated papers have a greater smoothness, higher opacity, and better ink holdout than uncoated papers, therefore the printed images have a sharper definition and better color fidelity. Text Weights: 60#, 70#, 80#, 100# Cover Weights: 65#. 80#, 100# (limited 110#)

Text Papers - Many of the text papers have interesting textures and come in a variety of colors. Text Weights: 70#, 80#, Cover Weights: 80#

Offset - This is a general printing paper. Some papers come in vellum and smooth finishes. Most sheets are available in white, some in natural and some in a variety of colors. Text Weights: 50#, 60#, 70#, 100# Cover Weights: 65#, 80#, 100#

Bond Papers - Bond papers are a utilitarian paper produced for strength and durability. Weights: 20#, 24#, 28#, 32#

Writing Papers - These are higher end bond papers designed for letterhead and office paper use. Weights: 20#, 24#

Index - A stiff cover stock, with a smooth finish. Weight: 90#, 110#, 140#

Vellum Bristol - A stiff stock with a softer printing surface. Ideal for folding. Weight: 57#, 67#, 80#

Paper is available to us in two flat-sheet formats: Cut sizes (There are a limited number of papers available in cut sizes) The cut sizes are: 8.5" x 11" 8.5" x 14" 11" x 17" Full sizes - The full size sheets we use most efficiently are: 26" x 40" (cuts to 19" x 26") 25" x 38" (cuts to 19" x 25" when stock does not come in that size 23" x 35" (cuts to 23" x 17.5," 11.5" x 17.5," or 8.5" x 14" ) 19" x 25"

Brightness
Generally brightness refers to white papers and is numerical grade rating. The higher the brightness rating the whiter the paper.

Paper Grain
The paper grain direction affects how the paper performs on the press and in the bindery.

When the paper is made the fibers run in a specific direction. The fiber direction is "with the grain."

Paper costs for some jobs may be higher because the paper has to be cut so that the fold will be with the grain. Folding "against the grain" in heavier stocks will cause the paper to crack rather than fold neatly.

Recycled Paper
Recycled papers contain a specified percentage of post-consumer waste. Generally, the higher the percentage of post-consumer waste, the lower the brightness of the paper.

ENVELOPES
White Wove Envelopes. (These envelopes are fabricated from either 24# or 28# offset paper. #10 Regular (Standard letter size envelope) #9 Regular (Sometimes called a return envelope, it fits inside a #10 envelope) The following envelopes come with an open end (OE Catalog) or with an opening on the side (OS Booklet). 6" x 9", 6.5" x 9.5", 9" x 12", 9.5" x 12.5", 10" x 13"

Announcement Envelopes come in two styles. Baronial (open on the side with a deep, pointed flap); and A-2, A-6, A-7, A-10 (open on the side with a square flap)

Text and Writing Envelopes: Number 10 envelopes and Announcement envelopes are available in some text and writing paper stocks to match stocks used for letterhead.

TYPOGRAPHY

The emergence of electronic fonts has resulted in hundreds of fonts choices. The primary rule of thumb in selecting type fonts for your publication is: "Keep it simple." Don't use a lot of different fonts, type styles, and effects just because you can. The font options are divided into two categories: Serif fonts and sans-serif fonts.

Serif Fonts - The serifs are the cross lines at the ends of the main strokes of the characters

Serif fonts are best used where the reader is to read longer texts. The horizontal serifs carry your eye along the reading line (from left to right).

Sans-serif Fonts - The sans (without) serif fonts have straight vertical lines.

The sans-serif fonts are most appropriately used for display type. The vertical lines of the sans- serif fonts draw the eye to up and down motions, thus making it more difficult to read long sections of text.

Line Length - The eye can only see so much without movement, so there is a limit to the number of characters which should be used in each line. The optimal line length is determined by the type size, the leading, and the font characteristics.

There are two design rules of thumb which have been used in determining the optimum line length.

1. No line should be longer than two-and-one-half times the length of the lower case alphabet.

Your font manager should enable you to print out a font map. Measure the lower case alphabet and multiply times 2.5. That should be the maximum length (in inches) of your typeset line in that font and size.

2. The maximum line length should be (in picas) equal to twice the point size of the type. This applies to type set solid (no leading), i.e., 10 pt type set on a 10 pt line. For each point of leading you can add 1 pica to length of the line.

X-Height - The x-height of a font is measured from the base-line of the font (character) to the top of the lower case letter. Fonts of the same point size may have a different x-height. Fore example, the font LIFE has a high x-height, while GOUDY has a very short x-height. The higher x-height gives the impression of a large font while not requiring the extra space of a larger font.

Widow / Orphan - Good typesetting eliminates "widows" (a partial line a the top of a page or column) and "orphans" (a single, first line of a paragraph at the bottom of a page or column)

COLOR
The use of color greatly enhances your printed piece. The right colors and use of color makes your communication pieces more credible and inviting. Studies show that color increases comprehension by up to 70% and improves recall by 80%. So, if your budget permits, plan for the use of color in your printing.

Color is used in one of two ways: Spot color and process color. On some projects a combination of both is desirable.

The color models are Pantone (spot colors) and CYMK (process color). All files prepared for the printer should use one of these two color systems. Most scanners scan color photos to RGB. Make sure they are converted to CYMK before transmitting your files. Where a combination of Pantone and CYMK colors are used, be sure the Pantone colors are converted to CYMK before transmitting your files.

SCANNING
Make sure that your images are scanned at 300 dpi when placed at 100% of output.

The scanner will produce an RGB image. Make sure the image is converted to CYMK before placing it in your file.

BINDING

When the finished product is a book there are a number of binding possibilities.

Saddlestitch - Bind by two staples through the fold of the sheets

Perfect Bind - A hot glue binding which creates a flat spine (a paper back book)

GBC - A plastic comb binding

Wire-O - A wire comb binding with parallel wires. A wire binding can also be a spiral wire.

BLEED

When the image is printed off the edge of the paper (bleeds), the job is printed on oversize paper and is cut to size after printing.

CAMERA-READY

Pages from a laer printer or imagesetter which are reproduced via a camera for printing.

COLOR SEPARATION

The process required to print a job in more than one color. There are two basic color printng processes: spot color makes use of two PMS/Pantone colors or one and black. Process color, 4-color, or full -color printing makes use of the primary colors (CYMK) - C = Cyan, Y = Yellow, M = magenta, and K = black.

Two points are critical if you want your job printed in more than one color.

1. Files created in some software cannot be color separated, i.e., Microsoft Word. 2. Most scanner programs produce an RGB file. Those files must be converted to CYMK to be color separated for full-color printing.

HARD COPY (two definitions)

The hard copy provides the printer with a record of what is on your electronic file (disk, e-mail attachment, FTP transfer). 1. A "typed" copy of the text submitted in electronic form. 2. A laser/inkject printer copy of what is on an electronic file.

EDITING

It is important to do your editing before you give it to the printer, to be sure that your text says exactly what you want it to say. Read your text for typographic errors, grammar, and clarity. Any changes made to your original text, at the proof stage, are alterations for which you will usually be charged.

PROOFS

A careful reading of proofs is important to an error-free product. Once you have given your OK and have signed off on the proofs, you are responsible for the final product. If there are errors which may require that the job be reprinted, you will be responsible for the reprint costs.

Blueline - The blueline proof is made from the film which has been prepared for making plates. The purpose of the blueline is to give you a chance to check positions and quality. Are the photos/graphic pieces correct and in the position you placed them?

Changes made on the blueline will result in new film and new stripping costs. If those changes are alterations to your original plan you will be charged for the new film and stripping costs.

Matchprint - The matchprint gives you an advance opportunity to check the color for your 4-color process printed piece. If you have prepared photo scans or selected colors for graphic emphasis you will want to have done your homework carefully. The matchprint is made from the film which has been prepared for making the plates. Alterations or edits made to the matchprint will result in new film and stripping costs.