Background

This course is designed to give anyone involved in the creation of digital artwork an understanding of the whole process from layout to final printed work and to avoid the expensive mistakes and broken deadlines often caused by a lack of expertise in this field.

This course provides a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the digital reproduction process. The course explores the terminology and techniques used by professionals in the digital repro industry. You will look at preparing, storing, proofing and transferring files, separating your artwork and everything you need to know about sending your artwork to a printer or bureau.

 

Course Outline

DAY ONE

INTRODUCTION
Understanding file formats
The relationship between layout, paint and drawing programs

BLACK AND WHITE ARTWORK
Font substitution
Fixing font ID clashes
All about ATM
Scanning artwork
Introduction to resolution issues
Working with pixels
Understanding screen angles
Understanding screen clash

SPOT COLOUR ARTWORK
Working with bleeds
Working with tints
Working with compounds
Working with duotones
Working with graduations
Draw vs paint graduations
Scanning continuous tone and black and white artwork
Understanding trapping
Calibrating greyscale images
for print
Understanding clipping paths

FOUR COLOUR ARTWORK
High-end scanning
Colour correction
Understanding bit depth
RGB vs CMYK

IMAGE EDITING
Retouching an image
Changing image size
Using Gamma
Understanding OPI
Rasterizing an image

PRACTICAL EXERCISES

Questions and answers          

 

DAY TWO

SEPARATED ARTWORK
Creating separations from QuarkXPress or InDesign
Wet proofs
Chromalins and matchprints
Raster image processors
Controlling dot gain
Working with PPDs
Separating a 5th colour

STORING AND TRANSFERRING FILES
The range of storage media: CD-ROM, Zip etc
Archiving and backing up data

PROOFING
Di-sublimation
Canon and QMS proofing
Digital proofing
Using Adobe Acrobat
Distiller options
Acrobat Reader
Acrobat Catalog
Cross platform proofing

COMPRESSION
Different compression algorithms and what they mean JPEG, MPEG et al

AT THE PRINTERS
Overview of the printing process
Useful terminology
How to get the best prices

WHAT TO SEND TO BUREAU
Hints and tips
A repro checklist

PRACTICAL EXERCISES

Questions and answers