Prepressforums.com

rennie · #1 (**permalink**) 10-11-2004, 04:18 AM

From all the rants here about designers supplying bad artwork. It would be great if printers could send out a checklist or fact sheet about the proper way they woudl like to receive files. In irish graphic design courses you are not taught how to get things ready for press. Any information about it i found out through working. I even tried to find books to help me learn it but its nearly impossible. A tipsheet or file checklist sent out to design firms you deal with might help designers supply artwork the way you need it.

almaink · #2 (**permalink**) 10-11-2004, 04:52 AM

I had the same idea but my boss said no. It would insult the designers intelligence and they would go to another printer. Some here do check out this link?
http://www.eyetechgraphics.co.uk/clientlounge.html

tuff_gong · #3 (**permalink**) 10-11-2004, 05:08 AM

I did one, real basic, but an occasional help.

http://www.just-usprinters.com/file_prep.pdf

nlynx76 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-11-2004, 06:30 PM

We all work for or run our separate businesses, but perhaps a designer's how -to (and conversely, how-not-to) guide to creating files for offset press could be posted somewhere on this site to help ourselves and newcomers to prepress that come here for assistance with their clients? Problem is we all have slightly different workflows and we receive files of *all* types so there'd be several pages focusing on individual applications. Not to mention who'd put it together. Perhaps a vote on whether it'd be a good addition to the site to start things off? Just a thought.

nckris · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2004, 02:17 AM

[It would be great if printers could send out a checklist or fact sheet about the proper way they woudl like to receive files.]

Every place I've worked at, there is always a spec sheet sent out. Designers will follow it for a few weeks. But it's much easier for them to do a half-ass job and get it off their desk. (If it looks good on the screen or on their 8.5 x 11 then its good to go)

Or an agency will switch designers for cheaper prices and the cycle starts again. Plus if the art is being done a different printers, they aren't going too build files to two specs.

I've had a designer show up and I showed them all the things wrong with their files, next file was ther same way. Simple stuff, clean the pallette so there isn't umpteen spot colors and chill out on the transparencies etc.

Then again, if all the files were built right, I wouldn't have a job.[/quote]

Jalan · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2004, 07:49 AM

We have a two page tech sheet that we've been using since 1992 and have always supplied it to those who request it, who we think need it or who we know is a new designer/customer. At best, one in ten learn something from it.

Not to sound harsh but in the end it is the designers resposibility to know the math and logic besides the creativity of design. If they weren't schooled on it then shame on the education system that claims to offer design degrees. Many people, but not myself :wink: , can make things look pretty on screen, that doesn't make them graphic designers. (Hence those who use Publisher). The designers who do best with is are the ones that ask specifically for a sheet of instructions/checklists on their own and a follow up report on how the project went. It's the self absorbed designers who think they know everything and wont work with you or listen to what you have to say because they are so "good" that give us the most difficult problems.

If my explanation of how to fix their file takes more than five minutes, then I always offer my services to teach them how to set their files up correctly for $100/hr. Just call me Professor Jalan. Prepress and Press should be a requirement at education faciliites. 101 and higher.

Platypibri · #7 (**permalink**) 10-14-2004, 08:38 PM

I admit, I work for a fairly small print shop, and I don't have the decades of experience some of you guys do, but really, I haven't encountered a file yet I couldn't make work, usless the source images just didn't have the resolution to make it worth it. Sure, I get "2 color" jobs in RGB color space, and some of the most jacked up PDFs known to man, and I even got a Printshop Pro .SIG file last week which, well if there is a piece of crap bigger than Publisher, it's got to be Printshop Pro. But I got them all to plate. I guess I'm just not understanding the fuss. So, I guess I need to be educated. Tell me, what horrors have I yet to experience? I also freelance some design, so what should I NOT do?

PrepressRabbit · #8 (**permalink**) 10-15-2004, 07:27 AM

In spite of all the crazy things that people do, "Dude I just bought a Dell and a copy of printo-matic-pro, now I'm a designer", if it wasn't for all of those kind of people we would be out of jobs. So even though I gripe with the best of them, I am actually happy to see the low quality of work lots of people send in. Job security baby!

tuff_gong · #9 (**permalink**) 10-15-2004, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platypibri

Tell me, what horrors have I yet to experience? I also freelance some design, so what should I NOT do?

Download my file checklist. Everything problem listed is one I encounter. And that's just the SHORT list.

Kolor_Blind · #10 (**permalink**) 10-15-2004, 08:33 AM

Our shop has supplied a Digital File Specification Sheet to all of our clients and it rarely does any good, it's usually ignored.

"Why can't your RIP handle Illustrator 9.0 drop shadows on Process AND Spot colours?

When I went through college I was taught to FEAR THE PRINTER!! We were trained to go into clipping paths and illustrator paths and remove unecesary points because they slow down the RIP. But now that I'm "THE PRINTER" my opinion and time aren't worth anything? What the hell happened?