17th April 2007
Printgraphics sponsors networking event
Communication: Designers and Print houses - can we ever perfect it?
Ray Keen - Managing Director and Adrian Kennedy - Production Manager and long-term client, Shane Scanlon from Mediation Communication fleshed out the main challenges facing all designers and print houses.
Ray stressed the need for communication to start as early as possible with your printer to get a clear understanding on any limitations your job may have. He spoke of examples where dollars had been saved on jobs after the designer changed the design size of a catalogue, to get a better fit on the printed sheet and also ensuring there is less waste. He also said designers should push the boundaries. It is preferable to talk to your printer before ‘selling’ the concept to your customer, especially if the finished size doesn’t fit in the conventional ‘A’ series of paper sizes.
Check the weight of the magazine/catalogue to be printed ie, what weight is suitable for the inside pages? Get your printer to work out the weight of the final product he said Printgraphics has weight calculators on its website.
Do you really need to print 4 colour process + 2 PMS colours or can your client be satisfied with 4 colour process – a good design doesn’t have to equal a 6 colour print job.
Check the proof thoroughly before signing off eliminating any nasty surprises once the job is printed, look for any errors, replace any images if you are not 100% happy, it is much easier [and affordable] to replace a logo or picture in pre-press than reprint the whole document. Asking your printer for a mock-up of any large job will show you the flow of pages.
Ray also expressed current concerns about the environment and the need to educate not only clients and general community about a greener future in the print world.
After answering many questions from designers on the night all emphasised picking up the phone and calling the printer early to discuss concepts.
L-R: Adrian Kennedy – Production Manager, Shane Scanlan – Mediation Communications, Ray Keen – Managing Director and Emily Ralfs – Connections
