Holiday Wishes!

The Winter Solstice is upon us at last. Now the days begin to grow longer again and spring slowly heads our way. From a dark and fallow time, new opportunities and possibilities come.

Check back for new posts in the New Year!

~Nani

]]> http://naniprints.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/1951/feed/ 6 naniprints Nani Sends Holiday Wishes http://naniprints.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/gang-to-save-on-printing/ http://naniprints.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/gang-to-save-on-printing/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:55:59 +0000 naniprints http://naniprints.wordpress.com/?p=1960 ]]>

Get to know ganging

Are you familiar with ganging? That’s the term for grouping two or more print projects together onto the same printing form. It’s a great way to save money on print jobs.

Ganging is used to good effect for business cards when several of them are printed onto one press form. For the example illustrated above, Sue and Mary needed 500 cards each, but Joe needed 1,000 cards. So Joe’s card appears twice on the form, while Sue and Mary’s cards appear once. In this example, 500 sheets would be printed.

This approach is much more cost-effective than running each name separately, which would require 2 printing plates for each name, or 6 total instead of 2 total.

Ganging not only saves you money on the cost of plates themselves, but also the labor cost to prepare more plates and the labor cost to set up and clean up the press several more times.

Here’s another example. Let’s say you’re printing an invitation package. Each piece will be printed in 2 colors on 2 sides except the envelopes, which will be printed in the same 2 colors on 1 side.

If you select 100 lb. cover for the invitation, save-the-date card and RSVP card, all three items might be able to be ganged onto one sheet.

In this example, ganging eliminates 8 printing plates! Then, if you select an 80 lb. text for both the invitation envelope and the RSVP return envelope, 2 more plates can be eliminated. When you can eliminate 10 plates, the savings really add up, both in materials and labor.

NOT ALL JOBS CAN GANG

Your print rep or his/her job engineer can determine how and whether the pieces in your print project can be ganged. Factors they will consider are the quantity of each item to be printed, the shape and size of the pieces, paper grain (important!), ink coverage, bindery requirements, and the appropriate press and paper size.

Trimming is one factor that can limit the number of items that it would be wise to gang onto one sheet. Look at a business card example above again and imagine that the stack of cards was 10 cards tall. With each successive cut between cards, the trim may be just a little off, so by the time you get to the 7th or 8th horizontal cut, the inaccuracy can be quite be noticeable, especially on a butt-fit stack like the one in this example.

Preserve the ganging option

When you’re selecting stock and inks for a project, it’s tempting to specify a different weight or type of stock for each element or to use ink colors that are not common to all pieces. But if you select paper and inks with ganging in mind, you preserve this opportunity.

Ganging is definitely a good trick to have in your back pocket if saving money is one of your job goals.

If you have Cautionary Tales to tell about metallic inks, you’re not alone. They’re a different animal than most other offset inks and they present unique technical challenges. This article explains some of the characteristics of metallic inks and offers tips for working with them successfully.

Two Cautionary Tales

One designer told me about a brochure project he’d designed that included metallic silver ink. Of course the client was in a big hurry to get the printed brochures, he said. The printer did not think to protect the ink with a coating, did not allow enough drying time, and crammed the brochures tightly into a carton for delivery. Each brochure offset or transferred silver ink from one brochure onto the next. Yikes!

Another designer friend described trying to print black 8 pt. Helvetica Light type on a silver map that included several screen tint values. He commented that it was impossible to tell from the digital proof whether the black type was overprinting or knocking out of the silver, but it looked fine on the proof.

It turned out that the black was set to overprint, so on press it showed up in several values of silverish-black. The designer reported solving the problem by switching the map art from metallic silver to PMS 429 gray.

Metallic ink characteristics

Most offset printing inks are translucent. But metallic inks are opaque, or nearly so. That’s because metallic inks contain itty bitty flecks of genuine metal. This opacity can work in your favor when you want to lay down a large metallic solid—you can often get good results with one hit. Opaque metallic inks can also be printed on dark papers. (More about that later.)

As metallic ink dries/cures, the metal flakes rise to the surface of the ink layer, making it look more shiny. If you don’t like the way the ink looks at press, refer to the drawdown as a more accurate guide than the wet ink. Then be patient, it’s going to look more shiny tomorrow!

To trap or overprint, that is the question

Black type overprinting 100% metallic platinum

Trapping metallics with non-metalic inks is tricky because the metallic ink trap sometimes looks “haloed” against the regular ink or forms a slight ridge. Experienced printers get around this by setting a skinnier width of trap line. This approach is not feasible on small or thin type.

As noted in the Cautionary Tale above, overprinting on a field of metallic ink can also be problematic (though I’ve seen it done well), because you can see the opaque metallic through the overprinted translucent ink. Even black can look muddy.

When type is small and fine, overprinting is the only option. One printer I work with suggests using a lighter screen of the metallic instead of 100%, then overprinting the flat color. This has worked well for me.

Another solution is to use Pantone Black 7 for a more opaque black. It has PMS 877 silver in the mix. Black 7 tends to read as a dark charcoal rather than black.

Reflectance and Screen Tints

The metal flakes also change how the light reflects off the printed sheet, causing enough interference that screen tints often read differently than expected, usually darker, but not always. Many designers really like 90% screen tints, but a 90% metallic may read very close to 100%!

Sometimes the right adjustment to the screen tint is counterintuitive. In general, though, avoid the extremes of a 10% or 90% tint or the subtlety of 5- and 10% steps. 15- to 20% steps (like 15%, 30% and 50%) are more likely to give reliable, perceptible contrast between tints. In short, subtlety can be difficult to achieve with metallic inks.

Metallic ink projects are good candidates for stochastic screening, in my experience, especially if you want to overprint tints of silver. This sidesteps moiré issues.

Paper Choice Matters

Annual report printed on coated dull stock

But designers like subtlety! I’ve seen them disappointed with how non-metallic the metallic inks turned out on uncoated papers. If you use metallic ink + uncoated paper, be prepared for subtle results. Maybe too subtle. I feel that using metallic on uncoated is a bit of a waste. Silver is likely to look gray. Gold or copper may look blah brown.

The reason the metallic looks so flat has to do with the way light strikes and bounces off the rougher surface of uncoated paper—that shine is diffused rather than bounced directly back toward your eyes.

If you are aiming for maximum shine, print on a coated stock—the glossier the better. Coated stocks have more ink holdout, which means that less of the ink is absorbed into the paper fibers. It sits atop the paper instead, where it can work up some serious shine. Gloss coated stocks are highly reflective to begin with, so they’ll add the “light bounce” back to the eye that will enhance a shiny read.

Dull stock yields softer shine

Next best is dull stock. Matte stock is closest to the diffuse surface of uncoated stock, so it will have the least shiny read of the coated stocks.

Metallic Inks on Dark Backgrounds

The best approach to printing metallic inks on dark paper will depend on how dark the background is. For the highest contrast and the most pop on very dark paper (such as chocolate brown, dark blue, or black), the printer may suggest laying down a first hit of opaque white under the metallic ink. This solution requires the printer to hold very accurate registration of the metallic to the white ink, because if the white is choked in very much, that undesirable halo effect may occur.

Speaking of Body Copy

Blocks of type printed in metallic ink, especially silver, can be very hard to read. When a designer insists on silver type, I recommend adding a tiny bit of black to the ink formula to improve readability. Otherwise, the reader will have to tilt the page to various angles in order to read the type!

Coatings are a Must

Remember those itty bitty metal flakes? Well, they won’t all stay stuck to the paper, so some kind of sealer or coating a must. Unfortunately, any coating will dull back the metallic sheen to some degree. You’ll need a varnish or aqueous coating for envelope flaps or any medium to large solid. Gloss varnish is best. Satin and dull will subdue more shine. Just about the only time you can get away with not varnishing is for light-coverage body copy.

For uncoated paper, use varnish. For coated paper, use varnish or aqueous coating. Be aware that varnish tends to yellow more over time, so it’s more suitable for pieces with a shelf life of less than a year.

In writing this article, I learned something new. Take a look at this metallic page from my oldest Pantone fan. Boy, was I surprised to see that every color except silver had tarnished so severely! I don’t know whether this fan page was varnished or not, but I’ll bet that varnishing also guards against tarnish.

Disaster Avoidance Tips

• Not every printer has experience with metallic inks. Before you award a metallic job to a printer, ask to see samples of metallic ink projects his shop has produced. Look for trapping halos, clean screens that are not plugged, and clean-looking solids and screens. Discuss how they handled traps and ask about any other challenges the jobs presented.
• If you have a specific look in mind, provide examples. Duotones with metallic + black can be gorgeous. Give the printer a visual guide.
• Digital proofs do not simulate the look of metallic inks well at all, so always order ink drawdowns, one half of the paper covered with the selected coating and one half without any coating, so you can see the effect of the coating on the shine level. The drawdowns will be your most reliable visual gauge.
• Show your design to the printer early in the process. If either of you are concerned about how the metallic colors will read, it may be worth negotiating a small press test—the gold standard (ahem!) insurance policy for getting the look you want.

What’s your experience with metallic inks? If you have more tips for printing with them successfully, please share them in the comments.

In part three of my interview with Mary Ellen Johnson, McCallum Print Group sales rep, she offers tips on using variable data effectively and sums up the advantages of digital printing.

VARIABLE DATA CONSIDERATIONS

NP:  How are your customers using variable data most effectively?

MEJ: A very common variable data project for us is to print 1,000 postcards with address and postal barcode included, all in one run through the press. Variable data printing really streamlines the process of printing, addressing, barcoding, cutting and mailing.

One of our customers takes photos of people participating in athletic events, such as marathons. For example, they  match the runner’s number that shows in each photo against the database, then merge the variable data to print, address and mail a postcard to each participant. The postcard shows thumbnail photos of the runner and includes a personalized URL where they can order photos from a website.

NP: Are people missing opportunities with variable data?

MEJ:  I think so. To take full advantage of VDP, clients need a database person who’s on the ball. Without adequate database resources, opportunities are missed.

NP:  What do you tell your customers to avoid with variable data?

MEJ:  I tell them to be very careful of how they use someone’s name. Two first names or hyphenated last names can be problematic. “Data hygiene” is important, along with knowing your customer. Beware of over-using people names. I like to see a designs that have a seamless relationship of the variable data to the rest of the text.

WRAPPING UP

NP:  Thank you for telling me all about digital printing, Mary Ellen. Do you have any final words of wisdom?

MEJ:  Digital printing is an amazing technology when paired with projects that fit it well. It’s environmentally friendly, projects can be turned quickly, and on appropriate projects, you won’t see any degradation of quality compared to offset printing.

Go to Part One of interview…

Go to Part Two of interview…

In part two of my interview with Mary Ellen Johnson, McCallum Print Group sales rep, she explains the nuts and bolts of digital printing equipment, ink, paper, and prepress, and reveals secrets to successful digital print jobs.

Please note that there are other digital presses in the marketplace, but some information here applies specifically to HP Indigo presses, since that’s the brand of digital equipment Mary Ellen works with.

DIGITAL INKS, PAPERS AND PRESSES

NP: What should we know about paper for digital presses?

MEJ:  Papers for Indigo presses have been given a special surface treatment at the paper mill. These treated stocks come in uncoated—including 100% post-consumer waste stocks. Gloss, matte or dull coated are also available.

Most printers have a preferred house stock. When you specify the house stock, you not only know it will run well, but you’ll  also enjoy a better price, since the printer won’t have to buy full cartons of paper for your project.

NP:  How are digital inks different from traditional offset?

MEJ:  Many digital presses are toner based, so the color sits on top of the paper rather than soaking in like it would in traditional offset printing. Other presses, like the HP Indigo, use a liquid ink that combines clear, clean, strong pigments with a polymer. The ink is applied with heat and pressure, but it still sits on top of the paper, and is more fragile than offset inks. Digital inks can look very vibrant.

NP:  What kinds of digital presses does McCallum Print Group have?

HP 7000 Indigo press

MEJ: McCallum has HP Indigo presses. Indigo presses were first developed in Israel, and then bought by the Hewlett-Packard Company a few years ago.

We have the 3000, 5000 and 7000 series HP presses. The 3000 and 5000 can print up to  12 x 18 inches including bleed. Our newest press, the 7000, has the advantage of a larger image area, 13 x 19 inches with bleed.

NP:  What are the most notable improvements in the latest generation of presses?

MEJ:  The newest Indigo presses are faster and can handle larger paper. Our new HP Indigo 7000 does the best job with large-area screen tints and big solids. The offline coater that came with the 7000 can apply gloss or dull UV coating to protect the ink or flatten the appearance of the printing.

ENSURING DIGITAL SUCCESS

NP: What can customers do to ensure that their digital print projects are successful?

MEJ:  Love your art before you send it to us. This means releasing clean files that are approved and correct. Have great color to start with—if an image looks muddy in your file, it will print muddy, too. And be sure to include any bleeds in your files. For best results, especially on type, builds should be built with at least three colors.

Select a printer with a strong prepress department that will help you determine the best color builds and troubleshoot your files before they go to press. McCallum has developed prepress techniques to help ensure color consistency, which is especially important for brand colors.

NP: When buying digital printing, what should you look for in a printer?

MEJ: Send your job to an experienced printer—a company that is knowledgeable about ink on paper and doesn’t treat their press like a fancy color copier!

Go to Part One of interview…

Go to Part Three of interview…

Disclaimer: The FCC will be happy to know that Nani Paape, author of the Printing Disasters blog, received no compensation in exchange for this interview.

I will freely admit that I was not among the first to jump on the digital printing bandwagon. My early digital print projects suffered banding, pooling, uneven color, chipped edges, jaggy type knockouts, and a certain “toner-esque” shine to the color that really didn’t wow me. “Give me offset printing any day,” I gnashed!

But digital technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past five years, persuading even skeptics like me that quality products can indeed be printed on digital presses. In fact, digital printing is central to the future of the printing industry.

Knowing that others probably had many of the same questions about digital printing that I did, I recently asked my friend Mary Ellen Johnson all about digital printing.

Mary Ellen is a sales rep who has sold traditional offset printing for 20+ years. When she accepted a position at Seattle’s McCallum Print Group a few years ago, she took the crash course in digital printing. Now she takes advantage of McCallum’s traditional offset and HP Indigo digital technologies to deliver the best-fitting print solutions for her customers.

In this three-part interview, Mary Ellen shares with me her knowledge about what digital printing does best.

DIGITAL ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES, AND MISCONCEPTIONS

NP: Hello, Mary Ellen. Is there such a thing as the perfect digital print project?

MEJ:  Yes! A good candidate for digital printing is built in process colors (CMYK), with colors that reproduce well as four-color builds. The finished flat size needs to be 12 x 18 inches or smaller, and the ideal digital job requires 5,000 impressions or fewer.

Digital presses print both sides of the paper in one pass. So for example, 1,000 two-sided sales fliers would require 2,000 impressions, 1,000 for each side. Here’s another example: You can get four 6 x 9-inch sheets out of a 13 x 19-inch sheet (allowing for bleeds), so 5,000 impressions would yield 10,000 6 x 9-inch postcards very efficiently.

In general, the quantity “sweet spot” for digital printing is about 2,500 sheets. If you are printing more sheets than that, offset printing is more cost-effective.

NP What are the advantages of digital printing? Disadvantages?

MEJ:  The biggest advantages are less paper waste and a shorter production timeline. A digital press project might use 50 sheets of makeready, compared to 800 to 1,000 sheets of makeready for an offset job.

The biggest disadvantage is that you can’t really adjust color very much once you’re on press, so what you see in a press proof is what you’ll get in the print job.

What kinds of design features does digital printing handle especially well? Not so well?

MEJ:  Surprisingly, heavy solids like rich black and many four-color build floods look great. Big areas of light tints don’t work as well, as they can show banding. And it can be a challenge to match corporate colors exactly.

NP: Are there end uses for which digital printing would not be appropriate?

MEJ:  Letterhead is still not a good candidate for digital printing. When digitally printed pages are run through a laser printer, the high heat reheats the ink, and marking can result. Digital inks on dull coated stocks scratch easily, so these coated stocks can be coated after printing. At McCallum, we varnish with Indigo UV varnishing equipment.

NP: What are the most common mistaken impressions about digital printing?

MEJ:  People think digital presses are really fast machines. Actually, they run quite slowly, around 4,000 impressions an hour, compared to 10,000 or more on an offset press. People also think digital is cheaper, and it’s not. The per-piece printing price is higher on digital. On the other hand, set-up costs for a four-color offset print job might be $1,000, compared to $100 to set up a similar job on a digital press.

NP: What’s a realistic schedule for digital printing?

MEJ:  I recommend four to six days for digital, compared to five to seven days for offset printing. Approvals still take time, but PDF proofs can speed up the timeline further, if you are confident in your printer.

Go to Part 2 of interview…

Go to Part 3 of interview...

Disclaimer: The FCC will be happy to know that Nani Paape, author of the Printing Disasters blog, received no compensation in exchange for this interview.

To whet your appetite for my upcoming articles on digital printing, take a look at Hewlett-Packard’s take-off on Apple’s Hello I’m a Mac, Hello, I’m a PC ads… A fun way to think about variable data!

After I interviewed Sabine Lenz, founder of PaperSpecs, she gave me a live tour of the web site, www.PaperSpecs.com. I was impressed by the breadth of features offered and how easy they are to use. I’d like to share a few of my favorite features with you.

• Technical information about paper terminology is easy to find and is presented clearly. I liked this one on the obscure topic of understanding paper basis weight.

• You can search for a paper by many different characteristics, such as surface, texture, mill, or color. If you find a color you’re interested in, a close-up photo and the closest PMS and RGB numbers to that paper color are shown. What a boon for designers!

• Once you find a paper you like, you can read a summary of its features that includes its recycled content and environmental certifications.

• On the Paper Details page, you’ll find everything you could possibly want to know about the sheet, including mill, color name, weights and sizes, recycled contents, suggested uses, and more.

• Of course, what you really need to know in the end is whether the paper is available from a merchant in your area. A list of local paper merchants who carry the paper is provided, complete with contact information.

• I didn’t take a screen cap of one of the best features of all, the ability to select and order current paper promotions and swatch books, which are shipped directly from the mill to you. With paper shows and presentations happening less frequently, this is a wonderful way to both get inspired and keep your paper swatchbook cabinet current.

Thumbs way up!

I’m glad to have learned about PaperSpecs and am happy to pass the information along to you.

PaperSpecs.com looks like a great tool for print production managers and designers, offered at a very reasonable cost. The site’s design is clean and straightforward; its search and compare features are robust. Having current paper information from many mills in one big database is fabulous. And having access to all of those print promotions will all too tempting!

Disclaimer: The FCC will be happy to know that Nani Paape, author of the Printing Disasters blog, received no compensation in exchange for this post.

Now that many paper merchants have eliminated Spec Rep jobs, it seems to me that there’s an information vacuum.

How do graphic designers, production managers, and printers get the paper information they need? How do you get inspired? Stay current?

One entrepreneur who has stepped in to fill these needs is Sabine Lenz, founder of www.PaperSpecs.com. I’ve been curious about PaperSpecs, so I recently asked Sabine to tell me more about her company’s services.

NP: How did you become interested in creating the PaperSpecs web site and service?

SL: I’ve been a graphic designer for more than 15 years. It was one of those infamous afternoons when I spec’d a beautiful paper for a client’s campaign, only to find out from my printer that the stock had been discontinued six months before.

I was so frustrated—the waste of time, and subsequently the waste of money. How did I know if any of the other swatchbooks we had in our swatch cabinet were not just as outdated? And I remember thinking: Someone has to do something about this!

That was about 10 years ago. I patiently waited for someone to step up to the plate and then realized it might have to be me to start this crazy and exciting endeavor.

NP: What do you most want people to know about PaperSpecs?

SL: When we first started, we got the, “Well, I can’t spec a paper from a computer screen. I have to see it and feel it.” And that is what PaperSpecs is all about. Our database helps you to find the perfect paper for your project. We currently feature more than 4,500 papers from over 70 mills.

We do not sell paper, so we provide the most objective information. You can search by color, weight, eco certification, recycled content, brand, mill … you name it.

Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few finalists, you can go back to your own sample drawer and meet these papers up close and in person. Or you can order a swatchbook or sample sheets directly through our Web site. All part of the service

NP: Who are your customers?

SL: Our customers or members include designers, print buyers and printers. We even have a large number of paper merchants who rely on our information.

NP: What do your members get from PaperSpecs that they can’t already get from the various paper mill Web sites like Neenah, French or Mohawk?

SL: We like to say we are an “all-in-one online swatchbook.” Our members love the fact that we have all the information from over 70 mills in one cohesive, searchable way. A one-stop shop so to speak.

NP: Can you give me an example of how I would use PaperSpecs for project planning?

Let’s say, for instance, that I’m planning to print 2,000 8-page, 5.5 x 8.5 inch, self-cover booklets on French Durotone, butcher, extra-white, 80 lb. text, and planned to print locally.

SL: Well, in this case, you’ve already specified a sheet so we can help you to verify that the sheet is still available in the size, weight and color you selected. If you’re not yet sure which sheet is right for you, or you’re looking for alternatives, that’s where we can help you most.

Say you only know that you need a white 80 lb. text sheet and want it to have some specific recycled content. Within seconds, the PaperSpecs database can show you which papers are available that meet your criteria. Your search has been narrowed so you can more efficiently select the best paper for your project.

We frequently hear from our members that their printer told them a sheet they spec’d is a “mill item” and that there is a long delivery time and that they have to order a larger amount than they need. This usually happens when a merchant does not carry the stock, in which case we can tell you who in your area actually carries the sheet and will have it readily available for you.

NP: How much does it cost to become a PaperSpecs member?

SL: A month-to-month membership runs at $19.95, and we offer an $80 discount for a yearly membership.

NP: What do your subscribers tell you they like best about PaperSpecs?

SL: The top 3 features are:

• Members can order swatchbooks, mill promotions and samples through us. As you mentioned earlier, designers and print buyers have fewer spec reps and sales reps to help them. PaperSpecs provides easy, reliable access to all these vital tools.
• Our information is as up-to-date as possible. We don’t rely on the mills to get in touch with us, but make a point to regularly contact them to see if anything has changed.
• Our service is available 24/7 and provides access to papers from over 70 mills in one spot. This is a huge time saver when compared to looking randomly through large numbers of swatchbooks (or different Web sites) to find the right combination of attributes (for example: recycled content, FSC certification, color and weight).

NP: Thank you for telling us about PaperSpecs, Sabine. It’s a pleasure to talk with you!

To check out PaperSpecs for yourself, visit www.PaperSpecs.com. You can take a virtual tour or take advantage of a free one-month trial membership.

In the next post, I’ll show you a few of the features I liked best when I toured PaperSpecs.com.

Disclaimer: The FCC will be happy to know that Nani Paape, author of the Printing Disasters blog, received no compensation in exchange for this interview.

One of the most mysterious parts of pricing print jobs is the pre-press cost of preparing the images for the project, whether that work is done by a printer or by a color house.

This article explains how to talk about how you want your image work to be approached, how image prep and proof costs are calculated, and how to avoid unexpected alteration charges.

Two approaches to color image editing

Image color image adjustments or corrections are commonly approached and priced one of two ways. The first is called pleasing color. That’s generally-agreed-upon, reasonably-good-looking color. Think very nice Kodak snapshot. Achieving pleasing color most often involves making overall or global adjustments to the images, such as decreasing a blue or pink cast from all parts of the image at once. Most small print shops have basic pleasing color capabilities.

The other is called match color or critical color. In addition to making global adjustments, achieving critical color usually involves making isolated adjustments, meaning that the changes are specific to one area, such as removing a blemish from a subject’s face. Color pre-press houses, larger printers, and a few small print shops have critical color capabilities. I think of critical color as fussy color work.

Note: Match color (also known as TX match) and critical color were more common terms when designers worked with film transparencies rather than digital files. They are still good terms to know. Who knows, one day you may need to match images of Andrew Wyeth paintings to supplied transparencies from the Brandywine River Museum!

Assess the images and describe the work to be done

Your first step, then, is to assess your images and determine whether they call for pleasing color or the more fussy critical-color work.

Will the necessary image adjustments be overall moves or isolated ones? Will much work be needed to make the images meet your design vision for them, or do they look quite close to that vision already?

Do you have the expertise to do some of the adjustments yourself before releasing the images? (If so, see: If You’re a PhotoShop Pro.)

Some studios employ an in-house or contract Adobe PhotoShop artist whose job it is to make corrections and edits between rounds. If that’s how your studio does it, be sure to discuss the project workflow expectations with the vendor before the job begins to ensure that it will go smoothly. Also check that the PhotoShop artist’s monitor profile matches the vendor’s. Otherwise you may get unexpected color shifts on the adjusted proofs or pay for duplicate work.

In my experience, graphic designers are usually in the fussy color camp (no offense!), especially when they have to make a slew of images from ten different sources look like they belong together. In addition to requiring more image adjustments, designers should specify at least two rounds of color proofs for reviewing those edits.

What’s included in a round of proofs?

Once you have decided on the type of work the images will need, the next step is to decide how many rounds of proofs to specify. Let’s focus on image proofs, sometimes also called loose color or round of color.

What’s included in a round of proofs? The answer is, “it depends.” Each vendor may define a round differently. For some, a round of proofs includes only the proof processing time + cost of proofing paper. What? You want some work done to that image? Sorry, that’s gonna cost extra!

The rationale for not including the labor in the proof round price is that there’s no real way to tell how much correcting time the vendor would need to include. The thing is, alterations or change orders usually cost more than the work that is included in the base price.

Other vendors use a pricing formula that includes pre-press labor + proof processing time + materials needed to create the round of proofs. Printers and color houses that price this way have a pretty accurate idea of the average labor hours that go into a the corrections for a proof round. (They also have a pretty good sense of just how fussy various designers are!)

Now that digital images are the norm—and because there are no prints or TXs to compare proofs against—many printers output a round of uncorrected proofs as a starting point. These are used to mark up your first requested adjustments. Some count this round as the “first,” while others do not. Borrowing a term from ink drawdowns, I call this round a let fall round of proofs.

Spell out your proofing requirements

In order to compare multiple vendors’ bids apples-to-apples—and avoid sticker shock when the invoice arrives—it’s important to spell out your definition of rounds of color in the Request for Estimate and be sure the bids map to your specs.

You might find it helpful to think of in terms of the number of opportunities to ask for changes. Most experienced, disciplined designers can get the results they want within two opportunities to make changes.

Your printer may also opt to show the images as composed page proofs (proofs that show all the other type and design elements for the page or spread). With digital proofing, this approach costs about the same, and it’s nice to be able to view the images in context.

Disaster Avoidance Tips

Like designers, pre-press and printing vendors are visual types. Providing a design PDF for your bidding vendors to look through while pricing goes a long way toward getting accurate, realistic prices—and helps you avoid surprise alterations costs.

When your project includes images that require making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, say so in your specifications: “Two images need significant editing.” Or, “Clone in band of sky across top of one image.” The vendor will incorporate some extra labor time in the price to accommodate the color work.

Alert: If you accept a bid that is based on pleasing color, but then you make a lot of critical-color changes, you will be charged extra for them.

There’s a fine line between building into the base price more image editing time than your job will really need and not including enough.

On the one hand, if you build in editing and correction time you don’t end up using, you will be leaving money on the table when the printer invoices the finished job at the full bid price.

On the other hand, if you build in no extra time, the printer will add the cost of alterations, at $120 an hour or more, making it difficult to communicate to your client exactly what their project will cost.

I usually err on the side of limiting surprises, as long as I am confident that the vendor and I have agreed on what the proofing rounds include and when alterations charges begin to apply.