#10753
Beginning With The End: Understanding Printing
Where does a typical desktop publishing project begin? Dumb question? Perhaps not. For all practical purposes, the information gathering process starts at the end, with the printing process. If you're new to desktop publishing, this article will explain some of the technical aspects of design you may not have considered. If you're an old pro, it might remind you of some of the production steps we (I include myself here) sometimes forget.
Dornbos, Jim. Ideabook.com (2001). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Printing
#22547
Every year I look forward to the Communication Arts issue that has the color predictions for the coming year. Mostly because I'm fascinated with the subject, but also because I want to see the funny color names they come up with.
Poynter Online (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Color
#22569
Computer to Plate Hits High Tide
Technology tends to be an irresistible tide, tugging individuals and businesses toward the newer, the faster, the better, and punishing the holdouts with obsolescence. No industry and no profession can escape that steady march of upgrades and improvements. Computer-to-plate imaging (CtP) has certainly not been an exception, driving all but niche shops to abandon the old (film imagesetters) for the promise of the new.
Franklin, Tom. Digital Output (2003). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Printing
#22552
The latest digital copier-printers provide enhanced digital printing functionality, enabling users to do more than ever.
Miley, Michael. PennWell (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Printing
#22545
New press introductions have resulted in an almost bewildering range of paper sizes. Nonetheless, that old standby, the 8 ˙ 11-inch sheet, remains the most popular choice.
American Printer (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress
#22551
Digital Paper Platform: Papers Impact Digital Print Quality
As digital printers and presses advance, paper manufacturers continue to improve the quality and variety of their digital paper lines.
Hitchcock, Nancy A. PennWell (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Paper
#22553
Digital Printing - Making the Right Moves
The number of printing companies that can call themselves digital printers jumps to many thousands in the United States alone. If you've got a Digital Press, or a Direct Imaging Press, or utilize Computer to Plate technology to 'feed' your conventional presses, you're a Digital Printer!
Chiricuzio, Mike. On Demand Journal (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Printing
#24682
Does Color In The Office Replace Color in the Print Shop?
Color printing has been a profitable application for print shops. Whether it be marketing collateral materials (brochures and the like), posters and signage or coupons, color documents have been the exclusive domain of offset printing.
Crowley, Ed. On Demand Journal (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Color
#21850
The Ineffable Mystery of Paper Grades 
It was so much easier when we just had papyrus.
Sidles, Constance J. Adobe Magazine (1999). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Paper
#22550
Personalized Color Communications
Four firms discuss the benefits of color variable data printing, such as creating marketing campaigns and experiencing up to a 40 percent rate of return.
Miley, Michael. PennWell (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Color
#22570
Polyester Plates Earn a Second Look
Yes, the 'poor man's CTP' still suffers from some early shortcomings, but four-color work on four-up equipment is becoming a short-run mainstay.
Toth, Debora. Graphic Arts Monthly (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Printing
#22583
Between 23 and 30 percent of all files submitted for print are in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF), a figure that's likely to grow.
Miley, Michael. PennWell (2003). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Adobe Acrobat
#22538
PDF is becoming the de facto standard for not only viewing documents onscreen but also for printing them on paper. Acrobat 6 Professional includes better printing and prepress tools than ever before. PDF pundit Ted Padova shows you how they work.
Padova, Ted. Creative Pro (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Adobe Acrobat
#25154
Printing Primer for Graphic Designers
Originally published in 1989, this printing primer for digital artists has been updated and annotated for today's digital desktop publisher.
Design, Typography and Graphics (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress
#22593
Acrobat's annotation tools are valuable for marking-up and commenting on design layouts and digital comps no matter where your client is located. Acrobat 6.0 goes a step further by integrating e-mail comment tracking for more efficient review cycles. Learn how to tap into these powerful features.
Knowlton, Gray. Creative Pro (2003). Design>Publishing>Prepress>Workflow
#22546
Everyone who has worked with color proofs knows that proofing systems are fundamentally flawed. A color proofer represents the output of the offset press.
PrintMedia (2004). Design>Publishing>Prepress
