Chapter 4 & 5

File Formats to print:
The appropriate file formats for print are TIFF, Photoshop EPS, PSD, PDF, and in special cases screen captures.

TIFF is the most widely supported file format because it maybe imported into Illustrator, InDesign, quark Xpress, word, and some text editors. 

EPS can support both pixel and vector artwork.

PSD is a native Photoshop software that is used to edit the working image and the same file image allowing the designer to edit layers and transparences

PDF they can contain vectors and type elements without rasterizing.

Screen captures have a one to one relationship between the fixed numbers of pixels that the system generates and the number of pixels seen on your screen.

File formats not to print:
Some inappropriate file formats for print would include PNG, BMP, GIF, and JPEG.
PNG images are not best for print because they contain RGB, indexed colors, and transparencies.

BMP support colors depths from one bit to thirty-two bits but lacks the support of CMYK.

JIF is appropriate only for web use because of its low resolution and its color pallet of 256 colors.

JPEG compress images resulting in discarding of information.

Pixels vs vector
While raster images are made up of pixels, vector graphics are pixel free. Vector graphics are not subject to the scaling restrictions that raster images.

Raster images have no inherent resolution so vectors can be enlarged or reduced with no loss of resolution.

JPG vs Raw:
JPG consumer point and shoot cameras deliver their images as JPGs which is a compressed file format. Resulting in the loss of resolution, however higher level professional cameras can deliver images in the camera RAW format which is subjected minimal or no compression by the camera.

PPI resolution

Points per inch resolution describes image resolution. The rule of thumb for image resolution should be 1.5 to 2 times the printing screen ruling but the common convention is to save images at 300 PPI

Bitmap images

Supports color depths for one bit, black and white with no shades of gray, to 32 bit, millions of colors, but lacks support for CMYK and is not appropriate for printing.

Cropping/Rotating

Cropping is best done in the software such as Photoshop and not while scanning or saving digital photography because future use of the image may not be known for you may always crop more but you may not un-crop.

Rotating like most transformations will require interpolation of pixel information. Therefore the only safe rotations are that of 90 degree increments anything else will result in the softening of details.

Transparency tip

Although Illustrator, InDesign, and QuarkXPress accept and correctly handle opacity settings in a placed Photoshop native file, they do not correctly handle blending modes in a Photoshop file. The most common example is a drop shadow.

Vector file formats

EPS, Native (ai), PDF are all vector file formats. EPS is the most common file format for containing vector artwork. An EPS file contains drawing information and may also contain font information as well as embedding raster images. A preview image is also included to provide an appearance for the file when it is placed into an page layout program such as InDesign.

Native illustrator files allows InDesign to use transparence and blending modes and allows you to control the visibility of layers without having to modify the Illustrator file.

PDF allows finished art to become un-editable and under some circumstances eliminates the need to supply fonts with your job.

Embedding fonts

Embedding fonts means that the font information should be available for display and printing but does not make the font available for editing.

Outlining text

Converting text to outlines eliminating hinting, font information, so text may display on screen if slightly bloated and will print slightly heavier.

Simplify paths

Fewer points results in smoother drawings and to many points can create a choppy drawing and few points allow for a smoother RIP.

Sources came from my textbook Adobe Creative Suite Applications, written by Claudia McCue.

Project One Note Pad

     Creating a self promotion note pad to promote myself in my photography business. This will be a 5x7 notepad with black and white ink only with no bleed. Note pad will contain 50 sheets per pad, padded, and chip board back. The price per pad will be $3.39. It will take about a day to create the pad. I will be using CS5 packaged file to print the pad.
Sources used: PSU Printing Services.

     This notepad will be directed to the audience of clients that need a photographer. With the QR code, this will be used for people to use to find more information about Captivating Bliss.

     The call to action for this piece is when delivered to potential employers i will receive an offer for an internship or job.

                        Thumbs                                                                  Rough

This is my final notepad.

Chapter 1, 2 & 3

Finishing Processes: The manufacturing processes that take place after the job leaves the printing press. Finishing can include such processes as folding, binding, trimming, die cutting, embossing, and foil stamping. 

     Finishing processes is important for every product because the visual image of the produce is as important as the product its self.

Folding Dummy: A blank sheet of paper folded in the configuration that will be used in finishing the job. Pages are numbered to indicate the correct imposed page position. A folding dummy may be made by the planning department or by imposition operators and is used to check for correct folding and impositions. 

     Folding dummy can really help a designer out when he/she is trying to design their next artwork because this gives them the visual aid to hold in front of them to see their project out.

Imagesetter: A digitally driven device for imaging film. A RIP converts incoming PostScript or PDF information to very high-resolution bitmaps that guide the imagesetter’s marking engine to expose the film with a laser or light-emitting diodes.

Pica Vs Point: Pica: A unit of measurement. There are six picas in a inch. A pica is equal to 12 points. Points: a unit of measurement. There are 72 points in an inch. Text size, leading, baseline grids, and the thickness of rules and strokes are almost always specified in points. Some designers specify everything in points and picas but many are accustomed to specifying page sizes and the dimensions of objects in inches, and they only use points when referring to text size and rule thickness. 

     Picas and points is very important to know when designing because it is the way designers measure their artwork.

Importance of Registration: The alignment of all links printed on a press. Since each color is applied by an individual unity on press, there is some possibility of the successive colors not aligning. While modern presses have sophisticated controls for maintaining proper registration, mechanical or environmental problems may cause slight misregistrations, as can stretching or deformation of the paper itself during the printing process. A multicolor fringe at the edge of color areas is a symptom of misregistrations. 

     Without registration all of our designs we have created maybe not be outputted as the designer wanted.

Purpose of a RIP: A specialized computer that uses a combination of proprietary software and hardware to translate PostScript or PDF input to a very high-resolution bitmap image that drives the marking engine of an output device, such as an imagesetter, platesetter, or desktop printers. RIP is important because without it the high definitions printer cannot read the designers file.

Define VDP: At its most basic VDP can be the personalization of a printed piece by inserting the recipient’s name and address.: “Dear Amanda.” While this can be accomplished by using press-mounted inkjet heads with acceptable results, the increased use of fully digital presses opens the way for more extensive customization. Since each impression on a toner-base digital press is unique anyways, a database-driven process can insert custom text- even images- to narrowly target the printed piece to the recipient’s demographic or buying history. While variable data printing is more expensive because of the programming and planning involved (as well as the cost of demographic information and mailing lists), the response rate from such targeted mailings is substantially higher than for generic mass mailings.
     Variable data is important because it allows yours potential clients feel like the direct mail piece is personal and directed towards them.

Two color print job: the black in black and white printing is black ink, the white is the paper. Two color job means that the two colors of ink will be required to print it.

DPI: Dots per inch used to describe the resolution of an imaging device such as a desktop printer, an imagesetter, or a platesetter. The typical desktop printer’s resolutions ranges from 600-1200 dpi, while the resolution of an imagesetter or platesetter is usually 2400 dpi or higher.

LPI: Lines per inch describes the frequency of halftone dots, measured along a row of dots.
PPI: Pixels per inch describes image resolution. For most printing applications, image resolution should be 250-300 ppi. The rule of thumb is that image resolution should be 1.5 to 2 times the printing screen ruling, but the common convention is to save images at 300 ppi.

Die Cutting Process: Using pressure and shaped metal dies to cut a printed piece in an interesting shape. Sometimes done by the printer, and sometimes done by outside specialty companies that subcontract with the printer. 

     This is a quality the designer should utilize in order to give the product a more professional and high quality feel to it.  

CMYK vs Spot Colors

     Spot colors: this is used when it is necessary to print colors that fall outside the range of CMYK inks. Spot colors and Pantone are often used interchangeably, although that’s not strictly correct. The Pantone Matching system is a recipe book for printers, providing ink-mixing formulas for over 1,000 standard colors many of which cannot be rendered in process colors. 

    Spot colors is advantageous when the designer wants a more pure color.
     CMYK is cyan magenta yellow and black is what makes up CMYK. These process inks are transparent so when they are combined on paper they produce other colors. In traditional offset printing the illusion of so many colors is the results of varying sizes of half tone dots which allow different amounts of the four process colors to interact in a given area.

     CMYK is best utilized when the artwork is either a photo or encompasses more than four colors.  

Sources came from my textbook Adobe Creative Suite Applications, written by Claudia McCue.

QR Code Research

     QR code is short for Quick Response. Taking information from a transitory media and putting it into your cell phone is how it is being used. With the QR Code you can obtain information about that business or product or whatever information the QR Code is set up to give out.

 

     There are certain websites such as Kaywa.com or using Open Source code. Also Google has a neat tool to checkout. To know if people are using these QR codes you can track them with using Google Analytics. This helps you measure how many times your webpage has been viewed because of your QR codes.

     During our fast pace society these QR codes are easy to use and for the most part instant. Information is right at your fingertips. The QR codes are very good for promoting product and giving more access to businesses or product information.

Information Source: http://www.orionweb.net  http://searchengineland.com http://blog.redclayinteractive.com

Image came form: http://www.stayonsearch.com/qr-codes