Here’s How Printers and Designers Can Work Together Effectively
By: Mark Sanderson, Springfield Printing
Published in Print & Graphics

It’s a question that’s been at the forefront of the printing industry for as long as ink has been placed on paper: How can printers and designers work together more effectively? The relationship between printer and designer is often portrayed – inaccurately – as adversarial, as if printers and designers couldn’t possibly coexist. Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, both are working to achieve the same goal: To create the best-looking finished product as economically and efficiently as possible. They’re just arriving at that goal from different sides.

That doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement in the printer-designer relationship. As technology makes it easier and faster for designers and printers to perform their respective duties, it’s perhaps more important than ever for the two to combine efforts to complete a project. To that end, here are a few tips to help designers make their lives easier and get the most benefit from their printers:

Involve the printer early in the planning process
The earlier a printer is involved with the planning of a project, the more likely that the project will be produced on time and under budget and possess the quality the end user desires. The question many designers have is, “Exactly how early in the planning process should the printer be involved?” Here’s an answer by way of a brief example:

A client of ours was designing a brochure project that included many complex images, including a background comprised of a series of ghosted halftones. The designer created the background in a CMYK color space, but was concerned that using a process build would compromise its color consistency from page to page. In addition, the designer wanted to be sure the consistency of the other images in the piece would also be maintained, since many of them included fleshtones. At this point the designer involved us in the planning process, and asked if these images would pose any problems from a printing standpoint.

After reviewing the image files the client sent us, we determined that using a process build for the background would indeed compromise their consistency (as well as the consistency of adjacent images). Our solution was to produce a press test using a PMS color for the background, which allowed us to maintain consistent color even as we adjusted the process color balance for the other images. We then provided the designer with several printed versions of the background using a variety of ghosted screen values and PMS hues, which allowed them to select the best one when they built their file.

The purpose of involving a printer this early in the planning process is to begin the flow of information well in advance of the “go” time – when the project is live and ready to be printed. At this point, any missing details will require phone calls, voice mails, emails and other back and forth communication that can cause blown schedules and plenty of needless frustration. In the example above, all of that communication took place a couple weeks before the file was to be delivered. That allowed us to maintain the end client’s aggressive production schedule and improve the quality of the piece.

Part of the responsibility of the printer at the planning stage is to manage the expectations of the designer and their client. If the specifics of a design may compromise the quality of the finished product – or at least limit the ability of the printer or designer to make adjustments and corrections – that should be made clear during project planning.

One way printers can manage expectations and be sure the designer is on the same page is by supplying the designer with an imposition of their project during the planning stage. That allows the designer to see exactly how the project will be run on press, and gives the printer the opportunity to point out any elements that require attention. In the example detailed above, the presence of several color-critical images on each page limited the printer’s ability to make process build adjustments independently. However, the decision to use a PMS color to solve that problem was made quickly and mutually because the designer, with imposition in hand and time left to find a better solution, understood those limitations.

Another advantage of involving the printer early is to be sure the printer creates a quote that’s as accurate as possible. A complete, accurate quote allows the designer and end user to formulate an accurate budget by consolidating the myriad production details regarding a job. If the quote doesn’t reflect a necessary varnish or coating, for example, crucial time could be wasted if printer, designer and end user must make adjustments to the cost of production.

Design from both ends of the production process
One of the first things a quality printer will do when a designer involves them early in the planning process is ask, “How will the piece be used?” The answers to this question will often determine how a piece should be designed and constructed.

By envisioning the finished product and working backwards, a printer will often be able to help the designer build the project properly. For example, a pocket folder can be tricky to layout due to the die cutting, folding and gluing processes involved. To be sure none of the content will be obscured or removed during post press production, a printer should be able to supply the designer with a template from which to base the layout.

Occasionally, the details that arise from this share of information are more subtle, albeit no less important. If the project is a multi-panel brochure, for example, the designer will need to determine how they want it to be folded. A barrel (or roll) folded piece will require each panel to be undersized slightly from the one preceding it to account for the accrual of paper bulk at the inner-most panel. On other hand, an accordion-folded piece requires all panels to be exactly the same size. The layout should then reflect the appropriate folding style by including proper margins and copy placement.

Selecting the proper stock for a project is another decision that’s best made when both printer and designer are aware of all the details of a project. For example, a piece with heavy ink coverage will require extra drying time if it’s printed on a heavily-calendared paper, or one with a dull or matte coating. That’s because the ink takes longer to be absorbed by these types of paper. If the sheets are handled too quickly, the ink may smudge or mark. Knowing this in advance, a printer may suggest an alternative stock or a varnish or coating that will allow the piece to resist marking.

When the designer shares as many details of the finished product with the printer as possible, they give that printer the opportunity to plan the project properly right from the beginning. Little details such as bleeds, trim margins, fonts and spot colors are a breeze if they’re discussed up front, but can become a disaster if they’re overlooked until a project is about to get on press. The whole point for communicating all of these details is to minimize the likelihood for surprises further in the production process – the bane of printers and designers alike.

Build a relationship with the pressman
Press checks can be nerve-wracking for both designer and printer. With some extra communication, however, they don’t have to be. Proper color is often a matter of taste, and can vary greatly from person to person. To be sure they see the results they desire on press, a designer should establish a rapport with the pressman by letting them know which elements are important and which elements may be compromised as far as color and appearance.

On the other end, a pressman armed with this information can better educate the designer on how the changes they desire affect different elements of a piece. For example, increasing the vibrancy of a red jacket may throw off the delicate color balance required to create accurate fleshtones. When the pressman knows how flexible the designer is regarding the color of certain elements, they can then offer suggestions and perform adjustments that make the most sense for that project.

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Mark Sanderson is President of Springfield Printing, a full-service commercial printer located in North Springfield, Vermont. Springfield Printing utilizes a full computer-to-plate prepress system for the printing of products including catalogs, calendars, brochures, pocket folders and more. Additional services include folding, cutting, saddle stitching, collating and more. Mark Sanderson can be contacted at (800) 437-9244 or mark@springfieldprinting.com.