In summary of chapter 4 the history of pixels are covered, scaling and formatting an image to print are discussed, and the differences between RGB and CMYK are touched upon as well. Chapter 5 discusses vectors and their various uses and formats. All of this of course is necessary in the final printed product.
Now to go in depth into each chapter. First I'll talk a little about pixels. Pixels in their truest form are a multitude of tiny dots that when placed side by side with each other, formulate an image or video recording. In terms of how the images are saved, most often the images are a toss up between either JPG or RAW files. JPG pictures are very generic RGB-laid files that are compressed and can be created with a simple point and shoot camera. Most digital cameras today save their image files as RAW files: files that are far less compressed than JPG and are much easier to save in different formats rather than JPG. The RAW files though much more flexible than JPG, can also be quite large and take up large amounts of memory on the camera's card or computers in general. The chapter also discusses the resolution of images in ppi, which is the standard abbreviation for pixels per inch. This is different than dpi (dots per inch) because ppi is the pre-printed form of the image where as the dpi is the post-print. Other subjects touched upon in the chapter are Bitmap images and cropping/rotating images. The former, is a file format that is used to store images. Standard versions of bitmaps include: JPG, GIF (Graphic Interchange Format), TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), and PNG (Portable Network Graphics). Bitmaps are in black and white pixels that can produce a large or small file of a clear, high res. image. The latter (cropping and rotating) are part of the images initial touch ups. Cropping an image most often occurs when you first scan or when you're saving the image. When rotating the image, the safest rotation is 90 degrees. This is safest rotation because too many odd rotations to an image can soften the detail, hurting the look of the overall picture.
Towards the end of chapter 4, a breakdown between good printable file formats and bad printable file formats were compared. According to Claudia McCue in her Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications book, the best types of formats for print are TIFFs and EPS (encapsulated PostScript) with PDF sometimes being okay, depending on the file. Certain formats NOT beneficial to print are generally PNG, GIF and, JPEG (Joint Photograph Experts Group). This is because most of these formats exceed the amount of colors provided by the printer.
Lastly, chapter 4 talks about the transparency tip and its importance. The transparency tip is mainly a result of certain software's ability to blend modes in the Photoshop file. To ensure the blend goes smoothly, create the file how you want it in InDesign or Adobe Illustrator for optimal image efficiency.
In summary of chapter 5, a breakdown of vector graphics and file formats happens, as well as detailing ways to embed fonts, outline text and simplify paths. In starting, vectors are pixel-free images that can be scaled to any size without sacrificing image clarity. Originally the file format for vectors was EPS but has since become more popularly used in Adobe InDesign. When saving the vector, its better to save it as an illustrator file rather than EPS, as an illustrator file is usable for software such as InDesign. Vector formats unable to print are Raster formats, Windows Metafile Formats (WMFs), and Enhanced Metafile Formats (EMFs). To embed a file, you can use EPS or AI to transfer into other programs, meaning the files are available to be opened and print. To embed the font of the file, these fonts should be readily available on your system beforehand. All fonts use "hinting" as a means of expressing the kind of data stored in the file as well. If outlining the text of your file, this will eliminate the hinting but will also lower the resolution of the image and is encouraged unless the file needs to be digitally printed. To simplify the paths of the image in InDesign, use your pen tool sparingly so as to give it a smoother effect. This smoothness will also help in the transition process to InDesign.
That concludes my summaries of chapters 4 and 5! Have a high res day!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Note Pad Project!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Chapters 1, 2 & 3
In this new post, I will discuss facts of interest in chapters 1, 2
and 3 in Claudia McCue's "Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite
Applications". To begin I shall talk about the Finishing Processes. The
Finishing Processes when it comes to print jobs vary due to the
specifics of each individual job.It is the process that occurs after the
job is printed. Essentially, the final touch ups before distribution.
An example of a Finishing Process is Die Cutting. Die Cutting is often
used for a print job that requires special shaping to edges or folding.
This type of cut often involves scoring or "the act of pressing an
indentation into the stock to facilitate folding the final piece." (
McCue, 72).
Other aspects included in print jobs are aspects such as the Folding Dummy which is a blank sheet of paper folded in the shape of the print job. This dummy is used like a rough draft of the finished print to check that folding and imposition are correct.
Other well known terms that follow the life cycle of a print job include hearing about your image being RIPed. A RIP or Raster Image Processor is a special computer that combines proprietary technology to translate PostScript/PDF input into very high resolution images. In this computer, an Imagesetter is used as the means of translating the RIPed image into the high-res bitmap. It takes the film and images it by exposing the film with laser/light-emitting diodes (two digital devices that produce energy).
In terms of how the image is measured, it is usually done with picas and points. The difference between the two is that picas are the smaller unit of the two as one pica is equal to twelve points.
Moving through to chapter two, it discusses the different ways ink can be placed on print and the way colors are distributed to create the images. When thinking on what colors prints can be, one must know that a basic print is almost always a two color job, meaning that to print the image, two colors are needed to print it. With that said, let's begin the breakdown of chapter two. First, when broken down to the tiniest form, resolutions occur in three different ways: Dots per Inch (DPI) which is typically used for printers and imagesetters, Lines per Inch (LPI) which is used for measurement along the rows of dots and Pixels per Inch (PPI) which is used to describe image resolution. In terms of color prints, most images are printed are generally made with the four colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black or, CMYK. When the print colors separate from CMYK, they use Spot colors. Spot colors are colors that have special additions to their hues such as neon green or navy blue. With Spot color rendering, images with color falling out of CMYK can still be printed onto an image medium.
Some last additions I'd like to share that I've learned about is the importance of registration and VDP. With Registration, printed inks are applied to paper in alignment. This helps the overall neatness of the image as the inks are applied in rapid succession rather than at the same time. Last but not least VDP or Variable Data Publishing is important in that it personalizes the printed products to target specific people rather than generic mailing. VDP is beneficial in that it sparks active and positive responses from the customers the printed material is being distributed to.
Other aspects included in print jobs are aspects such as the Folding Dummy which is a blank sheet of paper folded in the shape of the print job. This dummy is used like a rough draft of the finished print to check that folding and imposition are correct.
Other well known terms that follow the life cycle of a print job include hearing about your image being RIPed. A RIP or Raster Image Processor is a special computer that combines proprietary technology to translate PostScript/PDF input into very high resolution images. In this computer, an Imagesetter is used as the means of translating the RIPed image into the high-res bitmap. It takes the film and images it by exposing the film with laser/light-emitting diodes (two digital devices that produce energy).
In terms of how the image is measured, it is usually done with picas and points. The difference between the two is that picas are the smaller unit of the two as one pica is equal to twelve points.
Moving through to chapter two, it discusses the different ways ink can be placed on print and the way colors are distributed to create the images. When thinking on what colors prints can be, one must know that a basic print is almost always a two color job, meaning that to print the image, two colors are needed to print it. With that said, let's begin the breakdown of chapter two. First, when broken down to the tiniest form, resolutions occur in three different ways: Dots per Inch (DPI) which is typically used for printers and imagesetters, Lines per Inch (LPI) which is used for measurement along the rows of dots and Pixels per Inch (PPI) which is used to describe image resolution. In terms of color prints, most images are printed are generally made with the four colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black or, CMYK. When the print colors separate from CMYK, they use Spot colors. Spot colors are colors that have special additions to their hues such as neon green or navy blue. With Spot color rendering, images with color falling out of CMYK can still be printed onto an image medium.
Some last additions I'd like to share that I've learned about is the importance of registration and VDP. With Registration, printed inks are applied to paper in alignment. This helps the overall neatness of the image as the inks are applied in rapid succession rather than at the same time. Last but not least VDP or Variable Data Publishing is important in that it personalizes the printed products to target specific people rather than generic mailing. VDP is beneficial in that it sparks active and positive responses from the customers the printed material is being distributed to.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
QR Codes, What Are They, How Do They Work, and Why Use It ?
After conducting a bit of research, I have figured out that a QR code (Quick Response code in non-abbreviated form) is a a two-dimensional bar-code which usually contains an encoded web address, text or another form of gathered information. This allows for people to scan the code off of a printed material to content on a website in minutes. When one wishes to generate a QR code, one can go to any number of various QR generator websites ( some popular ones being myqr.co, Kaywa, and Delivr) and then posting the URL into the generator and out pops the the blocky, concealed code. Once the code is generated, it can be tracked by a QR tracking website. Some websites such as myqr.co can even show you anything from how many times your code is scanned by people to how many people peruse your website as a result of scanning the code.
So with all that in mind, my next question is why use QR codes at all? The simplest answer: Marketing. QR codes are now being used often as marketing tools for which to sell their products and get their name out there. These codes can be put on most anything printed like posters, packages, stickers, the list goes on and on. Another reason why to use a QR code is technology. By now, people the world over use or can use some form of smart phone and most of these phones have QR apps that are easy to download and for free. Smart phones give people portable scanners in a sense and many companies are getting in on the tactics of using bar codes to pique the interest of the people and to get as many hits on their websites as possible to help boost business and sales.
So overall, QR codes are pretty neat codes, and are in many ways, like a box of chocolates. Once scanned, you never know what you're going to get.
So with all that in mind, my next question is why use QR codes at all? The simplest answer: Marketing. QR codes are now being used often as marketing tools for which to sell their products and get their name out there. These codes can be put on most anything printed like posters, packages, stickers, the list goes on and on. Another reason why to use a QR code is technology. By now, people the world over use or can use some form of smart phone and most of these phones have QR apps that are easy to download and for free. Smart phones give people portable scanners in a sense and many companies are getting in on the tactics of using bar codes to pique the interest of the people and to get as many hits on their websites as possible to help boost business and sales.
So overall, QR codes are pretty neat codes, and are in many ways, like a box of chocolates. Once scanned, you never know what you're going to get.
Preflighting: My First Post!
Hello my name is Brett Robert Baker and this my blog site! To start this new venture off, I will first be explaining the Pre-flight Process as well as give an example of a Preflight checklist. I will also be covering a job description and a salary range. First off, after perusing Google for a website that appropriately explained the Preflight process, I settled on the site http://www.printernational.org. This site explained the Preflight process for Indesign. In essence, the purpose of Preflight is the means to check all the files used in a document and to double check if anything has gone missing, been changed, etc. within the file.
For a Preflight checklist on Indesign, the checklist it goes through besides the aforementioned above is the types of fonts the package is to be printed in as well as making sure the bleed is correct and making sure the size is formatted for the printer. Other things to check for in Preflight are making sure your PMS colors are separated from your CMYK (or vice versa), exporting correct registration marks, making sure the image resolution is the right size so the image will not be blurry or pixelated and making sure the overall document is the size you want before exporting it to print.
A job that has resonance with the topic of this post is the job title of Print Production specialist, a job that offers anywhere between 30k-70k yearly. The type of work this job entails consists of meeting or exceeding sales requirements as well as offering sales expertise and advice. Information was obtained from both careerbuilder.com as well as glassdoor.com.
Hope this gives some good insight into the purpose of Preflight and provided some helpful examples of how a preflight checklist is made and exemplified well certain jobs and salaries in the field of Preflight.
-BRB-
For a Preflight checklist on Indesign, the checklist it goes through besides the aforementioned above is the types of fonts the package is to be printed in as well as making sure the bleed is correct and making sure the size is formatted for the printer. Other things to check for in Preflight are making sure your PMS colors are separated from your CMYK (or vice versa), exporting correct registration marks, making sure the image resolution is the right size so the image will not be blurry or pixelated and making sure the overall document is the size you want before exporting it to print.
A job that has resonance with the topic of this post is the job title of Print Production specialist, a job that offers anywhere between 30k-70k yearly. The type of work this job entails consists of meeting or exceeding sales requirements as well as offering sales expertise and advice. Information was obtained from both careerbuilder.com as well as glassdoor.com.
Hope this gives some good insight into the purpose of Preflight and provided some helpful examples of how a preflight checklist is made and exemplified well certain jobs and salaries in the field of Preflight.
-BRB-
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