Reflection

Reflecting back on my class, Digital File Preparation, I am proud of the work I produced. In this class you learn how to properly package and send an InDesign file for print. Coming into this class, I have already learned everything that was stated in the syllabus. Knowing that, I took the class regardless hoping I would learn it from a different perspective. This is what I learned, new, from PSU: To use tiff and eps over psd. How to properly use paths in Photoshop. Patience is a virtue! and that my classmates are very creative and inspiring. Their final projects gave me ideas I can use in the future.

What I would change: I would do away with the master image list. I would still have the students complete everything on it though. Knowing how to do each of the tasks on the list is important. For each project I would show them one or two of the techniques and have it required on that assignment. Its very important everyone leaves with a bag of tricks to impress their future clients.

Overall I am satisfied with the outcome of the class. I think it is great we, as students, have to interact with Printing and Design Services to get the real life feel to produce a product. That right there is really important for the Graphics field. Just being comfortable interacting with clients and printers.

Kanza Brewing Company

Even though Kanza Brewing Company is a pseudo micro brewing company, I wanted to make a professional grade corporate identity for my final project. I also took on such a workload so I could enter this identity into the Addys. I really enjoyed working on this project because it is a style I am very comfortable with and aspire towards. The micro brew culture is also fascinating to me! Its really exciting to produce art for it.

For KBC's identity I created the logo, package, bottle labels, bottle caps, and posters. (I hope to have coasters and t-shirts ready for the Addys)

I had a pretty good idea and just dove right into it on Illustrator. For my package, I tore a couple of old 4 packs apart and drew up my own template on Illustrator. Following that, I printed it out and folded up a dummy to make sure it would be the right size and that I had all the necessary folds, scores, and cuts.

My design was inspired by, Great Divide Brewing in CO, Odells Brewing, and Michael Schwab.
Once I got my package design finished, the label followed suit.

To wrap it all up, I made the posters.

Prices to get this produced. 

the Carrier: $1.05/carrier for 5,000. total $5,250

the Labels: $0.18/label for 5,000. total $884.51

the Posters: $197 for 1,000

Magazine Ad

My magazine ad would be in Guitar World.

The only thumbnail I made up was my rough. When designing this ad I knew what I wanted and the overall layout. My target audience is all the rockers that read Guitar World Magazine. The call to action is the Microsoft Tag, which takes you the Soulicit's web page. On that webpage you will find another photos at the headers that is very similar to this ad! A full page ad for this magazine, full color, would cost $12,060 for one issue! My bleed is .125" all around.

Below is the rough i went off of Roughs

Below is the Final

Photo from Studio G Photography. Icons and Texture from Wegraphics.com. Soulicit logo, Thermal Entertainment logo from Soulicit LLC.

Newspaper Ad

For my newpaper ad, I decided to make a fake ad for the Pitt State Automotive department.

Size: 5 columns by 6.5 inches.
Cost: $130
Audience: Prospective automotive students
Call to action: url and phone number
Bitmapped image: Signature

Tumbnails

Rough

Final ad

Variable Data Postcard

For our variable data project, I chose to make a promotional postcard for an upcoming show. The variable data that changed depended upon the subjects favorite instrument. If they like guitar, they receive a postcard with the guitarist on it. If they like drums, they receive a postcard with the drummer on it. The recipient also has the chance to meet with that person at the show. I used a font that was easy to read since all the text I had was a paragraph. The color box, PMS 5395, I used on the back was based off the colors that are in the photographs. My call to action was inviting them to the show and my target audience was people interested in music. All photos came from Studio G Photography. Below are the postcard fronts and back.

to create is human, to steal is design.

Over fall break I kept my eyes open for design I liked or see daily. Some design I don't think twice about since I see it so often, but I realize I like. A few of these I got offline from link Adobe InDesign shared. Enjoy!

To start here are the ones I see so often I forget to think of them as design.

Next is what I see as I walk in between class or on break at work.

To finish are the ones I truly admire.

QR Codes

What is a QR code? A QR code (Quick Response) is a matrix barcode. Marketers utilize this code to give potential customers/clients a quick and instant way to view their website, product, or whatever the business wants them to see. It is scannable by using a smartphone.

...Note-to-Self

My self promotional notepad specifications are as follow:
5"x7". Black with a bleed. 2 vectors. type. 1 raster image.

The cost for a 50 sheets pad to be padded with a chip board back from Print Services should be less than $5 per pad. It will take approximately 1 day to complete. They will require a PDF to print.


-LAG Studios logo by Logan Grieder • Mountain background and vector bird from wegraphics.net • QR Code from qrcode.kaywa.com

BIG graphics!

Today, our we were handed a dummy folded business card.

Our goal- create a new business card with those dimensions.
Restrictions- outside: 1 PMS Spot and K. inside: K. include fold marks. Include 1 vector.

Below is sample of the file marked-up with examples of proper marks.

Assignment: Chapter 1 & 2

• Then & Now: Compare the roles and responsibilities of a shop 

In the olden days, you had to jump through several hoops just to get a single job printed. as showen below, the job would start out with a designer or a designer in a trade shop before it was ever sent to a printer. In some instinces the designer would have to get more materials from outside sources such as a typesetter or photographer, depending on what the client requested. Currently, a client can go straight to the printer and get all the service as if it were a one stop shop.

• Describe the following titles and a salary range for each: Sales Rep/Customer Service, Estimator, Preflight technician, Prepress operator?

Usually the first person contacted at a print shop is the sales representative  He/she is in charge of telling the customer an estimate for the job and how long it will take. The job is them handed to a customer service representative. He/she relays any communication between the press technician and customer and release proofs. While the proofing is taking place the preflight technician  is checking the files submitted for any flaws and make sure it is ready for print. Once approved it is sent over to the prepress. At prepress they will get the file onto a printing plate ready to print.

• Discuss the following key terms: imposition, RIP, Trapping, Die Cutting

Before sending your file to the RIP, Raster Image Processor, you need to make sure if you need a trap on your graphics. a trap is a small overlapping colors of 2 or more solid colored graphics. This is important for the printer, it allows for slight misregistration, although there shouldn't be any. Next you will send it to the RIP. Many print shops have RIP software that can impose your file for you. If not you will have to set up your imposition. A good example of imposition is putting a business card 21 up on a 12"x18" sheet. After that depending on your file, it will be sent to bindery. Your business cards would be cut down on a cutter. If your cards had a unique shape it would be sent to a die cutter.

• Discuss halftone dots

Colored and black and while images, printed are comprised of multiple solid and knocked-out dots, varying in size as shown to the right. 

• Define the following and discuss their importance: DPI, LPI, PPI

DPI: Dots Per Inch. LPI: Lines Per Inch. PPI: Pixels Per Inch. Many people uses each of theses acronyms interchangeably, but all represent a different device. dpi describes the resolution of an imaging device.  lpi describes the frequency of halftone dots measured in a row of dots. ppi refers to the resolution of a photo or image.

• CMYK vs RGB

CMYK stands for Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black. It is the flat color on printed paper. RGB stands for Red Green and Blue. Monitors, televisions, and our eyes are RGB devices. RGB device emit or read colors in RGB.

• Define and discuss Spot Colors

Spot color is a specific, premixed color. it takes only 1 plate and print head on a printing press. 

• Discuss registration

Registration is the alignment of multiple inks on the printed sheet. minor registration is usually unnoticed. 

• What is Rich Black? Why is it important?

Rich Black is a CMYK combination of black. It is a much denser and 'richer' black than just K and is used when there is black coverage larger than 1 square inch.

• When discussing color management, how do you control your environment?

The first thing you need to do to improve your environment to help manage color is to have subdued and soft lite room. the next thins is having a neutral background on you monitor. the less competing with your work the better. Calibrating your monitor biannually is crucial. Over time, the more you use your monitor, the more it will 'fade' or lose its true color. On the other side of color management, calibrating and profiling your printer with make a huge difference.

All Images from REAL WORLD Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications. McCue

moving forward

First post. needs some more work, but we all have to start somewhere. I will start with a quote I have pinned up to my bulletin board.... 

"All me have fears, but the Brave put down their fears and go forward, sometimes to death, but always to Victory." -the motto of the King's Guard in ancient Greece.