TYPOGRAPHY

LETTER SPACING

Legibility

The ability to distinguish one letterform from another.

Readability

The ability to understand a piece of

type or design.

A collection of characters, letters,

numbers, symbols and punctuation
which have the same distinct design.

Font

The physical means to create a

typeface, be it computer code, lithographic film, metal or woodcut.

TYPEFACE ANATOMY

F
d
T
G
O
A
f
K
p
f
v
K
g
p
A
h
s
T
o
Y
Q
T
v

nes o ype
Leading

Typeface

Lead ng s he
space be ween

Apex

The point formed at the

top of a letter, such as
the A, where the left
and right strokes meet.

Arm

A horizontal stroke
that is open at the end,
as seen on the T, F
and E.

Ascender

The part of the letter

that extends above the
x-height.

Bracket

The curved part of the

serif that connects it to
the stroke.

Chin

The angled terminal part

of the G.

Counter

The empty space inside

the body of a stroke.

Crossbar

A horizontal stroke on
the A or H. The
crossbar joins to stems
together.

Cross Stroke

A cross stroke intersects

a singles stem.

Crotch

Where the leg and arm

of the K and k meet.

Descender

The part of the letter

that falls below the
baseline.

Ear

The right side of the

bowl of the g, also the
end of the r and f .

Hairline

The thinnest stroke in

a typeface that has
varying widths.

Leg

The lower, downward

sloping stroke of the
K, k and R.

Link

The part that joins

the two bowls of the
double-storey g.

Loop

The stroke that encloses,

or partially closes a
counter in a roman.

Serif

The small stroke at the

end of a main vertical or
horizontal stroke.

Shoulder

The arch formed on the

h or n.

Spine

The left-to-right curving

stroke in the S and s.

Stem

The main diagonal or

vertical stroke of a
letter.

Stress

The direction is which a

curved stroke changes
weight.

Stroke

The diagonal portion

of letters such as N,
Y and M.

Leading is a hot-metal printing

term that refers to the strips of
lead that were inserted between
text measures in order to space
them correctly. Leading is specified
in points and refers to the space
between the lines in a block of text.

Track ng s he
spac ng o a
w o r d
Tracking

Tracking refers to the amount

of space that exists between
letters. This can be adjusted to
make characters more or less
distinguishable. Reducing the
tracking lessens the space between
letters, this condenses the text, if
the tracking is too tight the letters
will crash into one another which can
affect legibility.

Kern ng s he
space be ween
wo e ers

The descending stroke

on the Q.

Terminal

The finish of a stroke.

Vertex

The angle that forms at

the bottom of a letter
where the left and right
stroke meet.

TYPEFACE CLASSIFICATION

Black
Block, Blackletter, Gothic, Old English,
Black or Broken typefaces are based
on the ornate writing style prevalent
during the middle ages. They tend
to be difficult to read in large text
blocks and seem antiquated.

ROMAN
Roman type has proportionatly
spaced letters and serifs, it was
derived from Roman inscriptions.
It is the most readable type and is
commonly used for body text.

GOTHIC

Gothic, sans serif or lineale typefaces

do not have the decorative touches
that typify Roman typefaces. Their
clean and simple design makes them
ideal for display text, but make
them more difficult to read in long
passages.

SCRIPT
Roman type has proportionatly
spaced letters and serifs, it was
derived from Roman inscriptions.
It is the most readable type and is
commonly used for body text.

TYPEFACE STYLES
A typeface family contains the range
character styles and weights which
can be applied to the same basic
typeface. The typeface I have used
for examples below is Helvetica
Neue.

ROMAN
Originates from inscriptions found on
Roman monuments.

ITALIC
A version of the Roman cut that
slopes to the right. Most typefaces
have an italic version.

MEDIUM
A middle weight between the Roman
and Bold.

BOLD
Uses a wider stroke than Roman and
is also called black, super and poster.

L GHT
A variation of the Roman cut with a
lighter stroke.

CONDENSED
A narrower version of the Roman cut.

ABSOLUTE MEASUREMENTS
Absolute measurements are
measurements of fixed values. A
millimetre is a precise measurement.
Points and pica, the basic typographic
measurements have fixed values.
Absolute measurements are shown in
finite terms and cannot be altered.

The Point System

The system was developed in the

19th century by Pierre Fournier and
Francis Didot. The modern point is
1/72 of an inch.

10 po nt type.
Type Point Size

The point size of a typeface is

measured from the ascent line
(highest ascender) to the descent
line (lowest descender). The point
system was created for metal type.
Metal type blocks leave space at the
top and bottom to allow space, the
point size is a measure of the block,
not the letter.

RELATIVE MEASUREMENTS
In typography many measurements
such as character spacing are linked
to type size. Ems and Ens are
relative measurements that have no
prescribed absolute size. Their size
is relative to the size of type that
is being set.

Em

An em is a unit
of measurement
derived from the
width of a of the
cast upper case
M. The em equals the size of a
given type (the em of 60 point type
is 60 point, the em of 12 point is 12
points). It is used to accurately space
paragraph indents.

En

An en is a unit of
measurement equal
to hald of one em.
It can be used to
mean to in
phrases such as
chapters 1011 An en rule is also
used to mean and.

Hyphen

A hyphen is
typically one-third
the length of an
em. It is used to
separate parts of
compound words, to link the words
of a phrase in adjectival hyphenation
and to connect the sylabbles of a
word that is split across two lines.

X-Height

The x-heght is a term applied to the

distance between the baseline and
the mean line of non-ascending or
lower case letters. The letter x
is used as a gauge because it is flat
at both the top and bottom. The
X-height is a relative measure specific
to the typeface in question.

Va ue
w

The grid is used as a way to

consistently organise elements on a
page. There are two common types
of grid, module based and column
based.

Columns

A column is an area into which text

is flowed so that it is presented in an
organised manner.

Kerning

Kerning is the space between two

letters. Certain letter combinations
have too much or too little space
between them, this can make some
words difficult to read.

Two Rules of Kerning

One

m
m

mp

Pa

Folio or page numbers are usually

placed at the outer edge of the
bottom margin. This makes them
noticeable when flicking through
a book.

on

Re ab

oph

Captions

w
w
m m

H e a hy

ubo d na e

m
m

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

Co umn ba ed g d
w

m
m

mm

mm

w
w

w
m

My

w m

mm
mm

mm

mm

mm
w
mm

mm

mm

mm

mm
m
mm
m
mm

mm

mm

Flexible PVC

H B ZO D

w
m

m
m

P epa ng he pu p

mm

ORMA

m
m

m
m

%w

C ea ng he gh

w
m

HOW PAP R
m

P ma y o ou

m
w

e onda y o ou
m

a y o ou

w
m

CO OUR WH

m
m

m
m

Comp e
men a y
m

Greyscale

A greyscale is a
tonal scale or
series of achromatic
tones that have
varying levels of white and black
to give a full range of greys. A
greyscale is used to reproduce
contious tone photographs. It does
this by converting colours into the
most approximate levels of grey.
Up to 256 shades. The intensities of
these greys are reproduced on the
printing plate throught he use of a
half-one screen.

mm

Mono h ome
m

Half-tone

A half tone
image is created
by reproducing
a continuous tone
image as a composition of dots.
This can be seen in enlarged image
above.

Mu ua
omp emen
m
m

m
m

Line art

Nea
omp emen
m

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

ad

Intensity

Intensity refers to how crowded a

layout is.

Recto

The right-hand page of an open book.

FIBONACCI NUMBERS

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm
m

mm

BA C PAP R YP
a d Pape
m m

Commonly referred to as expanded

polystyrene (EPS), has many
uses from ceiling tiles through to
transportations packaging and use
as a building material. It remains
largely unexplored for design based
applications.

Wove Pape
m m

The mould of polystyrene is a three

part process. In the first part tiny
spherical EPS beads are expanded
up to forty times their original size.
In the second stage the boards are
stored in huge canvas silos and are
left to absorb air for 24 to 48 hours.
In stage three the freshly expanded
beads are poured into manufactured
moulds where steam and pressure
are applied, softening the beads and
compressing them so that they bond
together into the required shape
and density.

Bond Pape

mm
mm

mm

mm

Coa ed Pape
m

A black variant of EPS exists that

is used in thermoinsulation. The
colour comes from introducing carbon
flakes into the beads to enhance
its thermal performance. This is an
more aesthetically pleasing variant
of the standardised white EPS. Sheet
polystyrene is moulded in large locks
that are cut using hot wiring cutting
machines. The cell structure of this
material means that in appearance
the material seems quite smooth but
printing will achieve mixed results.

Un oa ed Pape
m

m
m

m
w

mm

a u a on
m

m m

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm
mm

mm
mm

m m

RNA V

UB RA

A y

Rigid PVC

PVC (Polyvinyl Choride) is one of

the most commonly used and widely
available substrates. It is one of the
most valuable products in the petrochemical industry. The majority of
PVC is used in construction and heavy
industry. Its ease of manufacture
and huge number of varieties make

Sheets can fit on a

B1 press sheet.

GRAD N

B2 PAGES PER VIEW

w

B eed

PROC

mm
w

e Ma k

MPO

m
m

yvek

m
m

m
m

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

16 A6
148mm x
105mm

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

w
m

100 A9
52mm x
37mm

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

m
%

m
m

Wood

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

CR N ANG

w
m

m
w

OCHA

Metallic inks are made with copper,

zinc and aluminium pigments in
order to produce copper, bronze,
silver and gold colours which
cannot be produced by standard
process inks.

PANTONE PMS COLOURS

WW

m
w

The Pantone Colour Matching System

(PMS) has developed to include a
wide range of different colours,
including special solid, hexachrome,
metallic and pastel colours.
w

m
O

AR WORK NG

n
m

m
m

ORMA
CAP UR

Conven ona
Ha one

RAW

m m
w

m m

m
w

w
w

A range of solid metallic, pastel

and process colours that can be
used on different paper stocks and
substrates. The flourescent opposite
would be Pantone 806U, 806C or
806M depending on whether it
is to print on uncoated, coated or
matte stock.

m
m

Pastels

A range of flat, solid, but very

pale colours. These are different
to tints as they print as a solid
colour without visible dots. They
are available in both coated and
uncoated swatches.

e ond O de
o ha
P n ng

CO OUR AY R

Hexachrome

AV D
m

BMP

up n
m

Heat-Sensitive Inks

POR AB

R G

PD

m
m

w
m

m
m

Ove p n

m
m

Cyan P a e

RA ON

m
m

Magen a P a e
M

M
eg

a on

PR N R O U ON

Ye ow P a e

m m m
m m

m
m

m m
m m
m

Reg
w
w

na P n ed
mage

o u on
m

1B
B map
m

YP

NK RAPP NG
m

8B
G ey a e
m

Wo k and u n
m

M
eg

8B
ndexed

Inks that are made with vegetable

based oils (as opposed to
mineral-based such as pertoleum)
and that, as a result, are more
environmentally friendly.

PROOFING METHODS

p ead

A proof used to check layout and

colour information and to check the
screen structures of a print.

Choke

Advantages

B1 PAG
m
m

Cen

m
m

KNOCK OU & OV RPR N

DP Do
m

RM

ne Pe n h

9 A4
297mm x
210mm

16 A5
210mm x
148mm

w
m
m
w

UND RCO OUR ADD

Pe n h

32 A6
148mm x
105mm

ON

64 A7
105mm x
74mm

amp e Pe n h
m

m
m

CANN NG

m
m

mm
m

Screening must be erformed before a

screen proof is printed and printing
data contains no screen information.

Laser proof

A black and white computer print.

Advantages

Shows photos, text and position.

Cheaper than a blueline.

Disadvantages

Low resolution and may not reprduce

at actual size.

Pre-Press Proof

An analogue or digital proof that

gives an approximation of what the
finished piece will look like.

Advantages

Inexpensive, particularly digital

proofs.

Bak

PRODUCTION PROCESSES

Disadvantages

DIGITAL

PRINT FINISHING

Cutting and Trimming

As most commercial printing jobs use

paper that is slightly larger than the
finished design will be, there will
need to be cutting and trimming to
achieve the final desired format.

Cyan and
Bak
%

FLEXOGRAPHY

Trim lines are identified by crop

marks, these marks are also used to
help with registration of the printed
page. Trimming is paid for in the
printing of a design, so no extra
charge is incurred. This is different
to other finishing techniques, such as
folding, which cost extra.

Drilling and Punching

Designs that are ring or post bound

require holes ranging between
1/8 inch and 1/4 inch. Commercial
printers use a drill to make these
holes according to size and placement
specifications. Spiral and plastics
comb binding require puching holes,
a process that costs a bit more than
drilling.

Perforating

Peforating involves punching a line

of holes to make tearing easier. It
can be done as part of the binding
process to make signatures easier
to fold before they are bound and
trimmed. Peforation is used as a
means to facilitate tear-offs on
designs that require a response, such
as business reply cards.

Scoring

To make folding more efficient a

crease is applied using a metal rule
or a wheel so that an embossed
ridge is formed on the substrate.
Heavy substrates that are to be
folded should always be scored.
Scoring is also important to avoid
cracked ink on fold lines when
using coated stocks with heavy ink
coverage.
Flexography (often abbreviated to
flexo) is a form of printing process
which utilises a flexible relief plate.
It is essentially a modern version
of letterpress which can be used
for printing on almost any type of
substrate, including plastic, metallic
films, cellophane, and paper. It is
widely used for printing on the
non-porous substrates required for
various types of food packaging (it
is also well suited for printing large
areas of solid colour).

FOLDING METHODS
Folding is used for almost all
multi-page print jobs in some form
or another.

Mountain

One of the two

basic folds that are
the basis of all the
other folds. In a
mountain fold, you
fold the paper
towards yourself.

Advantages

The relief printing plate is suitable

for printing on non-porous surfaces,
such as metal. It is used to print
drink cans, plastic bags and much
more.

Valley

The second of the

two basic folds that
are the basis of all
the other folds. In
a valley fold, you
fold the paper
away from
yourself.

Disadvantages

Large print runs are required using

this process.

OFFSET-LITHOGRAPHY

Gatefold

A gatefold has
extra panels that
fold in to the
central spine of
the publication with
parallel folds so that they meet in
the middle of the page. The extended
pages are folded and cut shorter that
the standard publication pages so
they can nest correctly.

Throw-outs/
Throw-ups

A printing process where an inked

image from a printing plate is
transfered or offset on to a rubber
blanket roller, which is then pressed
against the substrate. Litho uses a
smooth printing plate and works
on the basis that oil and water will
repel each other. When the plate
passes under the ink roller, non
image areas that have a water film
repel the oily inks that stick to the
image area.
Litho produces good photographic
reproduction and fine linework on a
veriety of stocks. The printing plates
are easy to prepare and high speeds
are available,. These reasons make it
a cost effective way to print.
Offset litho is available in sheet
and roll fed form. Sheet fed is
more appropriate for smaller print
runs such as flyers, brochures and
magazines while web printing is
more appropriate for higher run
jobs like newspapers, magazines
and reports.

Advantages

Uses an engraved printing plate. Can

print on a wide variety of substrates.
One of the most cost-effective and
commin methods in commercial
print today.

One colour and does not reflect

paper stock or true colour. Proof has
a blue colour and the image fades
with time.

121 A8
74mm x
52mm

210 A9
52mm x
37mm

A proof of an individual photo or

group of photos not included as part
of the individual page layout.

Advantages

For checking colour before the final

proof. Many photos can be proofed at
once to save time and materials.

Disadvantages

Images not seen in the layout.

Tip-in

A tip-in is a means
to attach an insert
into a book or
magazine by gluing
along the binding
edge.

Concertina

Each fold runs

opposite to the
previous one to
obtain a pleated
result. The outer
panel needs to be
bigger than the
inner panels, this
hides the rough folding edges of
the final piece.

Back/Front
Folder

Wings either side

of the central panel
have a double
parallel fold so that
they can fold
around and cover both sides of the
central panel.

Double
Gatefold

Reasonably high start-up costs for

low print-run jobs. The plates can
wear out quickly compared to other
print processes.

The double gatefold

has three panels
that fold in towards
the centre of the
publication.

PAD PRINTING

Duelling Z-Fold
Z-Fold wings fold in
to the centre panel
and meet in the
middle.

Front/Back
Accordion

Pad printing is a printing process

that can transfer a 2-D image onto
a 3-D object. This is accomplished
using an indirect offset (gravure)
printing process that involves an
image being transferred from the
clich via a silicone pad onto a
substrate. Pad printing is used for
printing on otherwise impossible
products in many industries including
medical, automotive, promotional,
apparel, and electronic objects, as
well as appliances, sports equipment
and toys. It can also be used to
deposit functional materials such as
conductive inks, adhesives, dyes and
lubricants.
Physical changes within the ink film
both on the clich and on the pad
allow it to leave the etched image
area in favor of adhering to the pad,
and to subsequently release from
the pad in favor of adhering to the
substrate.
The unique properties of the silicone
pad enable it to pick the image up
from a flat plane and transfer it to
a variety of surfaces, such as flat,
cylindrical, spherical, compound
angles, textures, concave, or convex
surfaces.

Three parallel
folds, the two
panel outer wings
fold in to and
out of the centre. The double panel
centre serves as the cover.

Front/Back
Gatefold

The same as a
normal gatefold,
but with an extra
panel inside the
front or back.

Half Cover
from Behind

An accordion fold
where the
penultimate panels
forms a back cover
that the other panels fold in to to
create a book. The other half size
panel folds around the book from
behind to cover the front with the
first half size panel.

Harmonica
Self-Cover
Folder

An accordion fold
where the first two
panels form a cover
that the other panels fold into. The
first two panels need to be larger
than the others to allow for creep.

Mock Book
Fold

Advantages

The ability to print on 3 dimensional

substrates, golf balls, tv controls,
keypads and more.

Disadvantages
High start-up costs.

ROTOGRAVURE

Essentially an
accordion fold,
where the
penultimate two
panels form a cover that the other
panels then fold in to to create
a book.

Advantages

Long lasting printing plates. Good

image reproduction. Low cost per unit
if using very high print runs.

Disadvantages

High start-up costs. Slightly pixelated

lines and text. Very high print-runs
are needed to make it profitable.

SCREEN PRINTING

The screen is placed on top of the

substrate to be printed, a squeegee
or rubber blade is used to press
the ink through the stencil and on
to the substrate. The screen can be
used many times.The screen printing
process has an immediacy that other
print processes dont.

Tape

A cloth tape is
treated with heatsenstive glue is
wrapped around
the assembled
covers and pages.
Heat is applied,
causing the glue to adhere to the
pages and cover. Tape bound books
lie flat.

SPECIAL FINISHES
Special finishes can range from diecuts to varnishes.

Die-Cut

A process that uses a steel die to cut

away a section of a page. Die-cuts
have many uses and are mainly
used for decorative purposes to
enhance the visual performance of
a design. They may also serve a
physical function, such as making
unusual shapes or creating apertures
that allow users to see inside a
publication. Die-cuts produce a
range of effects from the striking to
the subtle.

Die-Stamp

The traditional way to emboss,

using an engraving plate or die. The
die is pressed into contact with the
paper. Inks used in die-stamping
have traditionally been oil based
and slow drying. A die can be used
without ink, this procedure is called
blind embossing. Die stamping, like
thermography offers an alternative
to more conventional print processes,
creating a tactile and luxurious finish.

Dip Moulding

Dip moulding lends itself to

low-volume production runs and
the development of projects. It is
versatile enough to cope with high
volume production when needed. It
has cheaper tooling costs for both
prototypes and production tooling.
The preferred material for tooling
is aluminium, with more complex
shapes being made with a wooden
pattern then cast in aluminium. The
dip-moulding process does not lend
itself to forming text out of the
tooling as it is difficult to strip the
finished mould without damaging
the finished product. The surface
can be printed, with silk-screen
offering the greatest flexibility. Pad
printing can be employed for more
complex, 3 dimensional surfaces.
The process offers a very specific
finish and feel. Given its synthetic
and tactile nature.ing a tactile and
luxurious finish.

Embossing and Debossing

Paper is pressed between two

moulds called dies. The moulding
of paper between the dies results
in a raised impression. If an
impression is moulded so that it is
lower than the papers surface it
is called a deboss. Embossing can
be combined with a printed image
or foil stamping to enhance the
three-dimensional appearance of
an image. An embossed impression
made independend of a printed
or foil-stamped image is called a
blind emboss. Soft, uncoated papers
generally take a better embossed
impression than hard or smooth
coated papers.

Foil Blocking

Foil blocking operates as an addition

to other printing methods, allowing
metallic finishes to be applied to
a surface. There is a huge range
of foils including metallic, colour
and clear and some holographic or
decorative foils. There are strict rules
to follow for foil block, this should
ne be ignored. You cannot foil on
top of foil; if you apply foil on the
reverse side, the foil on the front
will be removed.
Foil blocking can be used on
stationary and letterheads. A
potential is that the foil reheats
and peels away from the paper
depending on the printer used. If
planning to use this method for
such purposes, it is important to
check compatability with all office
printers on-site beforehand. Foiling
can sometimes be considered an
overdecorative process.

HF Welding

HF (or high-frequency) welding is

also known as RF (radio-frequency)
welding or dielectric sealing. The
principle behind the process is the
use of high-frequency radio energy
to produce a molecular agitation in
the materials being processed to
the point that they melt and weld
together, typically forming a bond as
strong as the original material.
This approach could be considered as
a packaging alternative, although 3D
constructions do tend to stretch the
capabilities of this process.

Injection Moulding

Used to make items such as shampoo

bottle tops and CD cases.This process
is a great deal more expensive than
processes like thermoforming. As a
process it can be sourced and used
internationally and nationally. The
outcomes are well worth the extra
expense associated with the process.

Kiss-Cut

A method of die-cutting whereby

the face material of a self-adhesive
substrate is die cut but not all the
way through to the backing sheet.
This enables the face material to
be easily removed from the backing
sheet.

Laminates

Lamination provides the best

protection of all methods. Lamination
creates an exceptionally strong
surface that repels moisture, this
means the design can be washed
wthout being damaged. The
process involves applying a layer of
polyester, polypropylene or nylon
film to one or both sides of a printed
sheet. Laminates are available in dull
and glossy finishes.

Nylon Laminates

Nylon laminates are the most

durable and expensive type of
laminate available. Nylon laminates
are recommended for lightweight
substrates such as paperback covers
and designs where metallic inks
are involved.

Polyester Laminates

Polyester laminates have are

hard surface and are reasonably
priced makes polyester laminates
appropriate for case-bound books
and for designs where durability
and longevity are important.

Polypropylene Laminates

Laminates made of this material

are often used on dust jackets and
packaging. They are more likely to be
scratched and scuffed, polypropylene
laminates are the least expensive.
Polypropylene laminates can also be
applied to lightweight substrates and
surfaces printed with metallic inks
with-out the risk of paper curling.

Rigid Box Making

Thermoforming

When a planning a publication, the

capacity of a cover to contain its
pages. The dimensions of the spine
will vary depending upon the number
of pages in the publication.

Bellyband

A plastic or paper
substrate that
wraps around the
belly of a
publication.

Case

The pages form

signatures that
are sewn using
thread and then
glued to linen
tape for flexibility
and strength.
Case-bound books lie flat and are
extremely durable.

The cover and

pages are sewn
together with
thread and then
tied off. The knot
and ends remain
visible. This is a process done by
hand and is typically used for
publications with 36 pages or fewer.
Pamphlets lie flat.

The screen is made of a piece of

porous and finely woven fabric
stretched over a rectangular frame.
Areas of the screen are blocked off
allowing a stencil of the image to be
printed through.

Stab is also
referred to as
Japanese binding.
Sheets are sewn
together so that
the thread is visible
on the spine and
sides of the book.

Capacity

Pamphlet
stitch

Screen printing offers a lot of

versatility for the designer. It gives
scope to experiment with a lot of
different inks and materials. Screen
printing can be an automated
process, or hand done.

Stab

Binding is needed for multiple page

documents. There is a wide variety
of binding techiniques, ranging from
simple to elaborate solutions.

BINDING TECHNIQUES

Rotogravure (Roto or Gravure for

short) is a type of intaglio printing
process; that is, it involves engraving
the image onto an image carrier.
In gravure printing, the image is
engraved onto a cylinder because,
like offset printing and flexography,
it uses a rotary printing press.
Once a staple of newspaper photo
features, the rotogravure process
is still used for commercial printing
of magazines, postcards, and
corrugated (cardboard) product
packaging.

Hole are punched

through the pages
with a machine,
and then a wire
coil is spun up
the spine of the
book. Spiral bound
books lie flat.

Among the most luxurious and

desirable forms of packaging. The
boxes are often handmade. Versions
of this packaging can be made by
machine but the choice of material
and construction is more limited.
A rigid box consitst of a hard base
material, which is cut to shape, fixed
together to form a box and covered
in cloth, paper or vinyl. The box can
be lined, usually using a coloured,
uncoated paper. Larger boxes are
more difficult to cover and therefore
more expensive. It is very difficult to
make a rigid box any shallower than
15 to 25mm, for these cases it is
better to use a cardboard carton.

Triple Parallel

Parallel folds that

create a section
that nests within
the cover panels,
with a front
opening. This type
of fold is commonly used with maps.

A contact print produced from film.

Shows
imposition, photos and text as will
appear when printed, together with
trim and binding edges.

Rapid as no processing is involved

and pages can be folded, trimmed
and stitched to approximate the
finished job.

Throw-ups and
throw-outs are
sheets of paper
folded into a
publication. They allow for larger
scale images than can be used in
the original design size.

Disadvantages

Blueline, Dylux or
Salf Proof

Scatter Proof
%

The digital file need to be available,

unlike other print methods which can
be produced from a physical plate.

Spiral

Limited image reproduction quality.

Very expensive if being used for
small print runs.

Finishing techniques are applied to

a job after it has been printed. They
create special effects which cannot be
achieved with ink.

Digital printing refers to methods

of printing from a digital based
image directly to a variety of media.
It usually refers to professional
printing where small run jobs from
desktop publishing and other digital
sources are printed using large
format and/or high volume laser or
inkjet printers. Digital printing has
a higher cost per page than more
traditional offset printing methods
but this price is usually offset by
the cost saving in avoiding all the
technical steps in between needed to
make printing plates.

Pages and covers

are stapled through
from front to back.
As the binding runs
on the edge of the
book. This means
that a lot of space
is lost on the inner margins. Side
stitched books do not lie flat.

Very high print runs can be

achieved using this process, for a
relatively low cost. Typically used for
newspaper printing.

There are seven basic printing

methods that are used to produce
most of the printed material you see
around you in the world today.

Colour not as accurate as press proof

as does not use actual printing inks.

Disadvantages
m

N/A

Advantages

m
m

PP P xe

Disadvantages

Disadvantages

Kno kou
m

4 A3
420mm x
297mm

Pe n h

R O U ON

2 A2
594mm x
420mm

Ove p n

mm
mm

1 A1
841mm x
594mm

m
w

32 B CMYK
P n mage

ng

m
m

P RV W
mm

Intended to eliminate moire, rosette

and other undesired effects.

m m

24 B
RGB

Advantages

Soft/Screen Proof

Disadvantages

Advantages

Proofing is one of the most important

aspects in the artwork stage of the
printing process.

Wo k and
w

16 B
O g na
mage

Scented inks can be supplied in a

wide selection of smells and can
also be synthesised to use a specific
fragrance. As scented inks are water
based they can only be printed on
unsealed paper (paper not plastics).
On other surfaces water-based ink
does not adhere to it and will scratch
off. The scent has will usually lose
potency over time.

Vegetable-Based Inks

w
m

Normally used on scratch cards

or other promotional items, rubremovable ink is latex based. It is
supplied as a metallic, as its function
it to obliterate what it overprints.
The ink is quite fragile and difficult
to work with, but it can be effective
when printed in solid areas. It gives
a rubberised feel and communicates
that the area should be handled
with care.

Inks derived from soy bean oil as

opposed to petroleum.

These inks can be printed on all

substrates and create a different
shade of metallic colour depending
on how close the viewer is to the
print.

Soy-Based Inks

Wo k and
umb e

a on

Pearlescent and
Iridescent Inks

Scented Inks

WORK

These inks are supplied in a

limited range of colours. Black is
the preferred colour as it creates
dramatic results. Heat sensitive
inks are suspended in a semi-clear
base and works best when screen
printed. The reactive temperature
can be varied according to climactic
conditions. As with scented inks,
the system is water based and is
supplied for printing on paper based
substrates. It can be used on plastics
but a number of layers of varnished
will need to be applied for it to key
in. This is time consuming and not
very cost-effective. Heat-sensitive
ink also has a tendency to scuff if not
properly sealed.

Rub-Removable Inks

BakPae

a on

Metallics

INKS

w
M

m
m

mm

A range of 6 colour process colours

used for hexachrome printing.
In addition to the CMYK process
colours, the system adds green and
orage process colours allowing it
to reproduce 90% of the Pantone
PMS colours.

A range of over 300 special colours

that give a metallic effect including
copper, silver and gold colours.
Metallics are available in both
varnished and unvarnished coated
swatches.

ORD R

mm

Reve e Ou

P D

w
w

P G
w

m
m

PR N NG P A

m
m

w
%

Accurate representation of the final

print job.

A colour proof used to form a contract

between the printer and the client,
final proof before going to press.

Solid

Side stitch

Web printing prints from a roll of

paper rather than separate sheets.
This allows for higher printing
volume and speed with a lower
production cost. Web can be used
with litho but most commonly with
relief printing methods such a
rotogravure and flexography as the
plates are more durable. Due to
the scale and cost of this production
method, it is not suitable for low
volume printing.

Contract Proof

The cover and

pages are folded
and stapled. As the
entire book is
folded in half there
is a maximum
thickness of
roughly half an inch for effective
saddle stitch binding. Saddle stitched
books lie flat and are a low cost
binding technique.

Covers and pages

are drilled and
bound with a
threaded post and
screw. The cover
then turns on itself
to hide the
fastening. Pages can added and
subtracted. Books have to be hand
assembled, screw and post bound
books do not lie flat.

Disadvantages

Costly as the plates have to be set

up, particularly if another proof is
required following changes.

Saddle stitch

Screw and post

Realistic impression of the final

print. Can be produced on actual
print stock.

Uncoated (U)
Coated (C)
Euro-Coated (EC)
Matte (M)

O de
o ha
P n ng

The circled C
refers to the stock
the colour will be
printed on. There
are four options
available in the
colour matching
system;

WEB-OFFSET

Advantages

Disadvantages

These are special colours that have

a particular vibrancy and cannot be
produced using the standard 4-colour
process inks.

A very time-consuming process. Low

print runs can be expected when
using this process as each screen is
pulled by hand.

A proof produced using the actual

plates, inks and paper.

SPECIAL PROCESS COLOURS

Metallics

m
m

w
m
w
m
W
m

Disadvantages

Press or Machine Proofs

The printing set-up is quicker as no

plates are needed. Print-runs that
require limited quantities are best
suited to digital printing.

Flourescents

C PR N NG

C oe
ewa d h p
Coun

MA R A

w
m

M
m

m
w

W
m

High quality finish. Hand made feel.

Time consuming and labour intensive

as an additive proof takes about 30
minutes to produce.

A useful resource for imposition

plans can be found at
www.re-nourish.com.

The 4-colour printing process can

produce a wide range of colours,
however it is sometimes desirable to
use a special process (spot) colour.
The are specially made inks.
A special colour is solid colour, rather
than made a CMYK colour which is
created by using a series of dots.
As a result the colour is much more
vibrant than CMYK mixed colours.
Special colours are also used to
produce metallic and flourescent
colours. When using special colours
an extra plate needs to be used in
the production process. This means
extra cost to a project. Such things
must be taken into account when
considering the use of special colours.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Advantages

Resource

U A NAB

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

49 standard
business cards
85mm x
55mm

Why ang e ?

W
m

182 A10
37mm x
26mm

Co ou

Very accurate colour proof produced

from the colour separation film used
to make printing plates.

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

o V ew

Advantages

Sheets can fit on a

3B2 press sheet.

Page

High quality proofs (such as match

print of chromalin) produced using
4 sheets (one for each colour)
laminated together in register.

30 A7
105mm x
74mm

w
w

Composite Integral
Colour Proof

49 A8
74mm x
52mm

m
mm
w
m

9 A5
210mm x
148mm

P n ed Page

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

P ann ng

Ve

4 A4
297mm x
210mm

2 A3
420mm x
297mm

ON

m
w

Sheet can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

1 A2
594mm x
420mm

Sheets can fit on a

B2 press sheet.

Reg

CO OUR

B2 (707mm x 500mm) is a common

format used in commercial offsetlithography printing. This gives trim
and bleed for most A series paper
sizes. Below are examples of pagesper-view on a B2 sheet.

mm

mm

w
m

e adhe ve

w
w

100 standard
business cards
85mm x
55mm

Sheets can fit on a

B1 press sheet.

B D RM&
R G
R MARK

mm

Polystyrene
w

ann ng

mm

m
w

Foil blocking and blind embossing

both produce amazing results ,
and it is worth exploring different
foil combinations on this stock.
Overprinting in translucent tints can
produce interesting results on more
iridescent versions of the material.

mm

mm

Hue

Opa y

C e e

Fibonacci number sequences are a

series of numbers in which each
number is the sum of the two
proceeding numbers. Fibonacci
numbers are linked to the 8:13 ratio
in the golden section.

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

D CR B NG CO OUR

nk Ho dou

mm
mm

Ab o ben y

p
omp emen

mm
Layout concerns the placement of text
and image elements within a design.
How these elements are positioned,
both in relation to one another and
within the overall design scheme will
affect how the content is viewed and
received. Layout can help or hinder
the communication of information in
a piece of design.

mm

B e e

LAYOUT & GRID

mm

mm

mm

mm

a bed
m

m
m

Metal

There is also a range of holographic

boards utilizing metalised polyester
film that carriers a micro-embossed
holographic pattern. There is no
choice beyond those patterns already
available. Despite their highly
reflective and smooth surfaces,
these materials can still be printed
conventionally. With lithographic
printing, inks must be selected that
dry on non-absorbent substrates.
UV curable inks are also preferred.
Caution needs to be exercised when
handling more reflective boards
as they have a tendency to scratch
and mark. This laminated surface is
soft, with any minor blemish being
obvious because of the reflective
quality of the material. Inks must
be selected that will dry on nonabsorbent surfaces. Certain inks
needs to cure for up to 48 hours, or
they will scratch.

mm

mm

mm

A line art image

is one that is drawn
with only lines
and has no fill
colour or shading. A line image has
no tonal variation so rquires no
screening for print.

moo hne

mm

mm

360 A10
37mm x
26mm

Mirri-board is manufactured by
laminating thin films of metalised
polyester to different base papers
and boards. Its metallic and
reflective surface lends itself
principally to specialty packaging
such as perfume cartons. The wide
variety of colours and finishes should
allow you to specify its use for other
applications.

mm

m
w
w

mm

Mirri-board

PAP R CHARAC R

A e e

Doub e
omp emen

Aluminium is a lightweigh popular

substrate for binders. Its edges
do need to be sealed or anodized
by immersing the material in an
anodizing solution and running an
electric current through it, otherwise
it is prone to oxidisation and
marking from fingers. There are not
many suppliers or manufacturers
who can produce high quality finished
goods from metal.

D e on

m
mm

mw
m

RA and RA e e

Ana ogou

A bitmap or raster
is any image that
is composed of
pixels in a grid.
The images are a fixed resolution so
quality will be affected . Converting
a greyscale image in to a bitmap will
reduce the tonal palette to black and
white only.

m
m

The use of leather in a project

generally denotes wealth, tradition
and luxury. Leather can be screen
printed, embossed and foil blocked.
It should be noted that, as leather is
animal skin the surface and texture
of leather is a variable which could
hamper the application of a design.
Care should be taken when glueing
as leather has a tendency to contract
when mounted or bonded. More
rigid leather will die-cut and trim
far better than softer pig-skin or
goat-skin leather.
If cost is an issue there are a number
of synthetic materials that mimic the
grain of leather, and some have even
been developed to smell like it too.

Metal could be regarded as a

material that has very limited
applications with the design process.
It has a look, feel and density that
will rarely be appropriate.Cost is an
important factor when considering
using metal for a project. A reason
for this is the extra processes that
metal has to go through prior to
being ready to work with. The
materials most commonly used
by designers are aluminium and
stainless steel, both of which are
easily cut, creased and screen
printed. Stainless steel is much
harder than aluminium and can be
supplied in very thin gauges. The
thinner the gauge the sharper the
edges become. Stainless steel is good
for having designs etched in to or
through its surface.

Pape G a n

C ON

Bitmap

PPI

Pixels per inch, a measure of the

resolution of an image on screen.
Images to be used on screen typically
have 72 pixels per inch.

D CR B D

G M G am pe
qua e Me e

m
w

o pape

mm

m
m
m

Mak ng he o
O

u ae

There is an almost infinite choice of

leather to use. It is an expensive
material to use, and decisions based
on expectation of how leather should
feel and smell will lead you to
higher-priced skins. Leather is mainly
available at specialist merchants
who normally supply skins to make
handbags and belts and therefore
are structured towards this market.

Leather

H CO OUR WH

Remov ng he wa e
ub a ve
p ma e

DPI

m
w

High density foam has a range of

applications but can principally be
employed by the designer as a
packaging material to house a series
of items securely and attractively
without having to resort to overengineered cardboard executions.

m
m

hee o ma on

m
m

Add ve
p ma e

High density foam has a 3-stage

production process, commencing with
polymer being blended in line and
extruded into solid sheet or slab
form. This sheet is then cross-linked
to create a lattice-like structure
at a molecular level within the
material. This allows the material
to be thermal moulded, as crosslinked foams can be stretched and
compressed, and retain their shape
when cooled.

There are unusually uses of flexible

PVC. For instance, a thin, black,
embossed flexible PVC is appropriate
for coffin linings, where as its white
counter part is used to line babies
prams. There is a semi-translucent
version that is used for blood bags,
while thicknesses of up to 5mm are
used for factory-door curtains.

High-Density Foam

V & UB RAC V

w
w
w

he pu p made?

w
w

w
m

m
m

MAD

%
m

P epa ng he wood

m
m
m

Flexible PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) is a

variant of rigid PVC. The introduction
of plasticesers to the substrate
makes the material more pliable.
Flexible PVC is now commonly used in
the manufacture of stationary such as
binders and holders for car-parking
permits.

How
m

w
w

mm

HOW PAP R

m
m
w

Hexa h ome

CMYK

mm

w
w
m

Printing methods tend to be

restricted to screen printing, and it is
difficult to achieve a fine print as the
material is quite fibrous. Felt makes
an interesting covering material and
can be converted into book jackets as
an alternative to book cloth. It cannot
be used as a covering material in box
making as it cannot be glued.

mm

mm

Neu a

mm

OCK

w m

ADD

mm

mm

mm

ann ng

Felt

The largest palette tends to be

supplied to a thickness of 1mm. It
is rare to find thicker felt in colours
other than black. This is partly
because you cannot dye the felt
consistently. A more limited palette
of colours, but one with a far more
interesting texture is provided by
industrial felts. Usually supplied
in off-white, grey and brown, this
industrail felt is used to polish and
finish jewellery and metalwork and
can be found encasing the strikers of
church bells. Industrial felt could be
seen as having a texture and finish
aligned to materials such as grey
board and corrugated cardboard.

mm

Corrugated cardboard consists of flat

outer sheets sandwiching a central
core or filling of corrugated fluted
paper (called a medium) that resists
crushing under compression. When
used in a box this gives cushioning
to the boxes contents. The liner and
medium are glued together along
the outsides of the peaks and valleys
of each flute, boxes are usually
designed with the flutes running
vertically for stacking strength.

Felt is made from wool matted

together into fabric by beating,
rolling, suction and pressure. The
most common wool used in felt
manufacture is sheep wool. Some
felts can be dyed in a veriety of
colours. Felt is available direct from
the manufacturer, brighter colours
tend to be available at handicraft
markets.

mm

mm

Na u a

mm
m
mm
m
mm

CO OUR GAMU

mm

mm
w
mm
m

mm

ww w

RGB

mm

mm
w
mm

mm

mm

Ca m

CO OUR

mm

mm

V b an

mm

mm

D um

w
m
m

Corrugated Cardboard

w m

mm

Modu e ba ed g d

mm

Re e h ng

Cork is the bark of the cork tree.

Cork is extremely bouyant as more
than 50% of the structure is air, yet
it remains solid. This makes cork
very compressible without breaking,
making it flexible and resilient.
As the surface is naturally uneven
finish can be problematic,particularly
when attempting to print fine text
or complex logos. Cork can be die-cut
and guillotines with relative ease.

mm

Rubbe

Cork

ad ona Book

w
w

m
m

mm
mm

mm
w
mm
m
mm
m
mm

Refined

mm
mm

m
mm

mm

It is more common to find paperbacked or tissue-lined book cloths

on the market. These differ from
cotton book cloths on the market.
These differ from cotton book cloth
as their material is predominantly
from a synthetic source, such as
rayon. Cotton book cloth has the
disadvantage that adhesive will
penetrate the cloth when glued.
Rayon has a flexible backing or lining
that prevents this, and is cheaper
than cotton. A further disadvantage
is the availability of much brighter
colours and more variances of
weave. Cotton book cloth tends to be
associated with dry legal or medical
tomes, whereas as rayon with art or
design based projects. Cotton cloth is
more durable than rayon.

Mode n Book

Pa e

Three different page sizes are

formed using sequential pairs of
fibonacci numbers. 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,
13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377,
610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765,
10,946

mm
mm

mm

CMYK Mode

The left-hand page of an open book.

mm
mm

PRINT & SCREEN IMAGES

Verso

mm

Bo d

Raster

RGB Mode

mm

mm

m
m

RGB images are

made from red,
green and blue
additives, they
have 3 channels, one for each colour.
RGB images are smaller than CMYK
images as they have one fewer
channel. RGB files are used on screen
because of their lower file size.

mm

A en

Dots per inch, a measure of the

resolution of an image on screen or
the printed page. Printed images
typically require a setting of 300dpi.

mm

The B-head is a secondary heading,

in this publication the B-Head is 8
point and bold. I am using this for
sub-headers and pull quotes.

CMYK images are

made from
Cyan, Magenta,
Yellow and Black
subtractive primaries and have 4
channels, one for each colour. An
image stored as CMYK is larger
than a RGB file as it has one extra
channel. CMYK images are used for
printing as each colour corresponds
to one of the printing plates.

mm

Dom nan

A vector image
contins many
scalable objects
that are defined
by mathematical
formulae (bezier
curves) or paths
rather than pixels. Vectors are
scalable and not affected by
resolution. Vectors can be enlarged
indefinitly and remain crisp and
clear. Vector files must be saved as
EPS format to retain their scalability.
They are used for corporate logos
and other graphics as they are easily
portable and cannot be altered
within publishing programs.

mm

B-Head

Vector

mm

Type can be set in a variety of

horizontal alignments. When used
effectively alignment can harmonise
text with other elements in the
design. Large blocks of text that are
not left aligned may become tiring
and confusing to read.

A raster image
is any that is
composed of
pixels within a
grid, each pixel
contains colour
information for
the reproduction of the image.
Rasters have a fixed resolution,
which means that an enlargement
of the image results in a quality
decrease. Raster images are usually
saved as TIFF or JPEG files for print,
and JPEG or GIF for use on the web.

mm

Woven cotton that is coated in a

starch and pigment mixture then
subjected to live steam before being
spread across the cloth. The granules
of starch burst open and thicken
, causing the material to thicken,
giving the starched effect. Drying
is usually done by a steam heated
drum, cloth is wrapped around
it during its journey through the
spreading machine. The heat dries
the starch the starch on to the cloth.
When the material is glued, the
process is reversed as water in the
glue softens the starch granules,
making the material pliable and easy
to wrok with. The starch prevents
the glue from penetrating through
the cloth.

Ou doo Po e

Right-Aligned

In modern design images tend to be

supplied in an electronic format, even
if they have been hand-rendered
and later scanned in. The following
section of the book will go through
the setting required for an image
that is to be printed.

mm

mm

a ed

CO OUR COMB NA ON

mage

mm

U Pape

mm

mm

mm

Book Cloth

Op m m

Differentiated by the use of italics,

caption
w

Centre-Aligned

IMAGE

mm

Roya y

Type can be set in a variety of

horizontal alignments. When used
effectively alignment can harmonise
text with other elements in the
design. Large blocks of text that are
not left aligned may become tiring
and confusing to read.

C-Head
The C-Head in this publication is used
in the body text. The point size is
point as with the B-Head, however,
the type is set to regular rather than
bold. This allows the headers and
sub-headers to be distinguished.

mm

ne gy

Left-Aligned

The A-head is a primary heading

usually reserved for the titles in the
text. In this publication I use 16 point
type for the main header.

mm

mm

Type hierachy is a logical and visual

guide. It distinguishes headers from
body text, and can highlight the
importance of text through using
varying; typefaces, type weights,
point size or colour. Below I will
show the hierachy used throughout
this publication.

mm

mm

Home

Folio numbers

Type can be set in a variety of

horizontal alignments. When used
effectively alignment can harmonise
text with other elements in the
design. Large blocks of text that are
not left aligned may become tiring
and confusing to read.

TYPE HIERACHY

mm

Pea e

A margin is the empty space that

surrounds the text block.

mm

Cyan
Magen a
Ye ow and
Bak

An extremely thin printing paper,

and has been made from a variety of
materials, from rags to wood pulp.
It is exceptionally strong and retains
a reasonable degree of opacity.
Bible paper foil blocks very well but
care needs to be taken because of
its lightness. The strength of the
paper allows it to be creased and
folded many times without the print
cracking.

mm

mm

Bible Paper

mm

Margin

Cap Height and

Ascender Height

Cap height (the height of capital

letters) and ascender height (the
height of ascenders, such as the h).
They can be equal height although
in some typefaces the heights vary
slightly.

Running heads, the header, running

title or straps are the repeated lines
of text that appear on each page of
a work or section, such as the title of
a chapter or publication.

mm

TYPE ALIGNMENT

Type can be set in a variety of

horizontal alignments. When used
effectively alignment can harmonise
text with other elements in the
design. Large blocks of text that are
not left aligned may become tiring
and confusing to read.

mm

produced between two sheets of

glass, it is more rigid that extruded
acrylic, easier to cut and glue and
is available in a wider variety
of colours and finishes. Extruded
is made from granules of plastic
and is the preferred material for
thermoforming.

mm

Running heads

Do not kern type until the tracking

values and typeface selections have
been set. Kerning can be a time
consuming practice and kerning
values rarely transfer between
typefaces.

Justified

mm

Two

Type can be set in a variety of

horizontal alignments. When used
effectively alignment can harmonise
text with other elements in the
design. Large blocks of text that are
not left aligned may become tiring
and confusing to read.

mm

mm

CO OUR YMBO

A single square or field that comprise

a grid.

As the type gets bigger you will need

to reduce the space to compensate.

mm

RA and RA e e

Module

oo

Head ma g n

A-Head

Tail

GRIDS

Perfect

Loose pages are

adhered with glue
along their bound
edge. The cover
is then wrapped
around and glued.
Perfect bound
books do not
lie flat.

Plastic comb

Probably the
least aesthetically
pleasing binding
method of them all.
The plastic comb
looks cheap and
the books do not
lie flat.

A method used in processing plasticbased substrates. The material

is heated to its thermoforming
temperature and then immediatly
shaped. Pressure is maintained
on the material until it has cooled.
The tooling used in this process
is cheaper than that used in
injection moulding. The tooling is is
generally made from aluminium.
As the process is generally used
for industrial applications it tends
to be ignored for more aesthetic
reasons. Thermoforming is a very
precise process, the material has to
be consistent and the sheet must
be heated evenly to the correct
processing temperature. The initial
costs of this process can make it
prohibitive. The process does offer
alternative possibilites to a project.

Thermography

Thermography or relief printing,

is used to raise a design off the
paper and adds another dimension
to the design. A potential problem
with thermographic printing is
thermographic ink can melt if put
through the same temperature twice
(i.e laser printing, as could be used
with a letterhead paper).

Varnishes and Coatings

The three main types of varnishes

and coatings that are used are;

Spot Varnish

A clear coating is applied on press or

in line. Spot varnishes cost the same
as applying an extra ink would cost.
Spot varnishes come in glossy or dull
finishes and can be lightly tinted with
other inks. Spot gloss varnishes are
usually used to enhance photographs
and other types of image by giving
them a high sheen and richness. Dull
varnishes are often applied to areas
of text on a glossy, coated paper to
prevent glare. Spot varnishes offer
little protection against scuffing.

Aqueous Coating

A gloss coating made from a mix of

polymers and water that is often
applied to magazine and brochure
covers as a means of protection
against scuffing, dirt and water.
Aqueous coatings are applied as a
flood varnish, meaning the entire

page is covered. Aqueous coatings

require a special coating unit and
cost roughly twice as much as spot
varnishes.

UV Coating

A UV light-cured process that involves

a platic liquid, ultraviolet coating
offers more protection and a higher
degree of gloss that aqueous coating.
Some printers apply UV coating in
the press line but often it is supplied
separate from the printing process.

COMMERCIAL COSTINGS
Everything discussed in this book
up to now costs a price. If you want
to add finishes such as folding,
binding or specials to a job it will
increase the cost. If you want your
design printed on A2, rather than
A4 paper it will cost extra. This
section of the book will discuss basic
costing considerations when deciding
the print and finishes your design
requires.

PRICING A PRINT JOB

The six key areas that will affect
the overall cost of a printed job are;
format, colours, quantity, material,
printing method and finishes.

Format

The final size of the printed

document will affect the price of a
print run. Most commercial print on
B1 or B2 sheets or use a roll, such
as web-offset, the larger the format
of the final design the more press
sheets will be needed to print the
job, thus increasing costs.

Colours

In most commercial printing processes

colours are added in separate
layers. As this is the case the more
colours used in a design will increase
the number of plates that need
preparing and inks being used. This
will increase the cost. Where special
(spot) colours are being used an
extra plate is needed, this increases
the cost even further. For this reason
it is important that colour usage is
managed closely.

Quantity

The quantity of a print-run, will affect

the cost of a print run in a similar
way the format will. The higher a
print run, the more press sheets are
needed, this increases the cost.

Material

The material a design is printed on

will affect the cost. For example, it
will cost more to print on gold than
paper. The material used will affect
the drying time of the ink, this
again, will increase the cost of the
print job. These are things that need
to be considered before sending a
job to print.

Printing Method

Choosing between offset-lithography,

digital, roto and other printing
methods can greatly affect the price
of a print job. Some methods are
best used for high print runs (roto)
and other for small (digital). The
printing method is one of the most
important things to consider.

Finishes

From binding, folding and specials

when finishes are used the cost of a
printing job will increase.