Introduction to Prepress 2nd edition Hugh Speirs ©Published by Pira International Ltd Randalls Road, Leathethead Surrey KT22 7RU UK T +44 (o)372 802080 F +44 (oh372 802079 E_publications@pira.co.uk W_ win piranetcom Introduction to Prepress Hugh SpeirsThe facts set out in this publication ae obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable However, we accept no legal liability of any kind forthe publication contents, nor any information contained therein nar canlusions drawn by any party fom it No partof this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sytem, of transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission ofthe Copyright (© Copyright Fira International Ld 2003 ISBN1 85802 9015 Publisher ‘Annabel Taylor annabelt@pira.co.uk Head of publications and events Philip Swinden Philips@pira.couk (Customer services manager Denise Davidson publications@pira.couk T +44 (oh372 802080 Typeset inthe UK by Pantek Arts Ltd, Maidstone, Kent report, many of which are trade names, service marks, trade marks or registered trade marks.Contents List of tables vi List of figures vill Th Printing statistics 1 UK 2 ~ Worldwide 2 — ‘Types of printer 4 Jobbing /general commercial Specialist printers 4 Inplants 5 ~~ Publisher/printer 5 Quick printers 5 Trade houses and suppliers 5 ‘Small office, home office 6 ~ Print-on-demand 6 Facilities management and proc “Web-enabled printing sites 7 Differentiation by printing process 7 repress workflows Prepress workflows 9 ‘Types of reproduction 10 ~ Traditional reproduction 10 Digital reproduction 10 ‘Mixed-media reproduction 10 initial stages of prepress workflows 11 Design brief sketch or visual TT Text waiting and editing 17 Photography 17 Production layout 11 Graphic design 12 Typesetting 12 Traditional reproduction sta Digital reproduction stages 13 Some prepress workflows 13 Combined workflow 13 Page i © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003, Digital prepress workflow 15 ~~ Creo Synapse proprietary workflow 15 Preflighting and workfiow management 17 Prepress computers 19 ‘Apple Mac 19 PCs 20 ‘Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics 21 Client-server relationship 21 Memory 21 Receipt, distribution and storage of digital data 22 Storage 22 Removable storage and backup media 23 Prepress development 23 ‘Typography and text creation 25 ‘Typographical measurement. 25 Sizes oftypee 25. Type fonts 27 Type characters 27 Typefaces 30 ~The set of a typeface 30 Page widths and depths 30 Recognition of typefaces 37 Proof correction and standards 33 “Capturing Keystrokes 33 Proofreading 33 Proof conection standards 34 ~Comection of typeset matter 34 Fonts and working with fonts 37 Computer fonts 37 Copyright and font licensing 39 Electronic transfer to @ second party 39. ~ Font manipulation software 40 Text creation 40 Text input methods 47 "Direct keying and data entry 41 Manipulation and conversion of text 41 Conversion and transfer of text data 41 Optical character recognition 42 ‘Automatic voice recognition 42Introduction to Prepress. Contents ‘Text transfer by telecommunications 42 _ ‘Modem 42 ISDN 43 ADSL 43 Cable telephone 43 Software programs 43 Text capture and basic graphies 43 Formatting text 44 Style sheets 44 Vector and bitmap text and graphics 44 age description languages and PostScript 45 ‘Open systems and networks 46 Open systems 46 ‘Networks and network protocols 46 Glient server principles 47 Connectivity and interfaces 47 ‘Small Computer Systems Interface 48 “Universal Serial Bus 48 FireWire 48 File conversions and compatibility 49 ‘Mac:to-PC compatibility 49 ‘Mac compatibility 49 Mac OSX 50 ‘Application software compatibility 50 Vitus protection 51 _ graphics creation 53 Generation and manipulation 53 The traditional route 53 The desktop or digital route 53 Originals $4 ‘Monochrome line origin Colour line originals 55 Continuous tone originals 55 Reproduction of line and continuous tone 56 Halftone screen 56 —_ Reproducing the original 57 Graphic arts cameras 57 © Contact screens 58 Page iv © Copyight Pra International td 2003 Dot pattems 59 Screen frequencies and rulings 59 ~ Monochrome scanners 61 Principles of colour 61 Colour as a wavelength 61 ‘Human colour perception 61 Colour models 61 Colour management systems 63 Colour reproduction 63 Additive synthesis 63 ~~ Subtractive synthesis 63 Process colour separations 64 Drum or rotary colour scanners 66 Flatbed scanners 68 Process printing inks 70 Colour printing 70 ‘Undercolour removal and adjustments 70 Creating and processing digital images 71 ~~ Graphics generation and manipulation 71 Object oriented graphics software 77 Bitmap graphics software 72 a Vector and bitmap graphics 72 image editing and manipulation software 73 Digital cameras 73 image and data libraries 73 Gip art 73 Photographic and online image libraries B Trapping, spreads and chokes 74 jew screening developments 74 Halftone reproduction 76 Grey levels 77 Input or scanning resolution 78 Output screen frequency or ruling 78 Output resolution 79 Pixel or bit depth 79 Dpi and pi 80 le formats 80 PostScript 87 POF 81 Data and file compression 82 Open Prepress Interface 82Introduction to Prepress Contents ip, planning and assembly 83 Digital systems 83 EPC systems 83 DIP systems 84 DIP page make-up software 85 Brief overview of QuarkXPress 86 Brief overview of InDesign 88 Brief overview of PageMaker 90 Extensions, add-ons and plug-ins 91 QuarkXPress 97 InDesign 91 PageMaker 92 Traditional systems 92 ~~ Paper make-up, planning and assembly 92 Film make-up, planning and assembly 92 Preparing layout or laydown sheets 93 Mixed me Imposition, multiple images and methods of working 95 Multiple images 95 Imposition 95 ‘Methods of working 96 Sheetied imposition 97 Selecting the method of working 98 Flat plans 99 How binding affects imposition 100 Example job specification 100 Insetted and gathered sections 100 Insetted sections 102 Gathered sections 102 ‘Webfed imposition 102 Large-width webfed presses 102 —_Narrow-width webfed presses 107 Designer's and printer's spreads 108 Electronic imposition 109 Margin allowances in imposition 109 Page v © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003, Single-colour and spot-colour proofs 111 Colour proofs 111 Conventional colour proofing systems 112 Photomechanical proofs 112 Proofing terminology 114 Presentation of proofs Print specifications and standardisation 115 Dot gain 117 Colour profiles and calibration 119 Output media and printing surfaces Imagesetters 121 Rips 121 Different types of imagesetter 122. Capstan imagesetters 123 ‘Drum imagesetters 123 Online processors 124 Laser printers 125 Mixed media 126 dot scanners 126 ‘Mixed-media output systems 126 Preparing printed surfaces 127 _ Lithographic platemaking 127 Printing down and plate processing 1 Plate baking 129 Step-and-repeat machines 129 Direct-to-plate systems 130 “Artwork to plate by analogue exposure 130 Imagesetter or laser printer to plate 131 Waterless litho 132 Computer-to-plate systems 133 Flexographic printing plates 135 Photopolymer plates 135Introduction to Prepress Contents Rubber 138 Letterpress blocks and plates 139 Computerto-plate relief systems 139 Platesetters 139 ‘Laser-engraved plate or roller 139 Gravure cylinder preparation 140 Electronic engraving 140 Etching 141 Screen stencil production 142 “Screen meshes 143 Screen frames 143 Screen stencils 143 Hand-cut stencils 143, Photomechanical stencils 143 Electronically generated stencils 144 Page vi © Copyright Pira International Ltd 2003, Developments in prepress 145 Precommunications or premedia? 145 ‘Computer-to’ developments 146 ‘Computerto-fim with manual film planning 146 Computerto-fim 147 Computerto-plate 147 Computer-to-press 147 ‘Adobe Acrobat and POF 147 Workflows 149 Job Definition Format 1 ciPa_ 151 Glossary 155List of tables 4.1 Converting between lines per 6.1 4xB-page insetted sections 107 centimetre and lines perinch 60 6.2__ 4 8-page gathered sections 101 4.2 Screen frequencies for different 63 A32-page section produced as printing processes 60 43. Range of image types with corresponding bit depths 79 Page vii © Copyright Pra Intemational ltd 2003List of figures 11 Percentage breakdown of the numbers employed by printing companies 2 12 Distribution of worldwide printing market volume by product category, not including SOHO 3 13. Distribution of overall market volume by geographical region 3 21 Outline of a combined traditional and electronic reproduction workflow 14 2.2 Digital prepress workflow 16 23 Schematic of Creo Synapse proprietary workflow 17 3.1 Text setting of pt Gill Sans and 12pt Gill Sans on a V4pt body 25 ‘Composition and display type sizes _ using the Arial typeface 26 33 Characters, marks and signs that make up a font 27 3.4 _ Different parts of type characters 28 3.5 _ Kemning and ligatures 28 3.6 Some variations of the Arial type family 29 3.7 Representation of a 10pt type as _ ever, narrow- and wide-set 31 3.8 Ascender, descender and xheight differences 31 3.9 Some sans serif and serif typefaces 31 3.10 Set width, condensed type and weight variations 32 3.11__ Typefaces of contrasting weight and colour 33 3:12 _ Different typefaces 33 3.13 Extract from British Standard BS 5261: Part2 35 3.14 Identification of different font types by icon 38 3.15 The letter U created in vector and bitmap form 45 417 Reproduction examples of continuous tone and line originals 55 42 Graduation of tone in a traditional halftone dot picture 57 Page vili_ © Copyright Pra Intemational td 2003 43, Reproduction representing offset printing 58 44 Reproduction representing direct printing 58 45 _ Different dot pattems 59 46 Different screen rulings per centimetre 60 4.7 Sunlight is composed of all the colours of the visible spectrum 62 48 — How different coloured objects filter out and reflect different colours 62 49 The three spectral bands give a wide range of colours 64 Each of the three process colour inks subtracts one-third of the colour spectrum 65 4.11 Colour separation filters and their respective printing plates 65 412 Heidelberg Primescan 08200 vertical drum scanner 67 4.13 _ Creo iQsmart® flatbed scanner 69 4.14 Vector graphics and bitmap graphics 72 4.15 Graphic prepared without trapping 75 4.16 _ Graphic prepared with trapping 75 4.17 Analogue round dot halftone screen distribution 76 Dot distribution for FM screening 76 Halftone dot cell patterns from an imagesetter or platesetter 88 5.1 QuarkXPress screenshot 87 52__ InDesign screenshot 89 53 PageMaker screenshot 90 54 Aplateveady 8-page manually planned foil using positive film 93 6.1 64-up multipie-image laydown 95 6.2 4-page workand-tum imposition 97 63 4-page workandsumble imposition 98 4.10 aig 479Introduction to Prepress Ustof figures 64 4-page sheetwork imposition 98 65 Flat plan covering the colour fall of a I6-page centre spread 99 66 Inseited 16-page section laydown 102 6.7 Insetted 24-page section laydown 103 _ 68 Insetted 32-page section laydown 103 69 Insetted 64-page section laydown 104 6:10 Gathered 16-page section laydown 105 6.11 Gathered 24-page section laydown 105 6:12 Gathered 32-page section 6.13 Gathered 64-page section laydown 105 laydown 106 614 Typical 16-page heatset web offset press cylinder configuration 106 Narow-width continuous webfed 615 press 108 616 67 Designer’ spreads and printers spreads 108 Example of margin allowances for work trimmed all four sides to form the finished size 109 618 Example of margin allowances for sadle stitched or thread-sewn work showing eight pagesto-view 110 Example of margin allowances for ‘work that is typical multiple-image ‘working such as 8-up leaflets to view trimed four sides and single inner cuts to size 110 Page ix © Copyright Pra International Ltd 2003, 620 Example of margin allowances a ar 82 83 aa Phoenix imagesetter wit for perfect bound work or multiple image work where the equivalent of inner double cuts are required 110 DuPont Eurostandard colour bar 117 online processor 124 ‘Agfa Apollo Plus printing-down frame 129 ‘A32-up multipleimage plate laydown 130 ‘A.B. Dick DPM2610 B2 a5 86 intemal drum platesetter and filmsetter 131 Toray waterless plate and conventional wet offset plate 132 Creo Lotem 800 Quantum with Spectrum proofin 134 a7 88 ‘Stages of thermal platemaking 135 ‘Stages of single-layer relief photopolymer processing 137 89 Dry processing of Cyrel FAST relief plate 138 Creo ThermoFlex thermal relief 810 platesetter 140 an engraving system 142 a 92 93 94 HelioKlischograph K500 gravure "Computer-to' workflows 148 PDF usage 149 Creo-based prepress workflow 151 Printanet e-commerce workflow 152Printing statistics The printing industry ‘As with many other industries, the printing industry experienced major changes in the latter part of the 2oth century that have continued into the 2rst century. For over 500 years printing was a craft-based, relatively insular and labour- intensive industry, with a great deal of tradition and strength built up from its prominent position in history by disseminating knowledge and information through the printed word Printing as a mass communication medium dates back to 1450 when Johannes Gutenberg developed letterpress, which remained the biggest printing process in terms of volume for over 500 years, only being overtaken by offset lithography in most developed Countries in the late 1960s. This long period of stability and relatively slow pace of change altered dramatically from the 1970s and accelerated considerably in the 1980s with the development of desktop publishing (DTP) in 1984-85. Desktop publishing gradually brought an end to the practice of printers controlling literally all areas of print, even resetting work supplied by customers, which was generally due to printers having to rekey the work into their specialist typesetting systems, Ths led, especially from around the mid-ggos, to many print-buying customers seeing print more as a project-managed resource that could be broken down into discrete elements for different reasons and purposes such as convenience, time and cost savings, plus logistics. ‘Some print-buying customers additionally responded by having their own in house DTP facilites or commissioning their own prepress requirements, ie. cteation of files for print and/or web-enabled reproduction. Although it is still generally the case that one printer will handle the whole of a small- to medium-sized job, larger or more complex print jobs will often involve more than one supplier. New technology, or more correctly, the application of new technology to the printing industry, continues to have a marked effect on printers and print-buying customers alike, Printing is a bespoke industry producing products and supplying services in a tremendously wide range of printed matter from business cards to large posters, from leaflets to case-bound books, from plain packaging to complex multicoloured cartons. The range of printed products and services is endless and continually increasing. Printing fulfils this wide range of needs as well as adapting to ongoing developments in response to print-elated opportunities and changes in circumstances. There is not one aspect of the world economy that does not come into contact with the printing industry and its wider role in the developing communication and media industries, ‘Although there have been tremendous changes in industrial and business organisation in recent times throughout all business sectors the printing industry is still predominantly a relatively small-scale bespoke industry in economic and structural terms {see Figure 11) Data released in 2002 by the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) records the following statistics for the UK printing industry, based on the Annual Business Inquiry, Page 1 © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,UK Worldwide Introduction to Prepress The pining industry 2000 Provisional Results — National Statistics. The value of sales in the UK printing industry in 2000 was recorded at over £146 billion, with sales of advertising literature, books, brochures and leaflets contributing the highest totals from a range of print-elated categories. There were over 186,000 employees in over 12,000 companies (although UK National Statistics records a much higher figure). Only around 500 printing companies have more than 50 employees, with around 90% employing fewer than 20 people. Some 84% of BPIF member companies employ fewer than 50 people and 68% employ fewer than 25 people, Allowing for differences and variations in the recording of statistical data between Aifferent countries, as well as differences in economic development, itis generally considered that global printing statistics are consistent within a fairly narrow band of variation, This is confirmed in the book by Helmut Kipphan, Handbook of Print Media (Heidelberg, 2001, p.g), from which Figures 11 to 13 are reproduced. Heidelberg has estimated this data on the basis of worldwide information sources. Figure 12 confirms the small-scale nature of printing companies throughout the world, with an average of 82% across central Europe, North America, Middle America and South America, easter Europe and Asia-Pacific, employing fewer than 20 people. This figure rises to 93% for printing companies employing 50 or fewer people. Figure 12 records a total of over 50% for the commercial/advertising printing sector, which corresponds Gane <2 i 20-50 Beso Source: Handbook of Print Media, Kipphan, Helmut Page 2 © Copyright Pra Intemational ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress ‘The printing industry Perse tn a iad including SOHO Books 7% Commercial advertising printing 46% Packaging/ labels 18% Catalogues | a6 Newspapers 4% 16% Source: Handbook of Print Media, Kipphan, Helmut Central Eastern [Africa | North And South [Europe —|2% | America America — | 2% 133% 3% | Asia-Pacific Central Europe 36% 24% Source: Handbook of Print Media, Kipphan, Helmut fairly closely to simiar categories covered in the UK National Statistics figures referred to previously. Figure 13 records Asia-Pacific, North America and central Europe as making up 193% of the distribution of printing market volume worldwide. ‘The Handbook of Print Media also records that the US, Germany, Great Britain and Japan together account for 50% of the distribution of printing market volume worldwide. Page 3 © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,‘Types of printer Jobbing/general commercial printers Introduction to Prepress The printing industry Most printing companies were set up, atleast initially, to supply printed matter within their surrounding locality, with the great majority identified as they are today as relatively small jobbing/general commercial printers supplying stationery and other general products, such as business cards, lettetheadings and leaflets, before moving on to more complex jobs, such as booklets, brochures, folders and magazines. Jobbing/ general commercial printers depict the main group of printers that largely set out to produce and supply the full range of general print requirements, limited only by the capabilities oftheir equipment and specialist expertise, e.g, printing very large-format products, such as a Br poster that would be outside their normal press size; other examples would be very long runs that would be more economically produced on large-format sheetfed co webfed presses, or perfected multicolour work, such as four or five colours. ‘The vast majority of printers still operate in the jobbing//general printing centreground. However, due to market opportunities and natural growth, along with targeted business planning, there is certainly an element of movement towards areas of print specialism where some previous jobbing/general printers become suppliers of much more narrowly defined printing products and services, atleast in terms of additional work, and/or business growth allows them to expand into a much wider range of printed products and services. The statistics cited earlier confirm the prominent position held by the general commercial/advertsing printing sector. Printing companies historically set up close to a business community that would require their products and services. With vast improvements in global telecommunication links, geographical location now matters considerably less than in the past. Many printing companies remain local’, serving a very narrow catchment of customers, whereas others cover whole countries, whole continents or even the world. Specialist printers, in contrast to jobbing/general commercial printers, are printers who target and/or provide specific printed products and services, intially through the suitability of their equipment and expertise or through being offered the opportunity to undertake particular work for particular customers. These types of printing companies tend ‘to undertake a much more proactive role with customers and market opportunities. Examples of specialist printers are business forms, direct mail and direct response marketing, high-volume magazines and catalogues, envelope overprinting and manufacture, rigid and flexible packaging, financial and security printing, flat labels and gummed labels, reelfed and self-adhesive, newspapers, books, short-run on-demand work, fine art reproduction, large posters and banners, tickets and vouchers, printing on unusual substrates such as plastics. There is @ wide network of print related organisations being supported by, or providing support for, particular areas of the printing industry. n recent years there has been a growth in organisations, other than printers, that have their own printing and print- related capabilities, divesting some of these processes and activities, which are not part of their core business. Page 4 © Copyright Pia international ltd 2003Inplants Publisher/printer Quick printers Trade houses and suppliers Introduction to Prepress “The printing industry ‘An inplant is where a non-print organisation retains a print facility to supply most ofits internal print requirements. Inplants are generally sited in the host organisation's premises or nearby, and most inplants try to supply most day-to-day print requirements in short-run single and spot colour, Multcolour and long-run work are often placed with a commercial printer possessing larger multicolour presses offering economies of scale and lower unit costs. Some inplants can be large and have comprehensive production facilities, including large sheetfed and webfed presses. Publisher/ printers have undergone considerable change in the past 20 years or so. During that time many organisations have reconsidered their core business, expertise, synergy, etc, and decided to divest areas that either did not meet their revised criteria or where they felt a split would be more beneficial for one or more areas. Newspapers, books, magazines and journals have in the past been popular concerns of publisher/ printers. in line with other business areas, the recent trend has been for the publisher/ printer to decline rapidly in favour of separate businesses and/or separately run profit centres. There are a range of quick printers, instant printshops and copyshops. The printers in this group were set up partially to compete with local jobbing printers and have established a reputation for highly professional print-on-demand services, focused on digital printing systems, although small offset presses are often used to back up and extend the digital side of the business. To gain economies of scale, group support, established profile and increased publicity, franchises have become popular with printshops, such as Kallkwik, Prontaprint, AlphaGraphics and Canon colour shops, leading to service and product identification in particular market sectors, Pritshop services cover design, copying, conventional printing and digital printing, print finishing, data processing and management across a wide range of communication-elated services and products ie. a one-stop printshop concept, with DTP driving the prepress links to the copiers and digital printers or presses. Trade houses and suppliers have existed almost as long as printers. Traditionally they do not undertake business direct with print-buying customers but provide printers with overflow capacity or services and facilities printers do not possess; they cover all aspects of printing and print-elated areas, Since the advent of DTP, teprographic (repro) companies, bureaus and prepress trade houses have lost a great deal of their traditional work from printers and publishers, following the trend for printers to take most of their prepress requirements in-house. Due to this considerable loss of business, many of those that have survived have invested in digital printing systems to provide an additional short-run, quick- turnaround printing service; they have also diversified into web design and digital photography. A further major area for trade houses is print finishing, where only a relatively small percentage of printers have the full range and capacity required to handle ‘every type and volume of print finishing in-house. Typical examples of outplacement are thread sewing, laminating, foil blocking and mailing, Page S © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,‘Small office, home office Print-on-demand Facilities management and procurement Introduction to Prepress “The printing industy New working practices are regularly springing up as telecommunications become faster and less expensive, allowing companies and individuals to work effectively in very small and often remote sites. This arrangement is increasingly identified as small office, home office (SOHO), with a structure and organisation well suited to print, publishing and electronic products and services. The SOHO print-related sector is growing all the time as sophisticated DTP systems are increasingly being installed in homes and are being used to produce creative design and prepress work by self-employed individuals or groups and/or ‘employed individuals teleworking, ie. where an arrangement with the employer allows for individuals to work from their home for agreed periods, with fast telecommunication links between the two parties. Although SOHO workers often possess laser and inkjet printers to produce reasonable visuals in black and white or colour, they are increasingly becoming customers for quick printers, instant printshops and copyshops, and mainstream printers, especially general or commercial printers. Distributed print-on-demand (PoD) is where a designated supplier, through a digital network such as the World Wide Web (WWW) or internet can print and deliver to ‘local’ ‘customers within a very short time period. PoD is centred around a series of networked digital printing systems accessed through a dial-up database arrangement, based on the principle of distribute-and-print, rather than the conventional print model of print-and- distribute, A further extension of this concept is dial-up digital artwork, picture and graphics libraries, where users can search through indexed lists of pictures and graphics as well as image thumbnail Printing in recent years has become a very popular facilities management option, including print management, procurement and stock handling. This area has expanded considerably over the past few years with the development of web-enabled print services including online requests for quotes (RFQs), print ordering and monitoring. A wide range of print facilities management, procurement and brokering models, or options are developing, including printers contracting direct to supply and stock-manage some or all of the printing needs of print-buying customers using their own facilities, and/or commissioning work from other suppliers. Some printers that previously had ‘manufacturing facilities have disposed of them and now source printing and related services for their customer base from the marketplace. Print facilities management companies contract direct with print-buying customers to supply and manage their printing requirements and generally they would subcontract the printing element to printing companies; some have printing facilities of their own, although most would hire a select lst of printers for particular requirements and circumstances, The central thrust of this arrangement is for the supply company to undertake and arrange the management, production and/or sourcing of all or most of a customer's, day-to-day requirements: stationery, forms, promotional and technical literature, order Page 6 © Copyright ira Intemational Ltd 2003Web-enabled printing sites Differentiation by printing process Introduction to Prepress ‘The printing industry processing and distribution documentation, stock maintenance, including replenishment and disposal, as well as database management linked to a wide range of online services. Facilities management is offered project by project on a shortterm basis, or on a longer- term basis. The facility and organisation can be set up and go lve in a very short time, depending on the circumstances. Now well established, web-enabled printing sites bring together printers and print buyers. ‘There are many options, and here are a few examples. Some printers, through their management information systems (MIS), which are web-enabled, have set up an online service where customers can register enquiries, place orders, receive and approve proofs, check progress on jobs, and draw off printed stock held on their behalf Further examples include auction-based print websites that generally operate through the customer or print buyer entering enquity details on a host website set up by a third party, with printers responding by submitting quotations. > Print management websites are generally set up to provide a print service for print buyers under a brand name. The print buyer posts job enquiries to the site, with the print management company and site host placing the jobs with suitable printers according to presctibed criteria > A managed, branded group website is where a group of printers are linked through the use of common software, with printers and customers operating within the closed environment of the master software. > Application service provider (ASP) websites, provided by a third party other than printers or print-buying customers, are based on the concept that e-commerce provides the opportunity to automate at least parts of the printing process, including file management, transmission and conversion of files, prelighting, online proofing ‘and asset management. ‘Apart from printers being identified by the type of printing they undertake, or print related services they offer, they can also be categorised by two other features ~ the printing process or processes and the type of equipment used. The five main conventional printing processes — offset litho, flexography, letterpress, gravure and screen — plus digital printing cover a wide range of processes, although laser and inkjet are by far the most prolific of the digital printing processes. Printing presses may be sheetfed, relfed or webfed; reelfed and webfed presses handle continuous lengths of paper or board. Other characteristics are ‘number and type of printing units per press, whether the press prints one or both sides, ‘maximum and minimum product sizes the press can produce, whether the press is capable of inline finishing and what type of finish it gives. Page 7 © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Prepress workflows Prepress workflows Most printing companies have been in business for over 20 years and will have originally set up with traditional analogue-based prepress equipment. Working practices have changed considerably over that time, but a sizeable number of printers have retained at least some analogue (film-based) equipment and processes. The change from traditional prepress to integrated digital workflow has been gradual rather than sudden. In 2003 the vast majority of printing companies and print- related organisations are working towards a fully digital prepress operation, but although ‘most printers are more digital than traditional in their overall balance, many still retain elements of analogue working, Ths is confirmed by the fact that the use of graphic arts film in prepress reproduction still exceeds those of computerised final image-carrying output systems such as computer-to-plate (CTP). ‘Almost all printers now have well over 50% digital working practices compared to traditional ones; in fact, many printers have 80—g0% digital practices, with an increasing number achieving or nearly achieving complete digital prepress working, i.e. from the creation, manipulation, checking/ proofing, make-up and planning to computer to-output system workflows. This chapter introduces the main areas of prepress workflows, preflighting and workflow management, prepress computers and related topics. Prepress workflows are systems consisting of prepress inputs and outputs and leading to a designated final outcome such as approved artwork from a design brief; or plates, cylinders and stencils passed for press from unplanned digital data. In a workflow, one worker's ‘output will be another worker's input. ‘The measured control and management of workflows has become a major consideration and requirement in prepress as in some ways digital working processes are invisible but not truly seamless. The complexity of prepress workflows adds to the potential for mistakes, erors and omissions, along with problems of incompatibility within one ‘workflow or a series of workflows. At each stage of the workflow, many problems and mmisunderstandings can be eliminated or reduced if preliminary and ongoing discussions take place between all parties involved in the workflow. ‘Although print creation and preparation are now based predominantly on a common platform of desktop publishing (DTP), there are stil a wide range of options used in printing and printelated areas, including dedicated proprietary systems in specialist areas, along with analogue and mixed-media working in the origination and reproduction of printed matter, DTP has democratised printing considerably, taking away the dominant role printers held for so long in preparing printed images for press through the use and control of specialist equipment only available to the printer. The adoption of DTP has led to print: buying customers, copywriters and authors, creatives and designers, photographers, printers, repro trade houses and service bureaus working at least initially from the same, if rot similar, digital tools. On one hand this has led to closer and closer working relationships between customer and printer; on the other hand it has led to fragmentation of the prepress cycle. Page 9 © Copyright Pia Intemational Lid 2003,‘Types of reproduction Traditional reproduction Digital reproduction Mixed-media reproduction Introduction to Prepress Prepress wokfions Up to the stage of preparing plates for offset litho, flexography and letterpress, plus cylinders for gravure and stencils for screen printing, traditional reproduction, also known as conventional or analogue reproduction, involves a wide range of operations all producing a physical product passed on to the next stage for processing, converting and positioning into the required format. Traditional reproduction is predominantly based on a photographic, film-based and light-sensitive series of activities, generally including the production of bromides, negative and positive films from imagesetters, graphics arts cameras and other photographic equipment. Following the planning and/or outputting of film, film-based proofs such as ozalids, colour photomechanicals such as Cromalins and wet proofs, plus press image carriers for the appropriate conventional printing process are produced. The principle of digital reproduction is radically different from traditional reproduction in that the system creates and manipulates digital data. A digital prepress workfiow produces physical or mechanical data only as a checking mechanism, such as hard-copy proofs from 2 laser or inkjet printer. The vast majority of print origination for all printing processes is, now generated on a DTP platform at least atthe creative and initial prepress stages. Several options with different levels of digital working practices have been developed, largely confirming the technological progress all printing processes have made within a relatively short time. Such systems include computer-to-film (CTF), computerto-plate (CTP) or eylinder and stencil, plus computer-to-press (CTPr) for conventional printing processes and computer-to-print or digital printing (Chapter 8) ‘Most printers currently work with mixed media, ie. a mixture of digital media and analogue ot film-based media, This is because they operate in markets, such as magazines, journals and newspapers, where they regularly work with publishers, advertising and design agencies, plus general customers, who supply at least some film or camera-ready copy for jobs, along with digital data in its many forms. To operate efficiently, printing companies have to find a common working environment, and that increasingly involves a digital workflow. ‘Apart from the external influences of printers being supplied with print-elated material in non-digital form, there is often an immense amount of useful archived film held or stored by printers, at least some of which would prove invaluable to the printer if it were available in digital form. A popular solution to this problem lies in the use of a scanner or scanning system that will digitise the analogue media, creating a common digital working environment including computer output systems Specialist dot-for dot scanners, and software upgrades to turn conventional scanners into dot fordot scanners, have been developed to create digital data from line artwork, continuous tone or colour separated (prescreened) negative and positive film, transparencies and reflection colour prints. The scanner can often reproduce each single dot or line of a prescreened original. Alternatively, for the occasional film-based standing ot reprint job, some printers find it more practical to strip in the film amendments and Page 10 © Copyright Pra International Ltd 2003,Initial stages of prepress workflows Design brief: sketch or visual Text writing and editing Photography Production layout Introduction to Prepress Prepress woskiows adopt a traditional working pattern, or simply to contract the job out to another printer whose working practices ar still predominantly film-based. The following outline and subsequent details relate to Figure 21 (page 14) greater detail (on specific topics is given later in the book. As printing is largely a bespoke industry, the earliest stages of a job rest largely with the customer; stages such as initial idea or need, market research, justification to proceed, budgeting and planning up to the design brief. Having decided to produce a printed or print elated product, various options are available, ‘The briefing stage will normally begin with the customer or customers representative briefing the person responsible for preparing the initial sketches and visuals, They will discuss the type of product, its use, house style, corporate image, illustrations, photographs and materials to be used, as well as the proposed budget and schedule. Preliminary discussions should ideally take place between the person responsible for coordinating the ‘work for the customer, design agency, appropriate intermediaries and printing company staff. This is to ensure the artwork, film or digital data is prepared in the most effective manner and to the correct specification. The cteation, manipulation and transfer of digital data are now the main driving force in all current communication media, including print Writing and editing are predominantly carried out by a member of the customer's staff or handled by someone on their behalf such as a professional copywriter. Text will generally be created in digital form on a PC using a word-processing program such as Microsoft Word, or in certain cases clean hard copy suitable for optical character recognition (OCR) may be supplied. Amateur photography will vary in quality depending on the skills of the individual plus their ‘equipment, lighting and subject matter, Professional photographers are often commissioned to take a series of shots to a specific brief of subject matter, composition and balance, etc, but the results may still require retouching to achieve the required printed result. The conventional photographic products used for print reproduction fall into the main categories of monochrome photographs, colour photographs, colour negatives and positive transparencies. New technology has led to higher-quality digital imaging through digital cameras and copying or burning of analogue images on to CDs, The quality of digital photography is improving all the ‘time, avoiding several intermediary processes and associated problems found in traditional photography, such as a tendency for emulsion fading and colour casts. A further development is the use of digital picture and image libraries. Unless the creative or graphic designer prepares the combined design and image elements on a DIP or computer-aided design (CAD) system up to final print output stage, a production layout must be prepared for each job to ensure the desired printed result is expressed in the elements or components necessary to create the printed images required. Page 11. © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Graphic design Typesetting Tradition: reproduction stages Introduction to Prepress Prepress wosfions ‘Whatever system is adopted in preparing the work, the designer or creative will stil need to produce sketches and visuals at the required stages to ensure the customer's approval to proceed and to discuss reproduction aspects with the next party in the reproduction workflow, including the printer. Production layouts are simply the equivalent of engineering drawings or technical blueprints, Professionally prepared, they can give high-quality production visuals, allowing the customer an inexpensive preview of the finished job and providing the printer with a preview to work from. Regular or repeat format printing jobs, such as periodicals, newsletters, common series of labels, cartons, etc, will often be prepared to an agreed template format, where either the printing company sets up a job-specific production layout template, accurately incorporating all the required parameters ofthe job for their own internal use, or it is passed on to the customer or other suppliers working on their behalf, so that the work the printers receive is to a highly finished stage, with possibly only minor amendments and adjustments being required. Graphic design for print is now predominantly produced on Apple Macintosh (Mac) and PC (Windows-based) computer systems using relatively standard and popular software application programs, along with more specialist systems such as CAD and dedicated high- ‘end design systems, which are aimed mainly at specific areas of printing such as packaging, labels, high-value tickets and vouchers, direct mail and business forms. These systems are capable of generating digital files of text and graphics in colour, colour separated as applicable, retouched and redrawn to suit particular requirements. The designs are mainly stored in digital form and are therefore easily accessible for amendment once the basic design parameters are prepared. ‘The creation of text, i. typesetting, is now almost exclusively done on PCs and Macs. Technology has advanced so rapidly with the advent of DTP and WYSIWYG terminals (what you see is what you get) that the customer, or their print creative suppliers, can prepare or interface with a printing company's equipment to produce digital data in finished form Proofreading and checking are increasingly performed by the person or department generating the keystrokes, which today tends not to be the printer (Chapter 3). ‘Text creation and typesetting are still undertaken by printers, albeit in a very limited form, if only for carrying out amendments and corrections. Most text creation and typesetting is cartied out by customers, or another party on their behalf, such as a word-processing office or a specialist typesetting bureau. Photographs, transparencies and hard-copy artwork are traditionally reproduced on graphic arts cameras producing paper bromide or film output, although the majority of printers now undertake this stage practically exclusively on scanners. Most printers have disposed of their graphic arts cameras, but some have retained them to reproduce the cccasional flat artwork they receive from their customers. Some specialist camera systems, Page 12 © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Digital reproduction stages Some prepress workflows Combined workflow Introduction to Prepress Prepress workfows historically popular with some small offset and instant printshops, are capable of producing paper- or polyester-based offset litho plates as well as bromides, negative and positive film from camera-ready copy (CRC). These systems have been mainly superseded by digital alternatives. Film make-up is mainly undertaken using negative or positive film, along with inter-negs, mask cutting and planning on to plate flats or foils (Chapter 5). Most printers ‘now have the equipment and capability to output complete planned one-piece composite film via an imagesetter from downloaded digital data, ie. computer-to-film (CTF); this avoids the requirement for any manual film make-up or planning, unless some amendment film is stripped on to the existing master film to save outputting the full film area again. In film-based or analogue processes, proofs are produced as dry photomechanical proofs or wet proofs using plates, Platemaking or image carrier production is generated from punch-pin register film, negative or positive, in the form of flats or foils contacted on to presensitised offset litho, flexographic or letterpress plates, gravure cylinders or screen stencils Text is mainly generated as digital data from PCs or Macs in the form of transferable data such as floppy disk, lomega Zip or Jaz disk media or via telecommunication links, alternatively from OCR systems into electronic text files. Photographs, transparencies and artwork are scanned into the system, using a scanner either for colour or blackand-white reproduction. Digital cameras supply digital images that can be directly downloaded to the receiving DTP system. Apart from being reproduced via a scanner or digital camera, graphics are also produced and/or adjusted using draw-and-paint, manipulation and retouching programs. Desktop colour systems have now developed to such an extent that, except for some highly specialised areas, they have overtaken the proprietary electronic page composition (EPC) systems for graphic reproduction and manipulation. During final image or page make-up all the subjects needed for a job — type, photographs, graphics, tints, et. — are normally reviewed and checked before being made Up into the final required form, Also, as far as possible, the colour balance and other reproduction parameters are set up at the input stage. Digital proofing takes place at various stages, from blackand-white page or 1-up laser proofs to high-end inkjet colour proofs (Chapter 7). Outputting can be in the form of computerto-film or computer-to-plate systems; whichever method is chosen, software is used to plan and impose page images or multiple images. Figure 2: (overleaf illustrates the wide range of job-related and prepress operations, processes and routes commonly used in traditional and electronic reproduction, Page 13. © Copyright Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Prepress workflows fon ed PREPRESS. Initial idea /need ——— Market research —— Justification /budgetin /planning Text writing editing ——] Design brie, sketch/vsual, production layout. |— Photographer, graphic designer y Graphic design Typesetting Illustration photographs/photo CD t Proofreading/ checking Checked against speciation fe Co “Artwork preparation/make-up I Traditional reproduction Electronic reproduction T T Paper make-up Film makeup PC WP OCR Scanner (text) Blackand-white Camera ~line and tone files Tet files Graphic les digital) (aigtah tne and one ongnals ) Ls | scanner Negatve fim —>| ; Manipulation of mages I — (teres) v Use of 0°" programs ee Colour Blackand.white Visuals to handle bigires and owes images | Contact, te | ; Digital ‘arwox <—— postive fim —>| $i roots Revised digital ‘artwork | film make-up/assembly ae { ma Cecronicacve : Proofing = dy pot econ Direct-to-plate fred biped on imposition (paper ana pest) | sk/Senet and topig ‘systems: Computer-to-plate : Patematiog | anther [~———— —JT \ sen / Gir payee | Fim opin i rooting wet 0 I though images | tough mage Pate, olinders or LJ V___} ‘stencils prepared ready for printing Source: Pita International Lid Page 14 © Copyright Pa Intemational Ltd 2003,Digital prepress workflow Creo Synapse proprietary workflow Introduction to Prepress Prepress worfiows Figure 22 illustrates a modern, mainly digital prepress workflow suitable for a large printing company, for example, @ Bi sheetfed and/or heat-set web offset printer. It indicates the flow of work from receipt of the wide-ranging print-related data typically supplied to printers up to final film stage (CTF) and/or computer-to-plate (CTP). The input elements include hard-copy documents that require converting into digital form using an OCR system that recognises the characters and generates a digital text file that will be imported into the networked PCs or Macs. Hard-copy originals such as ‘mono (single colour) or colour originals are scanned to produce graphic digital files suitable for manipulating and retouching, ‘The floppy disk is included to represent the supply of basic digital data such as text files that require planning and make-up; the lomega disk represents final digital data in page form, Other digital data is supplied via a digital camera plus digital media as CD, DVD and ‘elecommunications such as e-mail or ISDN, containing either incomplete data or final complete data all of which will be checked before being introduced into the host DTP system. The frontline networked DTP system consists of two PCs and five Macs, supported by a powerful server that will also often undertake other roles such as archiving. The server also hosts an internet or web connection, to which customers can download their job files, and depending on how the printer's website is set up, it can be used to preflight the files supplied by customers; in addition the system may support online proof checking and progress monitoring, A powerful network hub supports the whole configuration, In addition to the networked PCs and Macs, the workflow contains three high- tend workstations to accept, retouch and preflight files and handle raster image processing; they also act as print servers to the two proofing devices as well as the imagesetters and platesetters. Figure 23 illustrates the Creo Synapse system that incorporates the work of designers, print buyers, sales representatives and prepress staff into one integrated prepress-centred workflow. ‘Synapse Prepare software has been designed to help designers, repro companies and prepress bureaus ensure that each Portable Document Format (POF) file is created to meet the exact requirements of the printer. Synapse Prepare Pro software provides the ‘means for print-elated production houses to specify their technical details and requirements to designers. With Synapse Pro, the user creates directives, specifying the QuarkXPress, Adobe Acrobat Distiller and preflight settings that control how Synapse Prepare creates the POF files, Once a file is complete, the designer selects the press environment and Synapse Prepare software creates the production-ready PDF file. Synapse InSite is the web portal into the prepress environment. It provides facilities for customers to submit jobs and track job status; it has a remote proof.access facility and it can approve jobs and collaborate with everyone involved in each project, using a standard web browser on a secure internet connection. With InSite web collaboration, users can view on-screen data, make annotations and hold a virtual conversation online. Page 15 © Copyight Pra International Lid 2003Introduction to Prepress. Propress workflowsfon \__/ Synapse Prepare Designers use Synapose Prepare to ‘create and preflight POF files tothe exact specification ofthe printer Source Creo Preflighting and workflow management Introduction to Prepress Prepress workflows ee eed Synapse lnk Smapieinkauonatialy /——\ exchanges prepress / \ production formation Synapse ) <—>- with the printers Management information System via IDF CP devices \ f /f2 | (A (Synapse) —> ) \ \ Synapse) —<—> ( ) Digital ost press Synapse Insite Worldwide web . Designes, print buyers, sales representatives and prepress professionals can ital print Bi use the Synapse mame InSite web portfolio to: 1" submit jobs and les + Remote proof + Collaborate on changes = Approve es + Track job status Synapse Link automates the exchange of data between print production systems and management information systems (MIS). By integrating real-time production and MIS data, invaluable production and management data becomes available for all parties involved in the print chain. Due to the fragmentation in the wide range of prepress stages and processes, plus the considerable number of companies supplying prepress equipment and solutions, there is no industry-standard workflow or prepress Sequence. Differences in file preparation, platforms, hardware, software, etc, do not entirely preclude a seamless design-create-print cycle, but they do present many difficulties. Preflighting and workflow management have therefore become increasingly important in all stages of data creation, transport and receipt. Preflighting is a simulation exercise that checks for any problems, faults and inconsistencies which might occur in the designated workflow. This is necessary because, in a digital environment, processes are generally automated and hidden, making visual checking almost impossible and totally impractical. Time and financial penalties will be incurred if clean and efficient workflows are not established and maintained, Page 17. © Copytight Pra International Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Prepress worfiows Preflighting within workflow management can cover areas such as checking page construction, graphic file formats, trapping, fonts, textmatter and output device requirements, software-elated problems, along with calibration issues to ensure standards are established, monitored and verified against identified criteria. Workflow management systems are generally built around a raster image processor (RIP) and take the form of an ‘automated checklist system. The capabilities of a system depend on its performance, its flexibility and how its set up to undertake and support the required applications. Due to the fast-moving and changeable nature of modem business, many organisations and individuals do not wish to commit themselves to one particular supplier's workflow management system. This can be due to a variety of reasons such as not wanting to be too dependent on one vendor or system, the relatively high initial cost of the system plus maintenance and support costs, the need to remain open and flexible in ‘working patterns, the fact that specialist requirements are not met by a proprietary integrated workflow. In response to this, one of the options increasingly available to companies and individuals is to develop their own workflow system. Several vendors are now offering products in this area. Enfocus Software has a complete range of products for handling POF documents: Instant PDF for creation, PitStop Professional for editing and preflighting, and PitStop Server for batch processing. The Enfocus core technologies Certified POF and PDF Profile are widely recognised as important contributions to the graphics industry. Certified PDF turns any PDF document into a ‘self-aware’ file and PDF Profile provides complete POF creation, prflighting and correction settings. Several international organisations have recognised the capabilities of Enfocus products by recommending them to their members; leading workflow vendors in the graphic arts industry such as Agfa, Creo, Fujifilm, EF, Heidelberg, Screen Europe are integrating Enfocus technology into their core solutions. Markzware is another major vendor that provides a wide range of quality file related workflow solutions, including FlightCheck that scans and preflights a wide variety of file types, including QuarkXPress, PageMaker, Illustrator, Freehand, Photoshop, Multi-Ad Creator and PDF, by using a simple drag-and-drop interface to automatically alert the user to over 150 potential problems. Further products include MarkzScout prepress software that allows the user to manage files in their own workflow. It includes more than 300 predefined rules and scripts, along with a library of layout templates to automate output tasks. Hot folders, checkpoints and action points allow the user to create workflow layouts. MarkzNet is a real-time, web- based solution that checks, collects, compresses and captures job ticket information and transmits PDF as well as native digital files over the internet to the user's own IP address Using standard FTP (File Transfer Protocol), It checks digital files against a customised set of specific ‘ground controls defined by the receiving party, eg, service bureau, repro company and printer. The sender is automatically notified of the required corrections before the job is transmitted and Page 18 © Copyright Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Prepress computers Apple Mac Introduction to Prepress Prepress workflows receives confirmation when itis accepted. MarkzNet works in conjunction with MarkzScout to provide a smooth workflow, routing the received jobs according to output device, colour settings, Mac or PC document types, or any other required destination. For some time there have been a wide range of national bodies operating in print-elated areas that have issued their members with digital production guidelines, which in recent years included recommendations on file preparation, data exchange, preflighting and workflow management. One example is the Swiss Printing Industries, Association, which has named Enfocus software and the POF format as its official standards for data exchange and workflows. ‘The UK Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) has launched passapress, a set of digital advertising standards that aim to eliminate the potential errors in the digital workflow caused by incorrect file formats, The PPA preflighting initiative provides a preflight solution, where advertising artwork providers and receivers can validate files against elements of the passqpress specification and, once validated, deposit and retrieve the file as appropriate ‘There are three main types of computer used in prepress systems. Two of them are ‘microcomputers, Apple Macs and Windows PCs, and the third category contains the purpose-built and more powerful minicomputers and workstations such as produced by Sun Microsystems, Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGi) and other major computer companies. Desktop systems started from humble beginnings in the mid 1980s but now include some very powerful prepress systems, albeit boosted by heavyweight computing support via specialist workstation applications and system servers. Most have also developed into tower-based systems that go beneath the desk not on the desktop. Computers are made up of their computing platforms that consist of hardware and operating system, plus software, which is designed to run on a particular computer platform or range of platforms. ‘Apple Mac, or Mac, computers come as a preconfigured computer system with its own operating system. The features that have made the Mac particularly popular with the graphic arts industry are the extremely user-friendly working environment, with the use of a simple graphical user interface (GUI), icons in the form of graphical representations, and working practices that remain consistent from application program to application program, allowing the user to move around the system with confidence. Mac computers cover a wide range of options from personal use to commercial use and as desktop or portable. n early 2003 the consumer Macs include a range of iMac and eMac computers The iMac was introduced originally as a simple-to-operate built-to-prce product, to establish Macs in the home and personal use market, previously the domain of PCs. Since its introduction the iMac has been an all-inclusive computer system with built-in monitor and screen, Subsequent improvements have taken it beyond personal markets into ‘SOHO and even into full commercial use, at least as a backup or additional networked ‘computer. The iMac computer specification now covers at least PowerPC Ga processors, Page 19. © Copytght Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,PCs Introduction to Prepress Prepress workflows internal 80GB hard disk, maximum RAM up to 1GB, 17in flat screen, CD-RW/DVD-R, etc. The eMac range of computers are built on similar lines to the iMac, but they are mainly targeted at the educational market, with special discounted pricing for colleges, schools, teachers and students, ‘The desktop Mac computers are mainly for professional use and do not come with a built-in screen like the iMac and eMac. The current range of desktop Macs use the most powerful PowerPC processors in the Mac computer range, going up to dual processor 2 1.25GHz, 12068 internal hard disk with expansion capability to accommodate up to four 12068 hard drives, maximum RAM up to 2GB, CD-RW/DVD-R, etc. ‘The portable range of Macs consists of two main categories, the iBook and the PowerBook Ga. The iBook comes with a selection of buit.n screens, including v2:in and ‘gain with up to at least PowerPC G3 processor, internal 40GB hard disk, maximum RAM up to 6408, CD-RW/DVD-R, etc. The PowerBook GB comes with up to at least a15.2in builtin screen and PowerPC Gq processor, internal 60GB hard disk, maximum RAM up to 1GB, CD-RW/DVD-R, etc. ‘Apple has continued to build on its fully configured range of computers with an increasing range of feature-rich capabilities that are largely standard across the full range of Macs, including network connectivity of at least 10BaseT/100BaseT with top-end models 10BaseT/1,000Base, along with fast- access FireWire for peripherals and Airport wireless facility allowing access to the intemet from up to 45,72m away from a telephone line or Ethemet connection, Apart from the major advances in Mac computers in recent years, Apple has put ‘a great amount of research and development into improving the compatibility between the Mac and PC (Windows-based) operating systems. The result has been the introduction of Mac OS X, firstly with version 10.1 Aqua, followed by 10.2 Jaguar, based on Unix with open standards and several new features, including a radical new interface that supports the new scalable icons, collapsing windows and animated dock, plus backwards compatibility to the previous operating system in use on the host computer. Jaguar allows Windows users to readily switch to the Mac to connect to Windows servers and PCs, It also allows a point-to-point virtual private network (VPN) that allows Mac users to connect remotely to Windows networks, OS X Server 10.2 includes a NetBook function that boots up several Macs from the network instead of from local disks. Windows PCs differ from Macs in that they are built by a wide range of companies, using different but compatible components, and until recently were generally accepted to be less userriendly than Macs. Another major difference bebween PCs and Macs is that several Windows operating systems are in use at any time, including Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 and XP. Each of these operating systems has been targeted at a relatively specific user. For example, Wings and Wing8 are targeted at home users and stand-alone office users, including SOHO; whereas NT and 2000 ate targeted at business users requiring robust support for networking and multi-tasking Page 20 © Copytght Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics Client-server relationship Memory Introduction to Prepress Prepress woxfiows To all intents and purposes, technical specifications for PCs are in line with those of Macs. PCs tend to be mainly used by printers and print-related service areas for receipt and manipulation of data produced by customers or intermediaries on PCs, at least in the initial processing stages. Powerful PCs are popular for use as servers, as well as for administration and management applications. Since their introduction Macs have been extensively used by the graphics and print: related industries, expanding into SOHO, educational and home use in recent years, although they remain a niche product. PCs, on the other hand, are a mass-market product, mainly for general business use to begin with, but now covering multimedia, home use, games, etc. Sun Microsystems and Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) make powerful computer systems based on a range of operating systems, including Unix, Linux, Windows NT and Windows 2000, and multi-platform systems with builtin multi-tasking and networking. Sun and SGI are able to manufacture an almost limitless range of systems configured to meet individual requirements due to their powerful processing capabilities and considerable scope for expansion. The most popular systems in the graphics industries are high-performance workstations undertaking high-end colour and image manipulation, plus serves, storage and data management solutions. In a computer context, a client-server relationship is where a client sends requests to a server and the server fulfils those request, e.g. for data, processing, access to networks and hosts for peripheral devices. There are several examples of client-server applications, but the most common example is a networked client-server relationship. The term ‘server can also be used to describe the software and operating system to run the server hardware. The typical configuration of a client-server application in a printing or graphic arts environment is a networked high-specification computer system, such as a Sun or SGI unit, acting as the server and several networked Mac or PC computers as clients. Where specialist work requires powerful processing with fast access, such as montaged colour retouching or CADCAM (computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacture) cutout carton and direct mail work, then networked Sun or SGI workstations are often used as the clients In the networked client-server model, application programs and data are moved around the system and distributed in a controlled and regulated manner. For example, one client on a Mac may request archived or previous job data from an SGI central server, which is then amended and finalised by the client before being sent on to the next process such as raster image processing and outputting to a digital proofing system, Another ‘example is where the central server is programmed to act as a web server to receive and preflight customer data files via a website (Figure 2.2) There are two main types of computer memory, random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). RAM is used to retain a computer's operating system and applications. Data produced in RAM is lost when the computer is switched off. Digital Page 21 © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Receipt, distribution and storage of digital data Storage Introduction to Prepress Prepress worfions ‘graphics files are usually very large and, even using compression software, a considerable ‘amount of RAM is required for processing. ROM is for permanent data to be retained and stored on a computer. Digital data can be sent and received in many different forms, from physical media such as floppy disk, diskette, cartridge and CD, etc., to network and telecommunications-based data transfer by broadband, ISDN and e-mail All forms of digital data need to be stored for archiving and distribution. Storage capacity is measured in bytes: 1 byte can store one character, 1 kilobyte (1KB) can store over 1,000 characters, 1 megabyte (IMB) can store over 1 million characters, 1 gigabyte (1GB) can store over of 1 billion characters, and 1 terabyte (1TB) can store over 1,000 billion characters, Organisations requiring to manipulate, process and store large quantities of high- resolution colour images will generally require a main system server with several terabytes of storage capacity Peripheral devices used in the graphic arts such as scanners and printers are connected mainly to Mac and PC computers via standard connections such as Small ‘Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire. SCSI is no longer a standard interface on Macs, although a SCSI card or converter can be used to allow the connection of a SCSI device. ‘All modern computers are fitted with an internal hard drive for storing digital data Internal hard drives of 4oMB were common in the mid 1980s but relatively standard PCs now have 80GB hard drives or larger; this highlights the massive explosion in computer power over two decades. With apparently insatiable demands on processing and storage, ‘external hard drives are becoming a part of everyday prepress. To assist with massive storage and retrieval requirements, several solutions have been developed. ‘The redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system is a method of storing data in different places or locations on multiple combined hard disks, working on the basis that if one disk fails, ie. becomes redundant, a spare hard disk is brought into operation. RAID uses striping, a technique of partitioning each separate disk’s storage space into nits of up to several megabytes. The purpose of RAID is mainly to provide system redundancy to cope with failures in critical systems. ‘There are several types of RAID system. RAID isa form of data mirroring where the data is written simultaneously to two hard disks so that if one crashes the other will retain a copy. Disk duplexing is a form of disk mirtoring that uses redundant controllers to ensure the system operates effectively as long as one of the controllers continues to work effectively. Data mirroring relies on a common single controller to both hard disks; if the controller fails to function correctly, access to the data will be at best problematic Data jukeboxes or towers are a further example of a system combining a number of drives with the object of forming one large storage facility. They are capable of holding multiple storage CDs or DVDs with data capacity of several terabytes but they lack the functionality of RAID systems. Page 22 © Copyright Pra International Ltd 2003,Removable storage and back-up media Prepress development Introduction to Prepress Prepress workflows Due to the requirement to send and receive digital data, plus back-up files, create archives and top up the available fixed data, a wide range of removable storage media have been developed. Removable storage and backup media have the advantage of portability and the facility to store and distribute data with potentially no limit to the amount of data that can be stored and retained ‘At the lower-capacity end of the removable media options there is stil the floppy disk, although its use is now very much restricted in print-related areas due to its small storage capacity of 1.44MB and the absence for some years of floppy disk drives on Mac computers, lomega, especially in the graphics arts, has replaced the floppy disk with its range of Zip devices capable of holding 100MB or 250MB of data, plus Jaz disks capable of holding 1GB and 2GB of data. Compact disc (CD) systems, with the option of write-once CD-R and rewritable CD-RW discs, have become very popular in recent years due to their relatively low cos, fast speed of writing and copying, 650MB capacity and practically universal adoption of internal drives fitted to Macs and PCs. Digital versatile disc (DVD) is a similar write-once and rewritable option offering considerably higher storage and faster access than CD. Magneto-optical (MO) devices can store over 5GB of data on one disc; they are sturdy, reliable and popular for archiving. Tape drives are particularly used for backing up large amounts of data, especially from servers. The range of tape systems has expanded from the traditional digital audiotape (DAT) with capacity of up to at least 4oMB on each tape to the newer developments of advanced intelligent tape (AIT) and digital linear tape (DLT) formats holding up to at least 100GB and over 200MB, respectively, on one tape. External hard drives are also used for the receipt, distribution and storage of digital data; they hold up to at least 80GB of data, (Over the past two decades, the pace of change and development in printing and print- related industries has been nothing short of extraordinary, especially in prepress. Processes that traditionally used a wide range of equipment and different operations are carried out in one integrated digital workflow. Like other communication industries, prepress is moving more and towards a fully digital workflow, but different printing companies and print buyers are often at very different stages along the way. ‘As an introduction to prepress, this book acknowledges that digital systems are the central driving force behind all major current developments in the printing industry. But there is a further factor in that although traditional methods of working are largely obsolescent, they do show the principles and activities of prepress much more simply and clearly than their digital counterparts. The space devoted to a topic in this book does not necessarily reflect its importance, as it generally takes much longer to explain and outline the main prepress functions using a traditional perspective. The overall aim is to achieve a better learning experience by providing a balance between digital and traditional Page 23. © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Typographical measurement Sizes of type Typography and text creation ‘Typography is the style and appearance of printed matter, particularly through the use and arrangement of text in the form of the selected typefaces and typesetting styles. The measurement of type generally bears no relationship to any metric or imperial system of measurement. In 1886 the Association of American Typefounders elected a committee to study and create a recognised system of type measurement and in 1898 the system was adopted in the UK. Until then there had been no mathematical relationship between different types and different typefounders, ie. the manufacturers of specific typefaces. That meant it was not possible to mix types from the irregular range available. Different type sizes were given distinctive names and the most famous that survived to form the basis of the new point system was the pica, which has become the standard 12-point measurement. Other old type names that have survived into the present time are nonpareil (6 point) and long primer or elite (10 point). The system of measurement adopted by UK and US printers was the Anglo-American point system that remains to this day. The basic unit is the point, with one point (pt) measuring o:351mm (0.0138in), based on the pica of rapt as 4.21mm. Small dimensions such as type body depths are stated in points or divisions of a point. Larger dimensions such as type areas are stated in 12-point ems, or picas. Other type measurement systems have been developed that are slightly different from the pica system. These include the system where 1 point, often known as the DTP point, measures o.353mm (0.013gin), based on the pica of rapt as 4.23mm. The European didot system, originally developed in France, is based on a rapt measure known as the cicero, which is around 7% larger than the Anglo-American pica. The measurements include one point measuring approximately 376mm based on the r2pt cicero as 4.51mm, When a type is described as being 8pt or 1p, itis not the size ofthe letter that is being described, but the measurement of its own overall body size, as shown in Figure 3.1(a). For example, a 14pt solid type represents 14pt type on a 1apt body size, when measured from the base of one text line to the base of the next text line, To improve legibility itis common FIGURE 3.1. (a)Solid type 14pt Gill Sans and (b) 12pt Tee Imagesetters are now available with output capabilities to suit most sizes of commercial printing machines, e. outputting film from B3, B2, BI to extra) '4e¢on H4erbody large format 2BO+. Imagesetters are now available with output capabilities to suit most sizes of commercial__ printing machines e.g. outputting film from B3,__) !2et on '4pr body B2,BI to extra large format 2BO+. Source: Pia International Ltd Page 25 © CopytghtPira Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation FIGURE 3.2 Composition and display sizes using the Arial typeface COMPOSITION SIZES 7 pt- ABCDEFGHLIKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZ abedefghikimnoparstuwinyz 8 pt ABCDEFGHIUKLMNOPGRSTUVWXYZ abedefghikimnopqrstuvwny2 9 pt- ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUWWXYZ abcdefghijkimnopgrstuvwxyz, 10 pt - ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijkimnopqrstuvwxyz 11 pt ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXY abcdefghijkimnoparstuvwxy 12 pt -ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVW abcdefghijkimnopqrstuvw DISPLAY SIZES 14 pt - ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST abcdefghijkimnopgqrst 18 pt - ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO abcdefghijklmno 24 pt -ABCDEFGHIJKL abcdefghijkl 30 pt -ABCDEFG abcdefg 36 pt -ABCDEF abcdef 42 pt -ABCD abcd 48 pt -ABC abc 60 pt -—AB ab 72 pt—AB ab Source: Pia International Ld Page 26 © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Type fonts Type characters Introduction to Prepress Typography and text cteation practice to increase the space between lines of type, and this is called interlinear spacing or leading, Figure 3:(b) shows a 12 on 14pt type, ie. a rapt type on an overall 1apt body. This practice of allowing additional line spacing of around 15-25% on top of the base type size is generally automatically allowed for in word-processing or typesetting systems. The most common type sizes, in points, are 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 1, 12,14, 18, 24, 30, 36, ‘42, 48, 60 and 72, although the adoption of Macs and PCs in DTP has allowed a much wider range of type sizes compared to previous dedicated typesetting systems, with some DIP software allowing type sizes in oapt increments. Sizes up to r2pt are traditionally described as composition sizes; sizes above 14pt are described as display sizes (Figure 3.2) The alphabet consists of capital and small letters; in typographic terms the capital letters are called caps or upper case and the small letters are called lower case. These terms derive from the early days of hand setting hot-metal type from cases of type, where the caps were kept in the upper case and the small letters in the lower case. A single piece of type is called a sort. A font, formerly fount, of type is an assortment of type of the same size and design. Figure 3:3 shows some examples. Accented sorts in a wide range are generally available with most formats AAAAAAGEEEETIIINOOOOOBUOOU aaaaceéeeei fd6dd6e0000 Punctuation marks ete "OO paragraph, §section mark, # hatch mark, © copyright mark, © registered mark, ™ trade mark, ete Special signs £ pound, $ dollar, ¢ cent, & ampersand, my micron, & beta, © omega, etc. Source: Pia Intemational Ltd The type characters of any font include long letters that take up nearly all the main part ofthe text body, e.g. J and Q, and short letters that are positioned near the centre, e.g. x, 1,0 (Figute 3.4). The height of the short letters is known as the xheight and small capitals are usually about this height. There are also ascending letters, eg. b, d, fh with ascenders extending above the mean line, and descending letters, e.g. 9, j.P. 9. Page 27 © Copyright Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text ceation with descenders extending below the baseline, Capital letters extend above the mean line and sit on the baseline. ‘The width of a typeface depends on its design and character. The capital M, for example, is wider than the capital /, and the width or set varies with each size and type design. The position of the face on the body and the width of each character are designed so the correct amount of white space and balance will appear on each side of the character when set with other characters. Source: Pha International Ld ‘Type size is measured by the body size of the type and not by the appearing printed area. In Figure 31 the body size of the type measures 1apt from top to bottom, but the space between the lines varies. The 12 on 14pt type has 2pt of interlinear spacing Letters also vary in their position to the baseline, their mean line, their x-height, their ascender, their descender and their cap height. As no individual character completely fills the body size, itis not possible to tell the type and body size by just measuring what appears on the printed surface. ‘The standard way to measure type and body size is as shown in Figure 32, where the measurement is taken from the baseline of one line to the baseline of another line. ‘Type size is measured by including just above the ascender level to just below the descender level. In modern setting systems the body of a typeface is a purely abstract concept; the term originates from the three-dimensional shape of hot-metal type Letters and figures have to fit correctly with each other. Letters are placed on a notional white space and the left or right edge of this space is called the side bearing, Figure 3.5 shows examples of kerning and ligatures; another important idea is letterspacing: > _Letterspacing is the adjustment of the standard space between characters to improve the visual appearance of a word or group of words, or to fill a given space. > Kerning is the adjustment of space so that one part ofa letter extends over the body of another. The ker is the part of the letter that extends beyond the body, a feature most common with script and italic faces. FIGURE 3.5. Example of kerning and ligatures to create the appearance of better letter fit, eae) fi Sig fi fig Source: Pita International Ld Page 28 © Copyright Pr Intemational id 2003Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation folate Arial 10 on 12 pt Imagesetters are now available with output capabilities to suit most sizes of commercial printing machines eg outputting film from B3, B2, B1 to extra large-format 2BO+: with modern working practices, through electronic imposition software and systems, the film can be prepared complete ready for platemaking. A further application for most imagesetters over a long period of time has been the option of producing polyester/Silvermaster plates direct from the computer-driven front-end. The most recent development in this area has seen the launch of imagesetters which have the ability to double up as a platesetter, exposing direct onto presensitised metal plates. Arial italic 10 on 12 pt Imagesetters are now available with output capabilities to suit most sizes of commercial printing machines eg outputting film from B3, 82, B1 to extra large-format 2BO+: with modern working practices, through electronic imposition software and systems, the film can be prepared complete ready for platemaking. A further application for most imagesetters over a long period of time has been the option of producing polyester/Silvermaster plates direct from the computer-driven front-end. The most recent development in this area has seen the launch of imagesetters which have the ability to double up as a platesetter, exposing direct onto presensitised metal plates. Arial bold 10 on 12 pt Imagesetters are now available with output capabilities to suit most sizes of commercial printing machines eg outputting film from B3, B2, B1 to extra large-format 2BO+: with modern working practices, through electronic imposition software and systems, the film can be prepared complete ready for platemaking. A further application for most imagesetters over a long period of time has been the option of producing polyester/Silvermaster plates direct from the computer- driven front-end, The most recent development in this area has seen the launch of imagesetters which have the ability to double up as a platesetter, exposing direct onto presensitised metal plates. Arial bold italic 10 on 12 pt Imagesetters are now available with output capabilities to suit most sizes of commercial printing machines eg outputting film from B3, B2, B1 to extra large-format 2BO+: with modern working practices, through electronic imposition software and systems, the film can be prepared complete ready for platemaking. A further application for most imagesetters over a long period of time has been the option of producing polyester/Silvermaster plates direct from the computer- driven front-end, The most recent development in this area has seen the launch of imagesetters which have the ability to double up as a platesetter, exposing direct onto presensitised metal plates. Source: Pira Intemational Ld Page 29. © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Typefaces The set of a typeface Page widths and depths Introduction to Prepress Typography and text ceation D> _Ligatures are the joining together of certain letters (tied or linked letters), such as fi and ft form one grouped character, reducing the unsightly and apparently unbalanced space that would otherwise appear between the leters. ‘A typeface is defined as a set of characters for printing intended to be used in combination and identifiable by its design and availability in a range of sizes. Typefaces are grouped into type families; each member of the type family is derived from one basic design but has a different weight, width or other treatment. Figure 3,6 shows examples of the Avial family medium or regular Arial, Atal italic, Arial bold and Arial bold italic. ‘Today there are tens of thousands of different typefaces, and printing companies, trade typesetters and bureaus have to be selective about the ones they hold. Text faces were traditionally available with at least the sever-alphabet layout: roman upper and lower case, bold upper and lower case, italic upper and lower case, plus small caps. Other variations, such as condensed or bold italic can be added where available. Related typefaces in a family may be classified according to their weight, i. their lightness or boldness, or according to their width, ie. the degree to which they are condensed or extended. Frequently the word ‘medium’ or ‘regular’ is used to indicate the normal width and weight of the particular type family. But problems and confusion can arise through different typefounders, manufacturers and stockists adapting or remodelling existing typeface designs or designing a typeface that is only a subtle change from an established typeface. Apart from ‘common’ typefaces varying in name between different suppliers, they can also vary in their set or width; as a result, the same amount of copy can occupy varying amounts of text depth depending on the font system being used. > An even-set face has the same width and type dimensions when set on a solid body, opt solid even-set is 1opt wide by ropt deep (Figure 3.7) A narrow-set face is narrower in its width than its depth; ropt solid narrow-set could be gpt wide by 1opt deep. > A wide-set face is wider in its width than its depth; 1opt solid wide-set could be npt wide by opt deep. The width, or measure, and the depth of the page to be typeset are normally expressed in rapt pica ems. en 0 10 10 YOpt wide 10pt deep —-Sptwidex Opt deep pt wide x 10pt deep Source: Pra International Lid Page 30. © Copyight Pra Internationa Lid 2003Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation Length of ascenders, descenders and x-height ‘The size of the lower-case letters in proportion to the body varies according to the design (Figure 3.8). When the x-height is large, the ascenders and descenders are shorter than when the xcheight is small fone Type Type lype 2apt Stone Serif 24pt Caslon Old Face 2 Romarw bank nd x-height differences in different typefaces This is a specimen of lOpt Stone Serif This is @ specimen of lOpt Caslon Old Face Source: Pia Intemational Ltd Serifs Serifs are the small strokes or terminals at the top and bottom of the main strokes of letters; they appear on capital letters and lower-case letters. Serifs have various shapes (Figure 3.9); they enhance the aesthetics and the readability of letters. Typefaces without serifs are called sans serif or sometimes lineales. IM IM IM IM XWE osc IM ine racheted Sin) Hawke fio san Seni Source: Pia International Ld Width of letters Typefaces are designed with different sets or widths of letters. The letter m, or any other letter of one typeface, may be wider or narrower than the same letter of another typeface. The lengths of the capitals and lower case letters do not always follow a predictable pattern; with Times the lower-case alphabet is fairly narrow-set in comparison to R Avenit Roman, yet the cap alphabet is fairly wide-set (Figure 310, overleaf). Apart from the standard form of a particular typeface, there are many examples of typefaces having a ‘wide range of narrow to wide variants, including ultra-condensed, condensed, semi: condensed, medium/ regular, ultra-expanded, expanded and semi-expanded General weight and colour of the typeface Most typefaces, with the exception of some sans serifs and slab serfs, have contrasting thick and thin strokes. The amount of contrast varies according to the design, with the Page 31 © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation FIGURE 3.10 (a) The difference in set or width of letters between two different typefaces. {b) Typefaces with condensed, expanded and different weight variants a) 7 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZ Width abedefghijkimnoparstuvwxyz 2 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ. Width abedefghijkimnopqrstuvwxyz The adoption of DTP led creators, owners and reproducers of print such as print-buying customers, copy writers/authors,designers, photographers, printers, repro. trade houses and service bureaus working at least intially from the same, if not similar, digitally-based tools. On the one hand this has led to closer-and-closer customer and printer working relationships, but on the other hand to fragmentation of the prepress cycle. 10pt R Avenir Roman The adoption of DTP led creators, owners and reproducers of print such as print- buying customers, copy writers/authors,designers, photographers, printers, repro. trade houses and service bureaus working at least intially from the same, if not similar, digitally-based tools. On the one hand this has led to closer-and-closer customer and printer working relationships, but on the other hand to fragmentation of the prepress cycle. 10pt Times New Roman o) 8p Arial ‘ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZ abedefghikimnoparstuwwnyz ptr Nerow ‘ABCDEFGHUKLMNOPORSTUVWXYZ abedefghikimnoparstuvnayz Spt Arial Black ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abedefghijkimnoparstuvwxyz pe Gill ans ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, abedefghikimnoparstuvwny pe Gl Sas Cede coercumumorssturwaT. ekhilinopntey ‘Spt Gil Sans Ultra Bold Condensed _--ABEDEFCHLIKLMMOPGRSTUVWXYZ abedefghijkimnepqerstuvwicyz Spe Gill Sans Viera Bold ABCDEFGHIKLMMOPORSTUVWXYZ abedefghijkimnepqrstuvwxyz Source: Pra International Lid result that in body matter some types produce a greyer or blacker page than others, although this also depends on the x-height and the amount of white space appearing between the lines. Figure 3 illustrates that most typefaces have different weight options. ‘The full range based on the medium/regular face can vary from ultra-light to ultra-bold, Page 32. © Copytght Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Proof correction and standards Capturing keystrokes Proof-reading Introduction to Prepress Typography and tox creation foi ker eee ‘Typography is the craft of rightly disposing — Typography is the cratof rightly disposing printing printing material in accordance with specific material in aceordance with specific purpose, of 90 purpose, ofso arranging the letters, distributing arranging the letters, distributing the space and the space and controlling the type as to provide controling the type ast provide the maximum aim fhe maximum aim to the reader tothe reader. 8/10Pralatino 8/10 Times Source: Pra Intemational Ltd Design of letters Many typefaces can normally be easily recognised by the general shape and form of the letters, or by the characteristics of certain letters (Figure 3.2). IGURE 3.12 Different typefaces Bavhavs Geer} onion Brash See Chicago Courier Klang Monaco Wx = © English Zapf Chancery Source: Pra Intemational Ltd Printing companies traditionally typeset a very high proportion of their printed work, with customers supplying manuscript as hard copy produced on a typewriter or word processor The work would then be rekeyed completely by the printer's typesetter, with varying degrees of error, and this rekeyed material would be proof-read and corrected until the copy was perfectly clean and approved for reproduction Today PCs are the main means of text capture, generating keystrokes in a transferable form via formatted disks, e-mail, etc, as well as a hard-copy record from the printer for reference. OCR software is now available that will capture the hard copy through the use of a scanner (see page 42). Voice recognition software allows the user to speak into a microphone connected to the computer. The software records spoken words as text ina text file, which can then be edited like any other text document. At present this only has limited and specialist application. Easy and simple access to typesetting preparation through DTP has brought the reward of cheaper setting, but with it the lack of skill and appreciation that is so necessary to produce good typographical standards. Although it sets less and less copy, the printing company remains the guardian of typographical standards, Reading and copy checking by printers is declining as customers are increasingly supplying electronic copy and take responsibilty for proof-reading it. Unfortunately, due to the pace of modem business or lack of inclination and/or training in the importance of quality proof correction, printers are regularly supplied with text that is inconsistent in style, as, well as containing a wide range of spelling and grammatical errors. Spelichecker software helps to check spelling, but different software checks spelling against different language dictionaries and an agreed standard needs to be applied by all parties involved. Page 33. © Copyight Pia Imernational Lid 2003Proof correction standards Correction of typeset matter Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation To introduce greater consistency in proof-reading and checking, plus other printrelated ‘areas, a range of recognised standards have been introduced. BS 5261: Part 2: 1976, amended 1995, Copy preparation and proof correction ~ specification for typographical requirements, marks for copy preparation and proof correction, proofing procedure was devised by the British Standards Institution (BSI) to replace the former British Standard that included some English words and letters that were not internationally acceptable, All marks are now indicated by internationally understood signs and symbols, rather than simply by words or letters. ‘Marginal marks are written in the left or right margins according to the position of the correction from the centre of the line. When there is more than one correction in a line, they are written in the order in which they occur, reading from left to right, and each correction is separated by a diagonal stroke (/). It is recommended that guidelines connecting the mark in the text with the correction should not be used, although some traditional proof-eaders and markers still retain this practice. When letters or words are to be altered or deleted, these are struck through and the conection to be submitted or made is indicated in the margin, followed by a diagonal stroke, Letters or words omitted on the proof are written in the margin, followed by a caret rmark (,) and the position of the omission is also indicated in the text by a caret mark. The full stop, colon and leader are always encircled when marked on proofs to distinguish them from the comma, semi-colon and ellipsis, which is the matk indicating the omission of a word or words in a sentence. Pages 000 and 000 show extracts of proof correction symbols taken from BS 5261. In addition to the standards covering text — BS 5261 is only one of many international standards — there are also standards and recommendations for colour correction, some issued by the British Standards Institution and some by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Figure 313 shows some copy with proof reader's marks, In typesetting carried out by the printer, corrections on the first rough proof are known as hhouse corrections or literals and are carried out to rectify errors and omissions, Amendments or alterations which are marked on the proof returned by the customer or author, other than those due to faulty setting or make-up, i. literals, are called author conections and are charged to the customer according to the amount of work involved. The procedure adopted by some printers on receipt of digital data supplied by or (on behalf of the customer, is to print out the whole document again on their own equipment, eg. PostScript laser printer, and send it to the customer for approval. This is to highlight any differences or difficulties that may occur from using the data on the printer's equipment and resources, rather than the customers, eg. different word breaks, font. clashes or problems, missing data, etc. Alternatively, many printers work direct from the laser proof and/or digital data received from the customer, Unless alternative arrangements are made, itis not generally the responsibilty of the printer to cortect even obvious erros in the work supplied to them, Page 34 © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation foe: INSTRUCTION Comrectonisconloted ‘TEXTUAL MARK MARGINAL MARK Leave unchanged ‘undorcharater to remain Pan som ran ora Enciclebiemch rer New mater alowed by Inco adtena mater donfos Byaletor a carrond Delete ‘rough onractre er through wort tbe detec ‘orogh erator or rou earner eo. chanieer hrc ‘Wreugh character or “Substtute character or substitute: Now cramer Sustomernoeweat a —_ toh er Worgfant Bera Ee chance Fi SOB Lea an _&e @ charg carapace Beceem x Setinorchargetn tac Setin or change to capers Setin or change to capa! iotors ‘erin eter an aa capt Iota arte rest of ho worse Setinor chang bss ype nde’ Sarat) tobe sat or charged under earactr) tobe eat changodt under raratrs tobe seta changod ner rest of words) under errata) be eater anges ‘Charge captaeneso owe: rere charactor) tbe caseletere Sanoe = ‘Change actoupsgh ype ote characte) be _ erangee invortype erect abe a ‘Supetute one tl top or ocr po ‘Subette or inser colon ‘orough chaser 7 eougecnractor where reguted ‘trough cbaracer are eguted ‘Source: British Standords Institute Page 35. © Copyright Fira Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Typosrapty and text creation foes eae INSTRUCTION ‘supe ois coma, TEXTUALMARK 7 ough aracter MARGINAL MARK ‘ar now pararanh un on (ro now paragraph) 7 “ranapose charactors orwonds between charactors or werd, u ‘Trantpose nes conve [enclosing met J dent G 5 Move ator specfed distance ‘ihe nant “ae over taraters) waa) neta nent te, column or page “ake over characters) worse) ine {wprevous tne coum base under mater be aso — Lower mater _ 4 endormatartobe onered Comrectertea agement ‘Sig ine above anc below mili Constr signnert ratereg isetes — Close up. Dele paca between ‘inking characters. o Int pacobeneen cacti | betwan chara aed Inset apace between weds YY _beowoon wos feted ‘eae space between chivas i characters afectos p Reduce space between wes CP tree ert otc 7p ake space eppear equal betmeen ‘betwoan characte or words Chaacters or wera ison space between ines 0: parewaprs Reduce space betwoentnes orperagreps ‘soces es wv Source: British Standards Institute ge 36 © Copyright Pra Intemational id 2003Fonts and working with fonts Computer fonts Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation although the printer will often point out such areas to the customer and ask how they wish to proceed. New fonts are issued so frequently that there are now tens of thousands of typefaces in existence, Apart from the fonts that come preloaded on new computers, there are several ways of buying new and additional fonts. One option is to purchase fonts singly, typically consisting of different versions or weights such as light, medium/ regular, italic, bold and bold italic. An alternative is to buy a prepackaged collection of fonts, often at a discount. Fonts, in Mac or PC format, are available on floppy disks containing a limited amount of fonts or on a CD. CDs generally contain thousands of different fonts that are inaccessible, or locked, until the user purchases key codes that will allow access to the ones they have purchased. As each fonts selected, alist is normally prepared in the form of an order, usually sent to the supplier by fax or e-mail, The supplier returns unlock codes so that the chosen fonts can be loaded on to the purchaser's system and accessed as required Increasingly fonts are viewed and purchased online, ie. over the intemet, from principal font suppliers that stock a vast range of fonts, including custom fonts, from a wide range of type foundries. ‘There are two main types of fonts available for general use on Macs and PCs, PostScript ‘Type 1 and TrueType, plus the relatively new system of OpenType. PostScript Type 1 fonts PostScript Type 1 fonts, developed by Adobe, make use of two fonts, one covering the bitmapped screen font at 72dpi (dots per inch) and a higher-esolution one for the output device, PostScript software and Type 1 fonts are device-independent; that means they are not tied to a specific device or resolution, allowing them to retain consistency and quality in the outputted product, eg. from low-resolution laser printer to high-resolution imagesetter. This eliminates the requirement for bitmapped fonts, allowing high-quality scalable type at any size. Figure 3.15 on page 4g illustrates the letter U created in vector and bitmap form. Figure 4.14 (page 72) demonstrates that when bitmap text or images are enlarged they start to display ragged edges around the outline or some of their elements, ‘Type fonts can be displayed and used on printers using Macs and PCs, as well ‘as Unix and some other computer platforms. They can be downloaded directly to a PostScript printer or via Adobe Type Manager (ATM) on a non-PostScript printer, ATM is a software utility that operates as the type rasteriser of PostScript, smoothing out the jagged ‘edges of type on-screen as well as improving print quality. Its also a powerful font management system allowing users to create custom font sets that assist in organising and identifying PostScript and TrueType fonts. Further features include the reduction of font conflicts and the diagnosis of font problems. Extensis Suitcase, another powerful font management utility, allows the user to activate, organise and preview fonts. Page 37 © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation TrueType fonts ‘TrueType fonts, developed by Apple and Microsoft, are not as prolific as PostScript Type 1 fonts, with only 2 few type manufacturers offering their full range of professional quality fonts in TrueType format; they are primarily for PCs rather than Macs. TrueType fonts also need to be converted to a PostScript outline when using a PostScript printer, and the output quality can suffer as a consequence. On the other hand, TrueType fonts were developed to reproduce smooth-edged letterforms on non-PostScript printers, requiring only cone font for both monitor screen and printer use. Interestingly, Apple and Microsoft developed the TrueType font format jointy, although it has been the Windows-based PCs that have almost exclusively embraced TrueType fonts. However, due to the relative incompatibility and conflicts that arise between PostScript and TrueType fonts, OpeniType has also been developed jointly by Adobe and (Microsoft as @ new cross-platform file format for fonts i. it works on both Mac and PC platforms, effectively allowing the user of OpenType fonts to work on Mac and PC versions cof an application such as QuarkXPress using the same set of fonts for both platforms. fon ed eed PostScript Type 1 fonts PostScript Type 1 fonts consist ofa bitmap screen font and an outline printer font system PostScript Type 1 Postscript Type 1 ‘screen font icon printer font icon TrueType fonts ‘TrueType fonts consist ofa single combined screen and printer font system Macintosh Windows Opentype fonts OpenType fonts & Za a A consistofasingle, inion Minioeg morg__pf cross-platform font system, combining the bitmap, outline and metric data MinioReg. AFM Macintosh & Windows MinionPro-Reguler.otf Source: Apple and Pra International Ltd Page 38 © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Copyright and font licensing Electronic transfer to a second party Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation OpenType OpenType is really an extension of Microsoft's TrueType Open format that can contain TrueType font outlines, extension .ttf, and PostScript font outlines, extension .otf and icon 0. OpeniType .otf fonts are identified and rendered on-screen by ATM that is installed separately as a software utility, or supported and built into the operating system such as Windows 2000 and Mac OS X. It works from a single font fle that contains all the requirements necessary for a truly cross-platform operation, ie. outline, bitmap and metric data, The 65,000 available lyphs or characters available in an OpenType give it increased language support, advanced typographical capabilities, an extensive range of additional characters such as fractions, superiors, inferiors and titling letters, igatures and old-style figures. To identity whether a font is PostScript Type 1, TrueType or OpenType, use a font management system such as ATM or Suitcase. Alternatively, the folder on the host computer containing the fonts needs to be opened and the requited font selected to reveal a particular description or icon (Figure 3.14). Digital fonts are licensed software and are therefore covered and protected by law. The purchase of a font does not convey ownership to the buyer, it only sanctions the usufructuary right, ie. restricted power to use another party's property by prior agreement, to the digitised typeface and does not, for example, allow a font to be passed on to a second party such as an outputting bureau Fonts licensed by most type founders and other companies issuing fonts, are generally licensed for use on five computers or central processors (CPUs), but only one output device. fa font is to be used on more than five computers or one printer then a multi-user licence is required. This is a computer-based policy rather than the earlier system that was printer-based. Some users may still retain font licences according to printer-based agreement and in most cases these will remain valid, meeting the original arrangements. Although copies of documents containing a given font or fonts are frequently passed to parties other than the originator, itis only legal to give them a copy of the font if, they have already obtained a licence to use that font; this would include repro companies, bureaus, et. Fonts are licensed for use within a single company, with special arrangements, normally required for using fonts at multiple sites within a large company or organisation. Certain typeface manufacturers permit certain fonts to be embedded into documents for viewing and printing only. Documents with embedded fonts may not be edited unless those embeded fonts are licensed to and installed on the computer doing the editing. In general, embedding certain fonts is legal ifthe fonts are embedded but cannot be used to edit documents or accessed as fonts for use in other documents. Printing to a PostScript language file and embedding fonts into formats like POF are legal ways to embed fonts, but sending fonts via floppy disks or ISDN along with print {obs isnot legal, since they can be installed and used as fonts in other documents, When a Page 39. © Copytoht Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Font manipulation software Text creation Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation digital file is sent on to a second party such as an outputting bureau, several issues need to be clarified. The file should be accompanied by alist of every font used, including version and date, manufacturer and/or supplier, and whether the font format is PostScript ‘Type 1, TrueType or OpenType. The lst of fonts used in a job can normally be generated by the page layout program that produced the document; the font manufacturer and the format of each font can be read from the screen icon (Figure 314). Its also important to include any fonts that are nested in graphic files, ie. included within them and not otherwise identified. Font manipulation software, such as Fontographer and FontLab, can be used to create new fonts and/or modify existing ones, sometimes producing derivatives of original fonts. Fontographer is a well-established product that is relatively user-friendly, whereas FontLab is a much more complex tool that requites the user to have a greater knowledge and awareness of font structure, creation and manipulation. Although iti legal for the original licensed font user to use derivative fonts for individual use, it is strictly ilegal to assume ‘ownership, to sell or give away the created derivative fonts. ‘ATM and Suitcase are not the only font management packages. FontExpert can recognise thousands of typefaces by name and manufacturer. FontFitter automatically calculates the correct kerning and spacing of any typeface. Font Gander acts as a font manager, arranging for printed examples of fonts from a wide range of resources available to the user, as well as the facility to create font sheets. Font Sneak reports font usage and collects fonts for prepress use. For font manipulation and expansion, OpenType offers a much more typographically rch platform than PostScript Type 1 or TrueType fonts, and potentially has the tools to create fonts with a very wide range of enhanced features, including character sets for multiple languages and a full set of accented characters. ‘The use and abuse of fonts and the creation and distribution of electronic files are extremely complex. Consult the current information issued on copyright and font use by major font suppliers and software suppliers such as FontWorks UK Ltd and Adobe Systems Inc. Seek out the most up-to-date information. Acknowledgement in this area is, certainly due to FontWorks UK Ltd, as atleast part ofthis section on font licensing and handling owes much to font-elated publications and releases issued by the company, especially its Guide to Typeface Licensing. Creating and handling textmatter has changed dramatically through the application of user- friendly computer-driven systems, which have allowed the customer to do work traditionally handled internally by the printer. In the past printers would occasionally use the services of a trade typesetter for overflow work or for their special expertise or equipment, eg. complex foreign language setting plus a very wide range of fonts not held by the printer, Bureaus that offer digital typesetting and general prepress services have largely replaced trade typesetters, For over 500 years, text handling was entirely physical; it only began to go digital in the mid 1980s with the introduction of DTP as the main driving force. Page 40 © Copytght Pira Intemational Lxd 2003,Text input methods Direct keying and data entry Manipulation and conversion of text Conversion and transfer of text data Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation ‘There are several input methods available to create and/or capture text in modem Computer-driven systems. These include direct keying, inputting text from other devices such as portable storage devices, scanning in from hard copy, voice recording and via telecoms link, e.g. ISDN line. Direct keying is the most popular means of inputting text, especially for new work, using a word processor, PC or Mac to capture the keystrokes in digital form. Over 90% of text capture for printed work is undertaken by or on behalf of the customer, leaving only around 10% or less undertaken by printers or bureaus. Apart from capturing keystrokes, the keyboard is used to control and communicate with the host computer. Its complexity will vary with the model, but typically it will have a dozen or more function keys aiding short cuts and carrying out specific tasks, such as setting up style formats of text, headings, subheadings, etc. PCs and Macs use the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) principle, where the screen displays a relatively rue facsimile of the required typeface, rather than a standard sans seri or generic serif face. n reality some systems are not true WYSIWYG as the resolutions of the monitors are far too low to reproduce accurately the font information required, so special low-resolution screen font information methods have been devised for WYSIWYG operation (see page 38). Although the great majority of input and keyboard systems are Mac and PC based, some prepress suppliers still market a very restricted range of dedicated keyboard and monitor systems for their own specific equipment, The advantages of dedicated front- end systems are total compatibility with the purpose-built hardware and software produced by the manufacturer, and in most cases, greater flexibility and complexity of integrated programs, plus much more powerful systems capable of high-end colour specialist work The adivantages of Mac and PC keyboards are that they are considerably cheaper than dedicated keyboard systems and they are easier to learn. Since text data capture is mainly done on PCs, with Macs used more for integrated graphic operations in print- related areas, compatibility and access on these systems is much easier. PCs and Macs continue to dominate in front-end prepress applications, but dedicated keyboard units are likely to be retained for some time, mainly for specialist, complex, high-quality image preparation and creation, Transferring text on digital storage devices such as floppy disks, lomega Zip and Jaz, and prepared on PCs and Macs will normally present few problems in importing into a host system for make-up and/or review. The main problems that arise come not so much from {importing data into a system, but in trying to use or access the data for make-up and review. Examples are disks that cannot be read, files for which the printing company or typesetter has no appropriate program, missing typefaces used in documents, incorrect format, and so on, Page 41 © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Optical character recognition Automatic voice recognition Text transfer by telecommunica Modem Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation OCR is a means of converting paper-based originals, i, hard-copy documents, into editable text by the use of a scanner and related software, avoiding the lengthy job of keying and/or rekeying from existing copy. Popular OCR packages are OmniPage, TextBridge and Cuneiform, where the hard copy is scanned and the data captured in a digital format. The newest and most advanced versions of the software are now capable of recognising documents with virtually any mix of text, numerals and graphics, creating files in word-processing, spreadsheet, image or database file format. Customisable zones allow the targeting of particular areas for improved accuracy. ‘Accuracy levels depend on the quality of the copy being scanned, Accuracies of 80-90%, sometimes up to 95%, are what most OCR users are able to achieve. Automatic and manual editing can be used to achieve 100% accuracy. The format and structure of the original document can be retained or a simple text file can be created, depending on what is required. Many of the OCR programs can now be trained to look for systematic patterns to match, helping them to identify the characteristics of a particular typeface. OCR software is available to run on PCs, Macs and some proprietary platforms. ‘Automatic voice recognition (AVR) captures words spoken into a microphone. The voice recognition software, on PC or Mac, creates text in a text file for further processing and formatting, Some packages have a vocabulary of 60,000 words or more, but AVR has still ‘to establish itself in the text creation market. The capture rate has developed to around 120 words per minute, with accuracy levels of 60-90%, sometimes over 90%. Data that has to be transferred over a long distance is increasingly transmitted by telecommunications using a modem, ISDN link or other systems, such as broadband ADSL and leased telephione lines, and cable telephone. ‘A modem (modulator/demodulator isa device that allows computers to communicate with each other through standard telephone lines by converting the purely digital signal from a host computer to the analogue audio signal needed for transmission over telephone lines, The first requirement for the machines at each end of the line isa serial connection, the basic standard of connection between computers, plus communications software that will allow the modems to communicate between each other without manual intervention. The speed at which modems send and receive data is measured in baud, which approximates to bits per second (bps), Several modem speeds are currently available, including 14,400 baud (14.4kbps), normally used for faxes, 28,800 baud (28.8kbps), 33,600, baud (33.6kbps) and 56,000 baud (56kbps); 56,000 baud is the most popular speed for ‘modern modem systems. To put this into context, it would take approximately 3.5 minutes to transfer a text document of .5MB using a 56,000 baud modem: These theoretical transfer rates will be greatly affected by noise on the telephone line at the time of transfer. The advantage of using telecommunications, whether modem Or ISDN, is that itis a relatively simple operation where sender or receiver could be using a Page 42. © Copytght Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,ISDN ADSL Cable telephone Leased lines Software programs Text capture and basic graphics Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation wide range of host computers. A modem is also used to connect to the internet through an internet service provider (ISP). Although modems are very popular, especially for transferring relatively small amounts of data, the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) has become the de facto standard for sending and receiving large amounts of prepress data by telecommunications. ISDN is a dedicated digital telephone link-up working approximately three times faster than a modem, due to the fact that all forms of communication are kept in digital form, and there is no need for the digital-to-analogue (D/A) and analogue-to-digital (A/D) conversions performed during modem operation. Asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL) uses standard telephone lines, BT lines in the UK. Data transmission rates are maximised by using a range of additional frequencies not required by the telephone voice network, The result is that ADSL connection speeds are currently 1040 times faster than modem connection. ADSL does not use a diahup connection and is available all the time. The term ‘broadband refers to any connection that uses broad-bandwidth communications, such as ADSL and leased lines. Cable telephone can be up to 10 times faster than modem but is affected by the amount of traffic, ie. the telephone users at any time, Cable telephone tends to be more associated with home use, but the growth in graphics elated SOHO means that where available itis likely to be a favourable option for fast data transmission. Leased lines take the form of a dedicated telecommunications facility, with the option of varying bandwidths to suit the user's particular requirements. Companies such as WAMINET and Vio in the UK offer a range of managed telecommunication options set up to deliver and transfer digital data through a range of networked systems and via the internet. Software programs used for document creation fall into three main areas: text capture and basic graphics, graphic generation and manipulation, and page make-up. Graphic generation and manipulation are covered in Chapter 4, pace make-up applications are covered in Chapter 5, Word: processing software is used mainly to process words and to create text-based documents. The basic software was initially devised to create letters and reports with facilities added later to introduce simple graphics, cut and paste, spellcheck, etc. From these relatively humble beginnings, so-called word-processing packages have become extremely powerful, possessing a wide range of functions, with the ability to create and ‘export text with typographic formatting and styles to DTP and page make-up programs. The more advanced word-processing programs will include many of the features found in dedicated, comprehensive DTP packages. Missing features would probably include Page 43. © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Formatting text Style sheets Vector and bitmap Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation master pages or multiple master pages in a document, quides for lining up page elements, crop and registration marks, plus colour separation for output. Currently the most popular dedicated word-processing packages include Microsoft Word and WordPerfect. ‘One of the trends in software development is towards integrated programs that offer the vast majority of facilities a user would require in just one program; examples are AppleWorks, Microsoft Office and WordPerfect Office. AppleWorks includes word processing, page layout, painting, spreadsheet, database and presentation applications. In traditional typesetting, the printer would undertake the formatting or encoding of the textmatter, Specialist formatting codes were used, such as [M1] for main heading, [¢1] for main text, [] for paragraph end, to be followed by indent or interparagraph gap. Now that customers are generally supplying text prepared on word-processing software to printers as final pages and/or in finished format, printers rarely need to format the text. Most comprehensive word-processing packages, and all DTP programs, will allow text to be entered into the application and structured in a defined way. Templates are often available for particular types of work; these templates can be changed to suit particular circumstances while retaining as much of the original format as required, Style sheets or formatting lists can be set up for each document, recording the coding or style required, e.g, recording overall style for reference, typeface, type size, leading, tracking, and covering a wide range of predetermined elements such as main heading, subheading, body text and captions. Features affecting document set-up will also be included, such as paper size, page margins, column widths, highlighting for bold, italic or underlined text, justified or unjustified setting, paragraph styles and tabulation. It is important that the customer and printer agree to follow a common working practice for formatting and coding text, so as to minimise, and perhaps eradicate, the requirement for reworking any of the textmatter and applied styles. There are two main methods of creating and reproducing text and graphics: vector or outline form, and bitmap or line-run data (Figure 3.5). In vector form, a character becomes an outline connecting a series of points, plotted wherever the direction of the character's outline changes; the position of each point is precisely located and defined digitally in the font supplied. Though vectors can be created from isolated points, they may also be formed by a joined-up succession of standard lines, curves and arcs to the exact shape of each line. Bézier curves are used in creating this objectoriented form of lines and arcs. Bézier was a mathematician who developed a set of equations to describe a curved line by its roundness or flatness value, a system that has been adopted by Adobe in creating PostScript fonts. In bitmap form, a character is digitised to a grid and scanned; the resulting information is held in a font store. Each characters scanned by a raster that makes a series ‘of parallel sweeps across the face, recording details of the design in minute steps, every Page 44 © Copyright Pra Internationa Lid 2003Page description languages and PostScript Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation Te eee eee x.y cooddinates Bitmap 12345567 8910n 213 PI-line 9 line P2-line PIO tine P3-line PI -line Paling PI2-line P5-line P13 line Po—are Pl4—are Proline PIS tine Paling PIG line Source: Pra Interational Ltd discrete dot or bit being identified as a signal or no signal. Line-un data is similar except that it registers only changes from signal to no signal, and vice versa. Since less storage space is taken up by line-un data, more fonts can be accommodated than with the bitmap system. Once a letter has been input in vector or bitmap form, itis edited. In the case of a letter stored as a bitmap, editing and retouching will usually be on a point-by-point basis, the type designer going round the edge adding or removing single points or groups of points until the desired effect is achieved. But where an outline has been plotted, individual plot points can be moved, added or removed, and normally a computer-aided design (CAD) program will automatically ‘elastic band’ an outline. ‘The typographer will then fix the side bearings and base alignment of each letter and run tests to see that each letter fits acceptably with other letters in every conceivable combination. Having created an acceptable typeface in digital form, the next stage is to convert it into a form usable by the digital output device. This step often involves the conversion of bitmaps to line-run data or vectors; vectors are more useful as they can produce the whole range of sizes from one master. Ths is achieved by programs that read in the outline and then decide how many raster strokes need to be output to fill nthe vector it has just scanned. Fonts stored in vector form are always output as rasters PostScript Type fonts have two parts, a screen font in bitmap form and a printer font in vector form, TrueType fonts come only in vector form, used for both screen and printer. Page description languages (PDLs) are a means of describing the appearance of a printed page in terms of its component parts. Computers can communicate only in their own language or operating system, so different types of computer are incompatible with each other. Translators or interfaces are therefore required to connect the systems. Page description languages perform this interpretive function and operate by using a coordinate system through a set of mathematical commands to determine how the components ne, graphics and continuous tone — are to appear on the printed page. text, Page 45. © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Open systems and networks Open systems Networks and network protocols Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation PostScript was developed by Adobe Systems in the early 1980s and to all intents ‘and purposes it has become the page description standard for DTP, prepress and graphic arts industries. Itis a page description language and a printer control language. PostScript describes any printable image consisting of text and some page elements as a series of ‘ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) computer codes, also enabling continuous tone (CT) to be embedded or referenced, as CT data is not usually in ASCIL These elements are then presented to an output device where the PostScript interpreter converts the basic ASCII codes into a bitmap for exposure to a relatively low- resolution laser printer, or via an RIP to a high-resolution output device. ‘As PostScript is device- and resolution-independent, it easily accommodates outputting to laser printers and other output devices such as high-resolution proofing devices, imagesetters and platesetters. All computers use the standard ASCII characters, so providing an appropriate software program or driver is available, then ‘a computers and its printer can operate in PostScript format. A PostScript file consists of the header, procedure definitions, document set-up, page detail and document trailer to describe all the necessary parameters and content to generate the required images. Since PostScript was introduced as level, it has undergone many developments and improvements. PostScript level 2 included support for colour extensions, Display PostScript, composite fonts, compression and decompression filters, improved halftone algorithms for colour separations, device independent colour, etc. PostScript level 3 was especially developed to encompass the growing world of electronic publishing, networks and digital document creation; it supports web, internet, HTML and POF documents. Other features include support for high-fidelity (HiFi) and Hexachrome colour, plus enhanced image technology that streamlines and speeds up image processing by sending reduced data to the RIP for outputting, etc Open systems are computer-based systems where the hardware and software standards are specified independently of the supplier, allowing the purchaser to buy from any supplier, this enables system designers to build up any configuration that suits their requirements The alternatives to open systems are proprietary systems, which lock the user into host- based architecture, often through centralised, complex, stand-alone systems and dedicated software. For many years, proprietary systems have tipped the balance heavily in favour of the supplies, but with open systems now becoming the norm, users are being released from the often inflexible operation of a proprietary system, Ever since computers were introduced, a great deal effort has gone into linking them together so they can communicate and exchange data with each other in computer networks, Initially only proprietary networks or protocols were available, as each ‘computer system had been developed in isolation. But as computer systems improved and ‘matured, open computer standards such as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Page 46 © Copysight Pra International Ld 2003,Client-server principles Connectivity and interfaces Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation Protocol/Internet Protocol} were introduced, opening up computer networks. The background owes much to military and academic use, but it has now been readily embraced by commercial undertakings, Since their inception, Macs have had the benefit of a close association between software and hardware development, e.g. Apple and Adobe. All Macs or PCs when linked to a printer for hard-copy output perform information flow that is one-directional, from computer to printer. When multiple computers are networked, or combined together, they exchange information and files and they share any facilities or devices that are part of the network, eg. a server The communicating language used on networks is called a protocol, and several protocols have been developed for different applications. Network systems now in use with Macs include AppleTalk, LocalTalk and Ethernet. A further development with new Macs is wireless technology, such as Airport and Bluetooth, which instead of sending data over a wire connection such as Ethernet sends it over radio waves. Airport is mainly intended as ‘a means of sharing high-speed internet connections and transferring files between computers, wheteas Bluetooth is aimed at temporary connections such as currently undertaken by USB, FireWire and SCSI on older Mac systems, Windows NT and 2000 are market leaders for PC local area networks (LANS). Workstations such as Sun and Silicon Graphics, running mainly the Unix and Linux operating systems are ideally suited to network environments and multi-tasking through builtin hardware support. Powerful networked workstations are also increasingly found as servers in client-server environments. ‘Aclient is any Mac, PC or other workstation on network connected to a server. A server is at the intersecting point of a network, providing shared resources through a communication link to network users, e.. from input sources such as Macs, PCs, ‘workstations and scanners to output sources such as imagesetters and platesetters (Figure 2.2, page 16). The server can be any computer, although it is normally a powerful ‘workstation that has software and applications which allow it to respond to requests or instructions from clients in the network ‘A client-server configuration achieves greater efficiency and productivity by considerably reducing the network traffic and transfer of data, assuming an Open Press Interface (OPI) server is in use. This operates on the basis that when, for example, a client requests processing of information on the server, only that information will be returned to the client. In networks working without a server, an entire file is transferred across the network, even though only a small part of the file was required by the client. Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire and Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) are currently the main interfaces used on Macs and Windows PCs; SCSI is increasingly being superseded by USB and FireWire/IEEE 1394. Page 47. © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Small Computer Systems Interface Universal Serial Bus FireWire Introduction to Prepress “Typography and text creation Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) is a means of connecting peripheral devices such as scanners, printers and hard drives, enabling them to interface and link up with a single computer. A SCSI system can support up to seven devices. The connectors are 25-pin, 50- pin of 68-pin at the end of the required length of cable, which fits into the SCSI ports at the back of older Mac models; on newer Mac models connection is via a SCSI card into a spare internal PCI slot, or via a SCSI converter for USB or FireWire ports, SCSI host adaptors, are available for PCs, although IDE (integrated drive electronics) and enhanced IDE have traditionally been the most common interfaces, As with the Mac, USB connectivity has become more popular on PCs. Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a modern plug-and-play interface and solution that connects ‘a computer and peripherals such as keyboards, scanners and printers, Peripherals can be connected to the host computer via a USB port and USB has the distinct advantage of being a multi-platform standard. USB uses a hub architecture that means each device or peripheral requires its ‘own port, although peripherals can be linked together in the form of a daisy chain. Most USB keyboards, mice and some other peripherals can function properly when used with an Lunpowered hub; other devices, such as scanners and modems, require a power adaptor to be used whenever possible. To support the connection of multiple devices, extra hubs are added to the chain, generally with up to seven ports and power connection; a maximum of 127 devices can be supported. USB cable, often known as USB A-to-B cable, comes with distinctly different connections at each end, USB has a hot-plugging capability, where the user can plug or unplug a device at any time, whether or not the computer is turned off. USB connections require no terminators, memory addresses or ID, unlike some other interfaces, as the USB interface replaces the different kinds of serial and parallel port connections with one standard plug and port connection, The original USB 12 format can transfer data at up to 12Mbps, nearly 50 times faster than traditional serial connections. USB is heavily supported as one of the major modern interfaces, with new enhancements and developments being pursued at a fast pace. tis planned that USB will support plug-in telephones that use ISDN and digital private branch exchanges (PBX). A further enhancement is USB 2.0; at full speed it can transfer data at up to 480Mbps. FireWire is Apple's trademark for the IEEE 1394 high-performance serial bus standard, a cross-platform standard used for connecting peripheral devices. it has much in common with USB in that its operation includes plug-and-play, hot-pluggable capability, fast data transfer rate, easy-to-use connections, plus rapid development. As with USB there is an increasing range of FireWire-compatible products. FireWire devices are daisy-chained together, with one cable attached to the host computer and then another cable connecting first peripheral to second peripheral, second to third, etc. The majority of FireWire devices Page 48 © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,File conversions and compatibility ‘Mac+to-PC compatibility PC-to Mac compatibility Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation have a pair of plugs allowing additional peripherals to be daisy-chained, although some devices have only one plug. FireWire works with Macs and PCs, supporting up to 63 devices using cable lengths of up to 4.5m. In 2003 the data transfer rate is up to 4ooMbps for IEEE 1394 and 800Mbps for FireWire/ IEEE 13948 standard, It is anticipated that over time IEEE 1394 standard and any further derivations will replace and consolidate current serial and parallel interfaces, including SCSI Although the Mac is undoubtedly the most popular computer used in the graphic arts, Windows PCs are still used for a wide range of roles such as administration, collecting production data, storage, communication and media management, but particularly as hosts to receive and process data received from customers in PC format. Macs have less than 3% of the worldwide computer market, although Apple is the leading computer supplier for content creation and graphic ars. It is therefore inevitable that printers, service bureaus and all other printelated organisations need to operate, at least to some extent, ina cross-platform environment wherever Mac and PC files are processed and exchanged on a regular basis This creates a distinct need for the ability to convert PC files to Mac files and Mac files to PC files. A wide range of software solutions have been developed and a selection are outlined below. (One of the most popular compatibility programs is Connectix Virtual PC for Macs, which allows users to run Windows operating systems on a host Mac. Virtual PC emulates a PC without any additional hardware and is compatible with Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, 95, NT, IBM OS/2 and Linux. Itis a true Mac application that uses standard Mac controls and ‘commands, along with the user-friendly Mac interface. The features of Virtual PC for Mac include sharing files and data across platforms by copy and paste or by dragging and dropping files between Mac and Windows, sharing folders and removable media between Mac and Windows, creating cross-platform graphics and content, allowing access to PC-based file servers, and printing to PC network printers, A utility for converting and using Window files on the Mac is DataViz MacLinkPlus Deluxe. This will convert and use files that were created in applications not held by the user, view and print text and graphics files without needing the original applications, open unreadable e-mail attachments, provide support for Word and Excel, and offer powerful integration with Mac operating systems, including OS X. Connectix DoubleTalk allows Mac users to connect to PC network servers and printers using the Mac interface rather than Windows, without the need for network reconfiguration. DoubleTalk allows access to file servers, transfers files from shared Windows workstations, prints to networked Windows PostScript printers, and creates a peer-to-peer network with Macs and PCs. Miramar PC MACLAN is a powerful connectivity solution creating a peer-to-peer network of PCs and Macs. PC MACLAN connects aver a local area network (LAN) or wide area network Page 49. © Copytight Pra Intematonal Ltd 2003,Mac OS X Application software compatibility Introduction to Prepress Typography and text creation (WAN), or simply connects individual PCs and Macs through a crossover cable and installed network interface card. PC MACLAN allows the user to share files biditectionally, i. use a PC as a Mac file server, and vice versa. It also allows bidirectional printing, Le. printing directly to a network AppleTalk or PostScript printer from a PC, or printing to an Apple printer fit is connected locally to a Mac using an Apple utility, LocafTalkBridge. Alternatively, Macs can print to a local PostScript PC printer through the PC MACLAN print server. Mac users are also able to print to non-PostScript printers attached to their network. Once a file has been transferred from a PC to a Mac, PC MACLAN' file extension capability enables the user to view the PC file on the Mac via the relevant icon, allowing Mac users to view and launch PC files residing on their Macs; a similar facility allows the Mac file to appear on a PC with the proper file extension and icon. Apple's most recent operating system, OS X, has been developed with a wide range of new features, including its development as an open standards operating system. Mac OS X version 10.2 Jaquar has the reliability of Unix with the ease and use of the Mae. It allows Windows users to switch to the Mac by offering a point-and-click Windows filesharing facility, making it easy to connect to Windows servers and PCs. Through its Point-to-Point ‘Tunnelling Protocol (PPTP) virtual private network (VPN) client, the Jaguar operating system allows Mac users to connect remotely to approved Windows networks, This arrangement works particularly well wth Windows-managed networks, as well as standards-based networks Further cross-platform features in Jaguar include the Personal File Service for Windows, so that when a Mac is added to a Windows-based network, the Mac appears and acts as a Windows PC to the other computers on the network. Consequently, it also means ‘that Windows users can connect to a Mac and use its shared folders without the need for any additional software to be added. Jaguar also provides support for Active Directory, integrating Macs more easly into a Windows-based network, where the network administrator can use the same password authority for the Macs as for the PCs. Compatibility between applications is also required in the exchange between PC and Mac software, if an operator wishes to work on the converted file without incurring problems Most popular software application programs such as QuarkXPress, Adobe PageMaker, ‘Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word files are available in Mac and PC format and it is common practice for regular users of both platforms to retain the major application packages in both Mac and PC format. But wherever possible itis important to use the same version of the software in Mac and PC format, otherwise incompatibility problems might arise, Most software packages are backward-compatible, but problems can arise when using different versions of the same Mac and PC formatted software. When files ate to be transferred remotely, ie. by ISDN or modem, they should be converted or exported in a file format suitable for the receiving system, ie. Mac or PC. Some programs and applications tend not to operate equally efficiently on both platforms, Page 50. © Copyright Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Virus protection Introduction to Prepress Typouraphy and text creation assuming they are available on Mac and PC. The normal scenario is that the platform on which the application was first developed operates the most efficiently, and it takes, considerable time before cross-platform operation is relatively trouble-fee. A virus is a program designed to malfunction with the intent of disabling certain items or operations in a computer system, resulting in damage to programs, utilities and even the operating system. When introduced into a computer system, through an infected disk or infected downloaded data, a virus can spread very quickly, affecting everything in its path. To avoid viruses being introduced into a computer system, antivirus utilities such as Norton AntiVirus and Virex have been developed. They scan and protect the storage media in the host computer by locating and destroying the identified viruses. New viruses are being introduced all the time, so computer users need to be alert for virus-corrupted data, Some antivirus utilities such as Virex can seek out previously unknown viruses by creating an outline or fingerprint of files in master uncorupted form, later comparing it with the masters to detect any differences that may indicate the presence of a virus, Some virus protection software can delete or repair files infected with some viruses. There are different sorts of virus; here are three examples: b> Resident file viruses remain in working memory after being invoked > Polymorphous viruses alter their appearance at each new infection > Boot sector viruses attack only the boot sector on removable or hard disks. Page 51 © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Generation and ulation The traditional route The desktop or digital route Image and graphics creation Graphic reproduction is the reproduction of graphic images by a printing process or other ‘medium. Graphic images include pictorial illustrations and typematter consisting of letter and symbolic forms such as logos and symbols. There has been a blurring of text and graphics, with prepress equipment suppliers crossing over into what were previously separate and discrete areas. This chapter concentrates on the traditional area of graphics, and Chapter § looks at the integration of text and graphics on systems and workstations. The most traditional route would entail the designer or artist preparing the work on a large drawing board or tabletop working environment, with the images and graphics, or at least the base artwork, being prepared as camera-ready copy (CRC) on special paper or board ‘material. The initial stage is preparing sketches or design ideas on paper using pencils, pens, crayons and colour markers to create a visual or group of visuals for presentation to the customer for comment and feedback, The next stage is to prepare the layout, encompassing the customer's feedback and instructions on the initial sketches. This entails drawing up the dimensions of the overall printed product and position of images; marking up typesetting requirements; allocating space for text, graphics and other images; commissioning and/or sourcing continuous tone pictures as transparencies and/or photographs. This forms the blueprint of the job, which will often be sent to the customer to check, approve or amend as appropriate, before proceeding to the production of finished artwork. The final stage is the preparation of camera-ready artwork incorporating most elements of the job secured down on to a white art baseboard. Additional elements such as photographs or transparencies, along with colour split and tint laying instructions, etc, are often included as overlay sheets, marked up with corresponding references and keys to the base artwork ‘The desktop or digital route is by far the most common route for generating and manipulating graphics and has been for some considerable time, The traditional route has been included not as a reflection of modern and common working practices, but as a brief overview of the conventional or traditional routines, from which have developed many of the desktop or digital terms and overall principles. The whole area of generating A flatbed scanner has a maximum scanning width of 3oomm and a single-lens mechanism with an 8000-element CCD array. Assuming the lens is focused across the whole of the 3oomm, the maximum resolution would be 8000/300 = 677dpi. > Suppose a second lens is used that focuses a 6omm strip on to the CCD array, then the maximum resolution will be 8000/60 = 3378dpi. Page 68 © Copyright Pra Intemational Ld 2003,Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation Flatbed scanners are available with fixed-focus single-lens systems or variable multiple-lens systems, Fixed-focus single-lens scanners are suitable for work requiring enlargements up to around 400%, as well as scanning reflection copy and preprinted material; variable mmultiple-lens systems allow a much higher magnification or scaling range, perhaps from 20% to 300%. The facilities available on high-quality flatbed scanners include performing image analysis, selecting the appropriate settings to suit each original as, well as guiding the operator through each process or step, with the option on some machines of a split screen on the monitor, allowing the operator to make adjustments, then compare before and after. A further facility is retention of customised tables for use on future jobs. Descriptive icons generally highlight prompts and guidance for the operator. A major drawback of flatbed scanners was that high resolution could not be achieved over the whole area of the platen surface, only the central band; this severely restricted the number of originals that could be scanned in a batch. The development of XY scanning has overcome this problem; the CCD array is able to move up and across the platen in both dimensions of the originals, ie. length X and width Y, so that every original can be scanned at the maximum resolution possible, regardless of its size or position on the platen. The scanned strips can be stitched together into a single file or image if and when required ‘A new breed of desktop smalldrum and flatbed scanners are now challenging the reputation of large drum or rotary colour scanners for the highest quality and productivity. These new scanners are generally much less expensive than their larger URE 4.13 Creo iQsmart? flatbed scanner Source: Creo Page 68. © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Process printing inks Colour printing Undercolour removal and adjustments Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics cation counterparts and offer an increasingly high level of quality and suitability to the modern desktop systems. Flatbed scanners also have the advantage of being able to reproduce relatively thick, rigid and in some cases three-dimensional originals, impossible with drum- based scanners. Although process printing inks have improved in quality, they still give imperfect reproduction, therefore process colour sets need colour correction to compensate for impurities, Yellow process ink is a comparatively pure colour but performs as if it were contaminated with a small amount of magenta ink; colour correction can help to compensate. Magenta process ink performs as if it were contaminated with yellow ink and cyan ink, and this must be corrected. Cyan process ink performs as if were contaminated with magenta ink and yellow ink, and this also needs to be corrected. ‘The printing sequence of four-colour process inks often differs depending on whether the printing is on single, two- oF fourcolour presses, or even multicolour presses, and therefore whether it is wet-on-dry printing or wet-on-wet printing The most common sequence of printing fourcolour process colours wet-on-dry on single-colour machines is cyan, yellow, magenta, black, whereas the most common sequence of printing wet-on-wet on multicolour presses, four units and above, is black, cyan, magenta, yellow. Different sequences can be used but establish a set sequence for particular applications and stick with that sequence unless there are exceptional circumstances. Inks in general use for offset litho four-colour process printing are formulated to a British and European common standard, BS 4666: 1971 (Ig81); ISO 2846 is a related but not equivalent standard. As colour separations and printing plates are processed to conform to these standards, the results of using the relevant standard inks should be uniform wherever printed, provided that the material being printed is the same. Chapter 7 looks at standardisation in colour printing ‘Much colour printing is now often carried out on presses printing four or more colours, and this means that each colour is applied while the previous colour is still wet, unlike the procedure on single-colour machines or during the second run of two-colour machines for fourcolour jobs, where colours must be allowed to dry between print runs, In wet-on-wet, printing there is limit to the ink film thickness that can be applied without set-off. Single colour presses undertaking wet-on-dry printing can cope with solid areas overlapping in all four printings, giving a combined print area of 400%, but this is simply not possible with wet- Con-wet printing; the maximum range for wet-on-wet printing is between 240% and 300%. To reduce the total ink weight, a colour scanner can automatically adjust and lower the amount of colour to be printed in each of the three primaries, yellow, magenta and cyan, while strengthening the black printer; this technique is called undercolour removal (UCR). Though the same intensity of colour is not possible when printing wet-on- 70 © Copyight Pra international Lt 2003Creating and processing digital images Object-oriented graphics software Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation ‘wet, itis somewhat compensated by the high pigment content of modern printing inks ‘Screen's Integrated Colour Removal (ICR) offers extended UCR, commonly known as ‘achromatic reproduction; similar processes are offered by other manufacturers under different names. Conventional process colour sets rely on the three subtractive primaries to supply ‘almost all the detail in a subject, in the shadows as much as in the highlights. The conventional black separation is normally skeletal and contributes no more than the finishing touches, With UCR heavier ink coverage is transferred to the black printer. Instead of using the black only when the three primaries prove inadequate, the black printer is strengthened in heavily inked areas containing all three primary colours, while making an appropriate reduction in the yellow, magenta and cyan. Extended UCR, also called grey component replacement (GCR), takes this a stage further and in the extreme it involves the total replacement of yellow, magenta and cyan in the grey component of any tone by black. Individual colours are therefore reproduced by two primaries plus black; for example, if an area were to reproduce conventionally as 20% yellow, 30% magenta, 60% cyan, then with extended UCR this would be altered to 20% black, 0% yellow, 10% magenta and 40% cyan. ‘As colour inks are more expensive than black, extended UCR can produce savings, with other advantages including a more consistent balance in neutral areas such as flesh ‘ones and generally greater ease in maintaining colour balance during the print run. A ciiticism often leveled at extended UCR is that only a limited maximum density is achieved by the removal ofthe combined three-colour primary grey. In very dark areas, two primaries plus black sometimes do not produce the depth of density required. Using very high intensity black ink may rectify this, or undercolour addition (UCA) that works on the principle of allowing measured amounts of the complementary colour in the neutral areas only. It is imperative with any type of colour adjustment that the scanned sets are produced to a set of standards approved and agreed by the printer. Achromatic sets require different treatment from conventional colour sets; for example, more black is carried and the printer must take this into account. There are two basic types of program used to generate and create digital graphics, object- oriented (vector) and bitmap. Object-oriented (vector) packages are often known as ‘draw’ programs; each graphic is prepared as a complete form or outline, applying mainly geometrical shapes to create the image or images required with the use of straight lines, rectangles, Bézier curves, Circles, angles, etc. The result is often a geometric-shaped graphic that can lack real Page 71 © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Bitmap graphics software Vector and bitmap graphics Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation creativity, but in the hands of an experienced and skilled designer the results can be excellent and highly creative. A major benefit of an object-oriented graphic is that it will produce considerably less data than its bitmapped counterpart. The most sophisticated and popular object-oriented programs, including Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand, have features like these: There are a wide range of smooth curve shapes through the use of anchor points and direction lines. D> An autotrace facility allows scanned bitmap images to be created or imported and traced, creating simpler and more easily processed graphics, > Agradients palette creates smooth graduated blends between two or more colours or tints > There is builtin colour separation, a comprehensive tools palette, and edge roughen and blend features. Bitmap packages are often known as ‘paint’ programs; they manipulate images which have been scanned into bitmap or pixel form. A mouse or pressure-sensitive tablet is used to paint or fill in pixel areas as directed by the artist or designer. Photoshop, Painter, Studio Artist and Paint Shop Pro are among the most popular paint programs. Several drawing tools are available on the professional bitmap programs, including pencil, chalk, charcoal, ink, crayon, airbrush, watercolour and oils simulated effects; flood fill for filling in selected areas with a chosen effect; a range of different brush strokes; fisket and mask facilities to restrict painting to selected areas; 3D and textured effects; a cloning tool that creates a copy of a bit mapped image as if it had been painted; and wide-ranging colour palettes. Some paint programs offer animation and multimedia presentation facilites Chapter 3 covers vector and bitmap data with particular reference to text. Vector and bitmap graphic images are indistinguishable from each other when reproduced smaller than the original or the same size (5/s) as the original. But when considerably enlarged the bitmap image becomes jagay or pixelated, particularly round the edges (Figure 4.14). FIGURE 4.14 The same graphic produced in vector and bitmap form at same size (s/s) and vec - - (3) 3) Vector Bitmap Source: Pia International Lid Page 72 © Copyright Pica Intemational td 2003Image editing and manipulation software Digital cameras Image and data libraries Clip art Photographic and online image libraries Introduction to Prepress 4 mage and arapics creation Image editing and manipulation software has been developed to retouch, enhance, amend and manipulate graphic images. Some of the programs that fall into this category are Photoshop, CorelDraw Graphics Suite and Paint Shop Pro. The range of features available in some of these programs includes converting RGB to CMYK; support for a wide range of file formats; painting tools; image transformation, including rotating, stretching, skewing and distort options: filters for image sharpening, softening and special effects; creation of duotones, trtones and quadtones; on-screen CMYK editing; monitoring and collaging of images; 3D and 4D (animation, video) links. Painting and image editing packages are now virtually interchangeable. Digital cameras are a means of creating colour continuous tone originals in frst- generation electronic image form. They are similar to a high-quality conventional film-based camera, but instead of having a film-holding unit they have a CCD-based storage facility recording digital images. The quality and cost of digital cameras vary dramatically. At the lower end are camera systems suitable only for reproducing small images at relatively low to medium resolution, typically around 640 pixels x 480 pixels, mainly for house or car sale ads in newspapers or similar publications. Higher-resolution digital cameras can reproduce 6000 pixels x 7500 pixels and above. Some cameras are hybrid or dual role; they can be adapted from a traditional film-loaded camera to a digital camera by the fitting ofa digital camera back. A further variation is the creation of still images from video cameras, or video recorders, which can be introduced into a host computer system using a freeze frame digital recording service. ‘An increasingly popular means of obtaining images covering a wide range of topics and subjects isthe use of clip art and photographic or online image libraries. The benefit is that the user is using stock images, avoiding the high cost and time it takes to commission and/or create images from scratch, Clip artis available in many digital forms: on disk, on CD, on DVD, or accessed via the internet, often as shareware. It comes in several file formats to suit the image type and the final use: bitmap, object oriented, low resolution and high resolution, PostScript and non: PostScript, EPS, PICT2 and MacPaint. Clip art is also available in hard-copy book or folder form, for use in conventional paper-based systems. Clip-art users need to abide by the restrictions and regulations applied by the owners or vendors ofthe clip art system. Many lp art packages come with paint and draw programs, such as CorelDraw, covering a wide range of images, monochrome and colour, line and tone; the images are listed by category and use. Stock photographic libraries have existed for a long time. The potential user chooses an image from a printed catalogue and in return the selected transparency or photograph is supplied. The photographic original is then scanned to generate a digital file for Page 73. © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003Trapping, spreads and chokes New screening developments Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics cteation subsequent processing, The simpler, more direct digital route is the selection of photographic images from a photo CD library (Most photo libraries on CD are royalty-free and each CD contains many images. Some photo CD libraries cover specific subjects and areas, whereas others are more general and multi-purpose. Some examples come with added features such as clipping paths, which allow the easy highlighting and selection of different parts of the overall image. The quality of most images on the photo CDs is excellent, as most will have been scanned on high-quality scanners, with retouching and colour balancing if required. Online image libraries are now being offered on the web; registered users can download low-res images in RGB TIFF format at no cost, to be used as positionals or image visuals, with high-res pictures ordered subsequently on CD. Some large photographic and ‘media studios, prepress companies and printers have built up a large photo library, media library and asset management facility for specific customers, or as a general facility that organisations can access if they use their services. As with clip art, users need to work within the relevant licence agreements. Trapping is the process of overlapping colours on top of each other to avoid the unsightly gap that appears when colours are designed to butt up flush to each other when printed, due to the fact that paper and board will stretch and shrink subject to changes in the temperature and moisture of the ambient atmosphere. This is especially prevalent in offset litho printing as water is an essential ingredient; there is the possibility of slight misregister, stretch or shrinkage in the paper or board to be printed. The actual control of the printed sheet by lay and gripper mechanism, cor web tension, also contributes to slight variation on the run. The result is a tiny strip or line of unprinted area that the eye easily picks up as a fault. To overcome this problem itis necessary to allow colours to overlap each other. This is achieved by applying what are ‘often known as spreading and choking techniques. Spreading is where the perimeter of one colour is extended or spread overall to ‘overlap on the other colour; alternatively, one of the colours is shrunk or choked, allowing the other colour or colours to overlap slightly with this colour. Figure 4.15 shows a graphic where trapping has not been allowed for, with the result that a thin white gap appears, where the colours should butt up. Figure 4.16 has been produced with trapping built in, When PostScript-driven DTP was first introduced for process colour work, one of the major problems was storing and manipulating the enormous file sizes that had to be created even fora relatively simple continuous tone picture. For example, a ull Aq picture in four colour process will tequire a file size of around 34MB for a resolution of 300 dots per inch. Initially, a major problem was the very slow processing speed, but this has been improved considerably by the much faster raster image processors (RIPs), where four-colour pictures can be output in less than five minutes, A further problem that can arise with conventional halftone screening is screen clash patterning, such as moiré, which can be Page 74 © Copytight Pia Intemational Lud 2003,Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics ceaton FIGURE 4.15 Graphic in two colours butting up to each other (represented by black and ee) Source: Pra International ltd FIGURE 4.16 Graphic in two colours butting up to each other (represented by black and Pee Source: Pira Intemational ltd very severe in some cases. This is particularly prevalent in pictures with chequered patter such as on clothing, also patterned products such as interwoven fencing and roof tiles. Traditional screening methods used on scanners are based on the amplitude ‘modulation (AM) approach, where the variation in the electrical charge is used to create dots of different size (Figure 4.17). Some new screening methods are based on the frequency modulation (FM) approach, where the dots are all the same size in the first-order version, and more dots or fewer dots appear in each area as required (Figure 4.18). A further development in FM screening is second-order screening, which produces a variable dot size. FM screening is also known as stochastic screening and irrational screening Page 75 © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Halftone reproduction Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics ceation FIGURE 4.17 Analogue round dot halftone screen distribution: equidistant large-dot solid areas, medium-size midtone dots and small-dot highlight areas Source: Pra Intemational Ltd Te Le ea! with the microdots clustering together to create the illusion of different tonal patterns Source: Fito Intemational Ltd New developments in screening technology, such as stochastic screening, break down continuous tone originals into small microdots; the file sizes are much smaller and this leads to faster processing. A further benefit is improved printing detail, often approaching the appearance of continuous tone or screenless printing from high-quality originals on high quality coated substrates; it also eradicates the problem of screen clash pattern. The microdot sizes used in FM screening start at around 14—2omm and go down to 7mm; a 2omm FM dot approximately equates to the smallest highlight dot on a 1solpi screen, The terms ‘halftone screen’ and ‘screening originals’ stem mainly from the original glass screen and contact screen used along with screen frequency and screen angles in camera Page 76 © Copyright Pra Intemational Ld 2003Grey levels Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation systems, The major digital route for producing halftone screened images suitable for printing is via a digital output device that converts the digitally created pixels into controlled dots of varying sizes and shapes (Figure 4.19). When an original is scanned, it is recorded in picture elements called pixels; the scanning resolution is then described as the number of pixels per unit length, ¢.g. pixels per centimetre and pixels per inch. In modern {graphic reproduction the most important factors that affect the print quality of continuous tone originals reproduced using halftone screening are grey levels, input or scanning resolution, output screen frequency or ruling and output resolution. Eee platesetter lagesetter Source: Pia International Ltd Itis a common convention that the eye can only detect a certain number of grey levels; 256 grey levels are used as a conventient number for calculation, so this is taken as the maximum required to reproduce a high-quality printed halftone. Here is the formula to calculate the number of grey levels that can be reproduced from a known output resolution and screen frequency: [Output device frequency (dpi) Chosen screen frequency (|pi} Number of grey levels =1-+ Example 1 ‘An imagesetter has an output resolution of 2,540dpi and the screen frequency is 150lpi What should be the number of grey levels? 540 150 Number of grey levels =1-+ =1+287=288 Example 2 A laser printer has an output resolution of 1,200dpi and the screen frequency is 1o0}pi What should be the number of grey levels? Page 77 © Copyight Pra International td 2003Input or scanning resolution Output screen frequency or ruling Introduction to Prepress Image ane graphics cation Number of grey levels =1 + 14g = 145 ‘The screen frequency has been calculated from the fact that in the transformation from pixels to halftones it has been found that four times as many pixels are required to represent each halftone. Sampling theory has been applied to establish this quality factor in practice. The factor of 2is often used up to 133Ipi or 5olpi, then a factor of only 15 for higher screen frequencies Here is the formula to calculate the input or scanning resolution from a desired output screen frequency: Input or scanning (dpi) = Screen frequency (Ipi) x 2 x Scale factor (26) Example 1 A platesetter, reproducing an original to be reduced by 50%, is set to a screen frequency of 2oolpi. What should be the input or scanning resolution? 0 Input or scanning resolution (dpi) = 200 x 2 x fer = 200 Here isa formula to calculate the scanning resolution using the size of the original and the required print size: Print size required Scanning resolution (4pi) = “Grginat size =x 2x Screen frequency (Ipi) Example 2 ‘The required print width is 2gomm at a screen frequency of igolpi. The original is 3oomm deep by 200mm wide. What should be the scanning resolution? 240 Scanning resolution (dpi) = 395 * 2X 150 = 1.2 x 2 x 150 = 360 Example 3 The required print width is 216mm at a screen frequency of 2oolpi. The original is 2gomm deep by 1gomm wide, What should be the scanning resolution? 216 Scanning resolution (dpi) = ¥gq: X2 x 200 = 154 x 2 x 150 = 617 (Output screen frequency or ruling is covered on page 59, Note that most printer and imagesetter manuals instruct the user to the most suitable halftone screen frequency for each model. Page 78 © Copyright Pra International Ltd 2003,Output resolution Pixel or bit depth Introduction to Prepress Image and oraphics creation The formula to calculate the output (printer) device resolution in dpi can be achieved by applying the 16 rule (16% gives the maximum 256 grey levels) Output resolution (dpi) = Required screen frequency (Ipi) x 16 Example A screen frequency of 175\pi is to be applied on a platesetter. What should be the output resolution? Output resolution (dpi) = 175 x 16 = 2,800 ‘The formulae and calculations included here are commonly used in prepress work and are aimed at providing a general guide. Each organisation will eventually establish its own “best fit’ calculations and working practices to achieve the best possible results overall, based on the type and quality of its equipment, the quality standards it adheres to, the quality of the originals, etc. The pixel or bit depth, measured in bits per pixel, determines the number of tones or colours each pixel in a bitmap can possess. This is determined during scanning of the original. Table 43 gives examples of black-and-white and colour originals, along with their corresponding pixel depth. The greater the pixel depth, the higher the quality of greyscale or colour that will be reproduced. ee ee bated Image type Bit depth Blackand-white Ine art zy 7 bit per piel Black-and-white basic greyscale — __2 bits per pinel Blackand-white continuous tone greyscale (28) £8 bits per pixel Full colour, RGB (3 colours) 2) 8x3 = 24 bits per pixel ‘Continuous tone full colour, ey 8x4 = 32 bits per pinel_ Source: Pira International Lid A pixel is the smallest division of a picture on a computer screen. The eye blends the pixels to give the illusion of continuous tone. The number of binary digits required to reproduce the level of one scanned pixel also establishes the pixel or bit depth. The number of pixels in an existing image or area cannot be changed except by interpolation, although the overall image area can be changed. This leads to the following scenario, ‘To increase the resolution in pixels per inch (ppi), the image size needs to be reduced. Increasing the image size will reduce the overall ppi. Consider an image of size 15cm x 10cm with a resolution of 3oodpi. If the image were enlarged to 3ocm x 20cm, the image would have a resolution of 1sodpi; ifthe image size were reduced to 7.5cm x scm, the image would then have a resolution of 6oodpi. Page 79. © Copytight Pra Intemational Lud 2003,Dpi and Ipi File formats Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation > Line artis an image scanned to a bit depth of 1 bit, with each pixel having two possible states, black and white, or 0 and 1 in computer terms. > Basic greyscale is an image scanned to a bit depth of 2 bits, with a range of two grey tones plus black and white. D> Greyscale is an image scanned in one colour, often to a maximum bit depth of 8 bits, with a range of 256 levels, black and white with 254 grey levels in between. > Full colour in RGB represents an image scanned to a bit depth of 2a bits (8 bits each for R, G and B), giving 256 levels per colour, ie. a maximum of 16.7 million colours in total (256 x 256 x 256). Continuous tone ful colour in CMYK represents an image reproduced to a bit depth of 32 bits (8 bits each for C, M, Y and Kj. > An 8.bit computer monitor is capable of displaying 256 (2°) colours or shades of grey. > A 24-bit computer monitor is capable of displaying 16.7 million (224) colours and is also known as true colour. > A 3zbit colour system is capable of displaying and processing 24-bit colour; the eight extra bits are used for masks or transparency effects Dots per inch (dpi) is a measurement of input and output device resolution covering the ‘number of dots created or generated by the scanner, laser printer, imagesetter or platesetter. Dots per inch is not the same as lines per inch ([i). Lines per inch is a measurement of screen ruling and represents the frequency of the horizontal and vertical lines per inch to be used in the final printed result Lines per inch is made up in different dot sizes and shapes within the same screen ruling cosstine pattern (Figures 417 and 419) When referring to the resolution ofa laser printer or imagesetter, dpi will be fixed within the same setting, but pi will vay depending on the requirements, e.g. .00lpi, lpi, 2o0lpi; and though dpi will be fixed, the size of the dots will vary. The relationship between 4pi and lpi can be seen from the fact that the quality of the halftone cel will be influenced by the overall cell size (|i) and the resolution ofthe dots (dpi) required to create that cel When transferring images between different applications and users, try to choose a recognised file format. Here are a few major examples. THF Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), developed originally by Aldus, has become one of the industry standard file formats, supporting blackandewhite line art and continuous tone greyscale, plus RGB and CMYK colour. A TIFF file specifies the level of grey or brightness associated with each dot ofthe image. TIFF files are in bitmap form and cannot be altered EPS Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) is more complex and comprehensive than TIFF, consisting of ‘two parts, the PostScript code that describes the boundary box and any vector elements, Page 80. © Copytght ra Intemational Ltd 2003,PostScript PDF Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation and a 72dpi low-resolution screen preview image that is ideally suited to the DTP prepress environment. It has been developed to encompass drawings, images and complete layouts, in vector and bitmap form, which can then be placed or embedded into other documents, pcs Desktop Colour Separations (DCS), often known as EPS 5, have been developed specifically to reduce the amount of CMYK data handled predominantly by page layout programs. It is an image file format where five files are created for each colour image, one PostScript file for each of C, M, Y, K and a low-resolution PICT preview file. To keep memory requirements toa minimum, only the PICT file is used with the DTP program. When the file is finalised as requited, the linked high-resolution files are automatically called up to replace the low. resolution PICT file, cr PICT is a graphics file format developed by Apple for use on the Mac platform. Most objectoriented drawing programs and page layout programs can create and/or read PICT files. They can also be interpreted by PostScript output devices to print out at, say, 200 to over 2540dpi, depending on the resolution available at the output device. The PICT format can also contain just bitmapped images. PostScript file Formats and workflows have proved highly popular, and their use in printing is practically universal, PostScript is the de facto standard page description language and is used in all areas of digital print preparation, Although the open and accessible nature of PostScript is a great advantage, its flexibility is also one of its main disadvantages. This is due to the inconsistency and unpredictability in the manner that PostScript is interpreted by the wide range of available DTP applications and RIPs. The rip-once output-many (ROOM) approach helps to overcome this problem, as the interpretation of PostScript into a raster file is split into two stages: production of the master RIP data then device specific bitmap for output requirements. By adopting the ROOM approach, the same RIP file is used to generate proofs as wel to drive the final output device such as computer-to press or computerto-print. PostScript files are converted to PDF format mainly by Adobe Acrobat Distiller. Adobe ‘Acrobat Reader is then used to read or view the PDF files, Besides being very secure and compact, POF is a flexible format that is device-independent and is increasingly used in a ‘wide range of multimedia options. It is a much more economical file format than PostScript. PDF files are produced through Distiller by the files being printed to a PostScript driver, or virtual printer, then distilled into PDF format. Many of the established software packages such as QuarkXPress, InDesign and PageMaker have a 'Print to PDF" option as standard, PDF is used as a means of converting a file by turning the data into a digital file that can be viewed and printed out by anyone, even though they do not have access to the application software, fonts or graphics with which the fle was originally created. Page 81 © Copytght Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Data and file compression Open Prepress Interface Introduction to Prepress Image and graphics creation Like PostScript, PDF's flexibility can also cause problems, because POF files created by different parties initially for their own internal use often need correcting and/or amending by the receiver of the files, such as the service bureau, repro company or printer. ‘Therefore the receivers ofthe digital data often supply their customers with a guide on how to create POF files, along with a copy oftheir printer drivers and/or settings to streamline the process and ensure uniformity to an agreed standard. The apparently insatiable demand for more and more colour reproduction and for complex design has led to bigger and bigger file sizes. Although larger media storage, faster networks and better communication systems have been developed, the option of file compression has become popular. Compression techniques use complex algorithms to search for redundant data, which is then removed, The compressed data can be restored to its original form via a complementary decompression algorithm, Compression techniques fall into two main types: > Lossless data compression retains all the information in the original data, so it can be reconstructed without any apparent deterioration in the data, but the compression ratios are relatively modest, perhaps from 21 to 81 > Lossy data compression does lose some of the original information but can compact data by as much as 1001, .e. down to 1% of its original size, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) isa very popular file format that compresses images using a lossy technique. Popular compression utilities are Stuffit and Disk Doubler. Open Prepress Interface (OPI) allows two copies of an image to coexist in low-resolution (low-res) format and high-resolution (high-res) format; this allows more efficient handling ‘and processing of the data. The initial DTP stage positions images in a document using the low-res format, which takes up only a small amount of memory. These low-res images are replaced by the high-res images for final colour separations and outputting, where they ‘can be handled efficiently by powerful workstations and servers ‘A common use of OPI is where the printer or bureau with an OPI operating system and server scans and processes the images in low-res and high-res form; the low-res scans are sent to the customer, designer or DTP operator to make up the job, and the high- res images are retained by the OPI provider. When the finalised and approved files are returned to the OPI provider, the OPI server automatically substitutes the high-res images for the low-res images, before final outputting as required (Figure 21). Its essential that the low-res images and the high-tes images are linked to the OPI system, otherwise the substitution will not occur automatically Page 82 © Copyright Pir Intemational Ltd 2003Digital systems EPC systems Make-up, planning and assembly Make-up, planning and assembly involves the correct positioning and arrangement of the print-elated elements in the chosen medium to form the required finished result as made- up pages or planned images in single units, imposed or multiple-image laydowns, for subsequent reproduction and printing, Digital and traditional are the two main routes for make-up, planning and assembly. Traditional systems are labour-intensive, leading to major bottlenecks in the processing of prepress work and forward planning for subsequent printing and print finishing, Digital make-up, planning and assembly across a wide range of work is considerably faster than manual working, with the gap widening all the time, due to improvements in the quality and speed of digital systems. Software applications and the required skills to operate and manage them effectively have now largely replaced craft skills, and the desktop PC and workstation have replaced the light table and workbench Entirely digital workflows are still not practical or feasible for many print-elated organisations, ie. the creation, manipulation and management of digital data direct to plate or direct to press in a completely digital workflow. At least some part of the prepress processes, eg. film planning and platemaking, still have to be carried out using non-digital methods. Mixed-media workflows, converting analogue elements to digital data, are also adopted by printers and their service suppliers ‘There are different options for traditional make-up, planning and assembly systems, and the same is true of digital systems. The two main types are desktop publishing (DTP) and electronic page composition (EPC); EPC is often known as digital artwork and reproduction (DAR). In the mid to late 1980s, electronic or digital make-up was established on expensive high-end EPC and DAR systems, installed mainly in medium to large repro companies Using proprietary hardware and software. Initially these systems were developed as stand- alone, relatively closed proprietary environments. At the same time as EPC systems were achieving a strong position in prepress, especially in complex, high-end colour work, Macs and PCs were establishing themselves in the single-colour market before moving into ‘good enough colour’ in the late 1g80s and early 1990s. In 2003 the pace of change remains unrelenting in all areas of prepress as suppliers have launched software and hardware that continues to revolutionise the way print and other media are created and disseminated; examples are highlighted throughout this book, EPC systems have had to adapt to finding a niche area mainly around complex. colour image manipulation, montaging and handling extremely large files, where multi- tasking is desirable, But the introduction of very powerful dual-processor Macs and PCs with more powerful operating systems, linked with multitasking workstations and improved networks, is putting EPC systems under further pressure, although the specialist applications offered by EPC systems will probably be required for some time to come. EPC and DAR systems have now mostly developed as open and flexible systems where they can accept files from DTP systems in the form of digital media or conventional originals, Page @3 © Copyright Pra International Ld 2003,DIP systems Introduction to Prepress ‘Make-up, planning and assembly covering continuous tone images, text and line art. Having imported the data, in a mixed format or otherwise, it can normally be modified and amended as required, using tools and facilities which allow PostScript files to be edited and layouts and designs to be altered, along with retouching and colour correction. Further features commonly include low- resolution images generated from high-resolution scans that can be sent back to DTP users, thereby maximising the speed of page makeup on the DTP system. Being open but still proprietary, there is the opportunity to have seamless links to electronic imposition software, colour retouching, design, illustration and image manipulation software, as well as proofing systems. EPC systems are still mainly found in large repro companies, along with graphic agencies and major publishers with their own inhouse repro facilities, plus specialist print areas such as carton printing, general packaging, label and security printing. Most EPC systems are based on Silicon Graphics or ‘Sun Sparc Unix workstations and support PostScript, producing very high quality vignettes and montages that until recently were unachievable on most DTP systems. At the heart of DTP systems are page make-up programs. These programs combine all the elements of typematter, tints and graphics into complete made-up pages and/or complete images in single- or multiple-image form, with a wide range of format shapes and sizes, such as tickets, vouchers leaflets and labels. As explained in Chapter 3, textmatter can be input to the host computer by direct keying, OCR, AVR and from remote sources such as a floppy disk or other suitable media, Line charts and graphics can be created from scratch, with the operator producing the required result by scanning it in from a previously prepared hand-drawn or photographic original; alternatively, direct digital data is available via a clip-art system or picture library, or generated from creative drawing or integrated office software. Continuous tone originals are introduced into the DTP system using a scanner, reproducing conventional originals or direct digital data, via digital camera, clip art and online image libraries. Images can be created using graphics generation and manipulation software such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and they can be imported as finished graphics prepared and created on a completely different system. Here are the components of a DTP system: > The host computer could be a Mac, a PC or another workstation. > Monitor, keyboard and mouse, plus other means of communication such as a pressure pad, are connected to the host computer and provide a WYSIWYG on-screen environment. > Software programs perform page make-up, planning and assembly. > Peripheral devices could be external storage media, laser printers, scanners, modems and other telecommunication links, imagesetters, platesetters and proofing devices. They are connected to the host system, D> The networked workflow is illustrated in Figures 21 and 2.2 (page 14 and 16). Page 84. © Copyright Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,DTP page make-up software Introduction to Prepress ‘Make-up, planning and assembly A wide range of DTP software is available, from the relatively limited examples aimed ‘mainly at the home and leisure market to the professional programs developed for business and the graphic arts This has meant that DTP software was initially designed to run on a particular platform and perform to a certain level of functionality, although at least some of the most popular programs eventually became available for Mac and PC. Some programs have developed into nartow or niche markets, with particular suitability for a certain type of work. Others have developed to offer an extremely comprehensive range of facilites and functions, which literally cover every conceivable requirement of @ DTP program working on a Mac, PC, other workstation or all three platforms, 382 and Corel Ventura are two major DTP software packages that tend to fall into the niche category. 382 is particularly suited to publications with a structured format such as technical manuals, reports, books, publication advertisements, etc. It is largely designed and based on automating the publishing process as far as possible through the use of a set of rules appropriate to the particular publication or application. 382 has incorporated areas such as macios and Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) in order to develop its publishing solutions, A macro is a single instruction that automatically extends into a set of instructions to perform or complete a predetermined task. XML is a subset of Standard Generalised Markup Language (SGML, which is recognised as the standard for document structure creation. Windows-based Ventura is another popular page make-up program used extensively by publishers. Text is created in separate frames for text and graphics, and the page format is automatically set up when the page is cteated. One of Ventura’s most powerful features is the use of style sheets to automatically control the entire format of a document, Simply loading a different style sheet can change the design and style ofthe pages. Ventura’ style sheets offer a wide range of functions, including page size, number of columns, line spacing, type sizes and styles. They are used most effectively on technical manuals and reports, where fixed page formats are used. From version 10 Ventura has the facility to import XML files and edit them as external documents as well as publishing to POF. Its well recognised, however, that only a few programs, particularly QuarkXPress and the two Adobe products InDesign and PageMaker, have widespread support right, across the professional end of DTP packages, especially in graphics and print related areas. (QuarkXPress has in fact established itself as the undoubted market leader, with InDesign as its main competitor. InDesign has overtaken PageMaker in terms of overall Adobe development, but PageMaker is still a major DTP package with a sizeable user base. PageMaker was the first major DTP application and works on the basis of copy and images being pasted on to drawn-up grids; itis suited to relatively straightforward DIP work assisted by a wide range of templates. QuarkXPress uses frames for handling text and graphic elements, allowing designers more freedom in layout. InDesign was produced by Adobe to offer much more advanced high-end design capabilities and individual creativity than in PageMaker. Page 85 © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Brief overview of QuarkXPress Introduction to Prepress ‘Makeup, planning and assembly (QuarkxPress, InDesign and to a lesser extent PageMaker regularly play catch-up with each other when they release an upgrade or launch a new version. They offer features that may be available on a rival product and introduce new features to improve functionality Here are the main features offered by most high-quality professional DTP packages: > Handle a wide range of page sizes, orientation and measurement systems, eg. inches, millimetres and points. Create left- and right-hand pages, plus facing master multiple pages and templates. Record the number of pages, and highlight pages in use. Create page layout grids with column and ruler guides. Possess edit and spellcheck facilities. Offer page views in reduction and enlargement increments, e.g from 5% to over 100%. D> Control choice of typeface, style, size, letter and line spacing, kerning, alignment and rotation. > Control hyphenation and paragraph style. D> Basic drawing tools and facilites cover lines in different thicknesses and patterns, shapes and circles, ovals, rectangles and hexagons, fill and line, tints, tabulation facilities and controls. D> Import and edit text, line and graphics from a wide range of sources, plus export files in recognised formats suitable for other applications. Crop, scale and rotate images. Copy, cut and paste Control halftone images covering brightness and contrast, screen frequencies and angles. > Import, process and output colour separations. > Export or print to a wide range of output devices such as laser printers, imagesetters and platesetters > Control palettes and icons provide user-friendly working practices and guidance. vvVVY vv ‘QuarkXPress has long been adopted by the heavyweights of the prepress industry, it has been builtin as practically the standard DTP program on EPC systems. It provides the tools, to create, design and deliver content-rich publications — high-quality text, graphics and colour elements — in both print and electronic media. It consists of a powerful suite of publishing features including layout and design, text processing, colour management, printing and output, plus web design (Figure 5.) From version 5,0, QuarkXPress has been designed to support media-independent publishing workflows on the basis of content being created once only and then delivered through a range of publishing media. The program allows the import and export of a large ‘number of file formats, including XML, which supports common content and repurposing ‘actoss a wide range of multimedia, including print, web and e-books. A further new feature from version 5.0 onwards i the facility to design webpages Page 86 © Copyright Pr Intemational td 2003Introduction to Prepress ‘Makeup, planning and assembly pm Source: Pia International Ltd and entire websites using the same QuarkXPress palettes and tools as used for print. The webpages conform to open standards, so they can be opened and edited in tools such as Dreamweaver. Here are some of the main features offered by QuarkXPress: > Palettes and controls: access, find and change controls from a movable palette for convenient text editing during search and replace. > Viewing document pages: view multiple spreads simultaneously, > Specifying document settings: specify print document sizes ranging from tin x:tin to _4Bin x 4Bin; choose from eight measurement systems for print documents. > Saving and exporting: automatically save and make back-ups of documents, as well as save files as write-protected templates; export web document pages in JPEG, GIF or PNG format > Master pages: edit items on master pages for global changes and create multiple-page spreads, such as gatefolds, in print documents, > Drawing, merging and reshaping items: draw Bézier picture boxes, text boxes, lines and text paths using point-by-point or freehand tools; change Bézier lines to text paths, and vice versa > Box and line manipulation: skew pictures, text, boxes and lines; specify line widths from hairline to 864pt in o.oo1pt increments, Page 87 © Copytght Pra Internatonal Ltd 2003,Brief overview of InDesign Introduction to Prepress Make-up, planing and assembly > Typing and importing text: drag and drop text within a document; import text with style sheets from Microsoft Word and WordPerfect documents. D> Text manipulation: kern and track text in 0.001 increments of any supported measurement system; apply colour and shade to text. > Hyphenation and justification: specify minimum word size to hyphenate and the ‘minimum number of characters before and after a hyphen; also specify optimum, ‘minimum and maximum word spacing, plus character spacing for justified text. > Automatic text wrap: automatically run text around a picture, including the ‘holes’ of a picture's subject matter. > Picture importing: paste low-res pictures into boxes to embed them into a document, ‘or import high- and low-res pictures to link the original picture files to the document. > Picture manipulation: convert colour pictures to greyscale or greyscale pictures to line art during the import proces. > Trapping: trap colours automatically on an object-by-object basis. > Output forprint documents: create bleeds by extending items beyond page boundaries; collect any print document and its high-res picture files, fonts and colour profiles in a folder for delivery to a service bureau, InDesign has been designed by Adobe to appeal mainly to graphic designers, design and advertising agencies, publishers, prepress professionals and service bureaus, ete. By aligning itself to these areas it inevitably offers capabilities that parallel those of QuarkXPress, including builtin support for publishing in print, on the web and e-books (Figure 52, overleaf). Here are some of the main features offered by InDesign > High-quality typography. optical margin alignment isa facility that allows punctuation and parts of letters to overhang into the outside margin, resulting in a mote aesthetically pleasing and even appearance to the text block: optical kerning gives the user the tools to improve visual letter spacing. InDesign also supports OpenType fonts (see page 39) > Editable transparency settings: supports transparency and overlay effects for text, graphics, images and soft edges. D> Create and import tables: accepts text fiom a range of sources, including Microsoft Word and Excel, plus database applications; once created or imported, the format of the table parameters can be changed, including typographic settings. > Graphical capability. use of pen and pencil tools for ceating graphics; colour and ‘gradient controls, plus the facility to nest text and graphic frames. > Management of long documents: allows the grouping of related documents into a book lis; creation of tables containing contents and indexes; ive table of contents, and index links in exported POF files > Production tools: allowing unlimited undo and redo steps; parent and child master page relationships, where changes to the parent master page work through to the child master pages. Page 88 © Copyight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress Makeup, planning and assembly > Preview and navigation: pages can be previewed and navigated without grids, guides and frame edges to show exactly how they will print; zoom navigation from 5% to 4000%; multiple views of the same document are possible for comparison, allowing for example a view of a page at 100% and 100%. > Printer interfaces: printer interfacing supports preflighting and printer styles for job automation > Integration: InDesign integrates easily with other Adobe products such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat, which use common commands, tools, palettes and keyboard shortcuts; it also has the capability to directly open some QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents. > Streamlined workflow: through the use of shared core technologies such as Adobe Graphics Manager providing true WYSIWYG display of EPS graphics, Adobe CoolType for font handling and Adobe Color Engine (ACE) for colour consistency across raster, vector and page design tools, InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator support a consistent and common workflow in file ceation and handling > Cross-media capability. support for the Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol allows InDesign files to be used on the Web; builtin support for Extensible Metadata Platform (KMP), which uses metadata tags embedded in InDesign documents to make them easier to track, manage and retrieve; integration with Adobe Golive. Source: Pita Intemational Ltd Page 89. © CopytghtPira Intemational Ltd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Makeup, planning and assembly Brief overview of PageMaker has been designed by Adobe to appeal mainly to business, SOHO and PageMaker — educational users that have litte or no design experience and want to create professional-looking documents for print and electronic distribution (Figure 5.3). PageMaker is the longest-established high-quality DTP package and has particulary strong support from commercial printers and quick printers. Here are some of the main features offered by PageMaker: D> Business publishing: PageMaker version 7 contains over 300 professionally designed templates and comes with over 600 photographs and 1000 pieces of clip art. Integration: the ability to integrate text, graphics and images into publications; also the capability to import Illustrator version go files and native Photoshop version 5.0 and 6.0 files > POF files: PageMaker 7.0 places Adobe PDF files created in Photoshop version 6.0 and Illustrator 9.0, plus PDF 13 and 1. files in other applications, allowing users to place POF files directly into PageMaker files; optimised PDF output for press, print and online distribution. > Create and import files: the ability to convert and use files created with the latest versions of Microsoft Office, Publisher and QuarkXPress, ed Source: Pia International Ltd ye 90 © Copyright Pia Intemational Lxd 2003,Introduction to Prepress Makeup, planning and assembly > Create document structures: builtin styles for creating and formatting simple tables of contents, indexes, ec. > Data merge: the ability to ceate customised content with text and images fora wide range of printed matter by exporting text and image data from a database or spreadsheet, and then merging it into a PageMaker template to create customised content. > Tagged POF suppor: this facility allows a PageMaker publication to be output as, 1a tagged PDF file, designed for viewing on a variety of platforms such as hand-held PDAs, laptop computers and wireless devices; tagged PDF files can also be read by text-to-speech devices. Extensions, add-ons Extensions, add-ons and plugins are utilities that enhance and expand software and plug-ins capabilities and functionality, and they often boost productivity in areas such as DTP by performing or extending certain tasks. Programs such as QuarkXPress, InDesign and PageMaker have well-established extensions, add-ons and plug-ins and their growth is set to continue. Some extensions are available from the software manufacturer, but most are available through third-party developers. Here are a selection grouped according to software package. QuarkXPress Atomik enables users to automatically turn entire XPress documents into XML. > Xmath is a professional enhancement for mathematical typography. It allows users to build complex equations in an XPress document. > PersonalizerX allows the merging of database information into standard XPress documents, creating variable text, formatting commands, selection of images, bar codes and charts. D> Enhance Preview XT allows the user to view high-resolution graphics in QuarkXPress without the need to revert to the original native image-editing application. Font Collector creates a single suitcase containing all the required screen and printer fonts in an XPress document and copies them into the same folder. D> Speller XT provides automatic respelling of British or Canadian English to American English, and vice versa Batch Print XTension streamlines the printing operation by automatically printing selected groups of XPress documents without further user intervention. InDesign pm _InBooklet allows pages to be imposed into printer's pairs or spreads, ideally suited to long multipage publications. ‘Nudgelt provides the user with a palette to nudge items in up to eight directions. CCropmarks places crop and fold marks on selected areas, MiniTOC creates a table of contents according to a userdefined paragraph format. DL formatter is a variable print solution for creating personalised communications in PostScript, PDF or PML for production output or web applications. POF Checkup checks Adobe POF files as they are exported from InDesign and generates reports on how to correct and repair the relevant files. vvvy v Page 91. © Copytght Pira Intemational Ltd 2003,PageMaker Traditional systems Paper make-up, planning and assembly Film make-up, planning and assembly Introduction to Prepress ‘Makeup, planting and assembly > ProScale 1D scales selected ateas non-proportionally without distorting text and graphics; it also allows the user to resize a complete multipage publication with one command, > PhotoTiler automates the placing of images and text on pages for yearbooks, catalogues, proof sheets and other mult-image and text work PageForm creates interactive forms and documents. DaShadow adds drop shadows and other visual effects to type and graphics. > Fraeme provides access to over one hundred borders, which can be scaled or modified to suit particular requirements vy Paper make-up has been almost entirely replaced by DTP systems, although it s still practised by some printers on a much reduced scale. The process involves attaching bromides, or other suitable material, from an output device such as an imagesetter or laser printer on to a predetermined laydown sheet, which indicates the position for the different elements of the job, e.g, text, graphics and illustrations. Each of the elements, prepared predominately for same-size (s/s) reproduction, is then placed into position to create ‘camera-teady copy (CRC). The prepared fiat artwork is then photographed on a graphic arts camera to produce a negative or series of negatives, which are then planned up in position for further processing, Unlike paper make-up, film make-up is still practised on a reasonably regular basis by some printers. Unless printers are able to produce or have access to single pieces of complete composite film to fit the fullsize of their presses, or work in a completely digital workflow Up to at least computer to-film (CTF), then film planning wil have to be undertaken before platemaking Figure 9. (page 148) illustrates the creation of a single image on a DTP platform, output from an imagesetter as a 2-up film spread, which is then proofed and planned manually 8-up on a foil, equiring four pieces of 2-up film to be planned on to the foil carrier. From this plate-eady foil, or fat, an imposed proof is produced, After any required amendments and corrections have been carried out, manual platemaking can begin. Film planning can be in negative or positive form. It is a much more demanding task than paper make-up, requiring a high level of skill. Film output from the imagesetting system, or very occasionally ftom a graphic arts camera, needs to take into account the specific requirements of the printing processes (see page 58). In the UK most negative film planning is used for single, two-colour and spot-colour work, whereas positive film planning is mainly used for fourcolour process work, Elsewhere in Europe and in many parts of the world, the situation is often the reverse, with negative film planning popular for four-colour process work Negative film planning tends to be a more difficult operation for complex and intricate work as the planner finds it more difficult to see through the reversed dense black Page 92. © Copytght Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Preparing layout or laydown sheets Introduction to Prepress Make-up, planting and assembly areas to position the various elements on to the layout; however, the use of punch-pin register systems overcomes this problem to a great extent. Layout sheets are produced to indicate the positions of typematter, graphics, page imposition, register and trim marks, gripper allowance, etc. Negative film layout and assembly work, especially for small offset work, can be produced using a dimensionally stable paper such as goldenrod, where the layout is drawn on to the material and windows Cr gaps are cut away to receive the negative image areas, More intricate and complex work, along with positive working, uses a clear plastic acetate sheet or foil for planning, ‘The plastic acetate sheet or clear foi is precisely placed over the layout sheet, or other appropriate work sheets, and illuminated from below on a special planning light table. The layout or other sheets are used as a guide when attaching the film in position (on to the foil with adhesive tape. In multicolour work, a separate planned and assembled foil is produced for every colour. Figure 5. illustrates an 8-page workand-turn manually planned imposed foil, which is indicated by the tinted area and punch-pin register holes, with positive text and halftone film in position. Chapter 6 looks at imposition, multiple images and methods of working. Source: Fira Intemational Ltd Chapter 8 covers mixed-media working, ie. digital and conventional and/or conversion from analogue film to digital data. Page 83. © Copytight Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Multiple images Imposition Imposition, multiple images and methods of working ‘Once all the required images, text, illustrations and graphics have been assembled in an approved form, the next stage is to plan the elements of each job into an economic and effective composite laydown for printing. Printing presses are sheetfed, reelfed or webfed, ie. cut sheets of substrate such as paper or board, or continuous lengths of substrate, typically paper, are fed through the press. Sheetfed presses have a different construction from reelfed and webfed presses and this has a considerable impact on how printing is carried out. The impositions and methods of working used by printers are very much dictated by the product and the available production equipment. For printed work such as labels, leaflets, cartons and stationery, including letterheadings and compliment slips, which are not bound in any way, then imposition is not appropriate, as the finished product isa single, separate or self-contained item. The most popular ‘method of working for this type of product is multiple-image working, but for very short runs, single or +-up working is often used. Label and carton printing are particularly suitable where one label or carton of the same kind is planned a multiple number of times on the overall designated working area, or as a series of labels or cartons printed in common colours on a common substrate. Figure 63 represents a multiple-image working of a series of four labels, printed together in groups of 16 on the same sheet in common ink colours, Like imposition, planning and laydown aim to achieve the most economical and practical method of working, FIGURE 6.1 64-up multiple-image laydown of a series of four labels printed as four blocks eas PP > > > > > p> Source: Fira Intemational Lid Imposition isthe arrangement and assembly of printed images into a predetermined format so that, when bound, each printed page or image will appear in the correct sequence and position; alternatively, it relates to the laydown of multiple-image work. The approach to imposition applies equally to all the major printing processes, apart from Page 95. © Copyright Pia Intemational Ltd 2003,Methods of working Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working recognising the fact that offset litho requires a right-reading offset litho plate, whereas conventional letterpress, flexography and gravure require wrong-reading printing plates or cylinders. Screen printing operates ftom a right-reading stencil mesh, viewed from the print side, All imposition schemes work backwards from the finished printed product. As there are considerable practical differences between sheet and web printing, they are dealt with separately here One of the frst considerations when planning a print job is to ensure that the available finishing equipment can complete the work in the desired way, because once a job is printed, a mistake in the imposition and laydown is difficult, if not impossible, to correct. If in doubt about any job, the finishing department of the printing company needs to be consulted, especially if an outside supplier isto be involved. The printer will generally decide on the imposition schemes to be used, but in the case of regular publications such 4s periodicals, magazines and journals it is common practice for the printer and publisher to work together in approving imposition options. An agreed range of impositions will often be drawn up between both parties that allow flexibility in the use of colour and mono pages while keeping within budgetary constraints. Several factors influence the choice of working method; here are some of them: > Available press sizes: this will determine the minimum and maximum sheet and product sizes that can be produced on a particular press, e.g. 8- or 16-page sections, five or 10 cartons to view. D> Printed product printed on one or both sides: if jobs are printed on one side only then the chosen method of working will tend to be single- or multiple-image working. Two- sided printed work has a wider range of effective options. > Press configurations: sheetfed and webfed presses are available in different configurations; some presses print one side only, some print both sides only and some can print one or both sides in one press pass. A particular press configuration, or a seties of presses with different configurations, will be chosen for a complex job such as a multipage catalogue with a mixture of mono or single-colour sections and colour sections, matching the capabilites of the presses with the requirements of each job. > Colour fall of printed pages: many bound publications arrange certain pages to fall into a predetermined arrangement so that the grouping of colour pages can be printed in an economic manner. Tables 6:1 and 6.2 outline the colour fall for a 32-page publication with v6-pages in fourcolour process and 16 pages in black only. > Quantity to be printed: the higher the required quantity of any particular job, the Greater the likelihood of multiple-image working and/or the use of larger press sizes. D> Stock material sizes: most sheetfed offset litho printers use predominantly stock sizes of materials, eg, paper and board in SRA2 (asomm x 640mm), B2 (520mm x 720mm), SRAI (64omm x goomtn) and Br (720mm x ,04omm) sheet sizes, which determine the number of pages or images out from a particular sheet size and effectively the method of working, Page 96 © Copyright Pra International Ltd 2003,Sheetfed Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working > Method of finishing: bound work is made up with gathered or insetted sheets or sections and this affects the laydown and arrangement of pages. Tables 6: and 6.2 are based on the same job specification, but laid out separately as insetted and «gathered sections. The finishing operations on bound publications that have the greatest impact on the method of working are cutting, folding and binding, The laydown of the pages on the printed sheet or web must be capable of being cut or slit and/or subsequently folded into the correct sequence by the equipment available, In sheetfed printing there are three main methods of working: workand-turn, workand- tumble and sheetwork. Work-and-turn and work-and-tumble go under the collective term of half-sheetwork. Halfsheetwork uses one set of plates that back themselves to produce two copies out. In work-and-turn the sheet turns on the axis of its short edge; in work-and: tumble the sheet tumbles on the axis of its long edge. Only one set of plates and therefore make-ready is required for half-sheetwork, as all the page numbers to complete a printed sheet are included on that single set, which backs itself to complete the printing operation. To maintain accurate register with work-and-tum, ie. the correct position of images on the sheet, the side lay on the printing press is changed on back-up from left to right to ensure the same short edge of the sheet is used while printing both sides of the sheet. Work-and-tumble differs in that both long edges of the sheet are used in the printing process, one for printing each side of the sheet, therefore it requires two gripper margins. Figure 62 illustrates a 4-page portrait work-and-turn imposition and Figure 6:3 illustrates a 4-page landscape workand-tumble imposition. FIGURE 6.2 age work-and-turn : 7 ({E\e NL a a ~~ (WORK-AND-TURN) Source: Pita international Ltd Sheetwork requires two sets of plates to complete an imposition, inner and outer. The outer always contains the frst and last pages of the imposition, and the inner always contains the second and penultimate pages; therefore, unlike half sheetwork, sheetwork requires two sets of plates, it has two make-readies but only produces one copy out for single-set working, Figure 6.4 illustrates a 4-page sheetwork imposition. Half sheetwork requires twice the sheet size for sheetwork, but only half the quantity, €g. 20,000 copies of a 16-page As booklet printed singlesection sheetwork would Page 97 © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,Selecting the method of working Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working s|}L J] / J Direction of sheet backup _7 (WORK-AND-TUMBLE) ‘Source: Pia International Ltd ieee JA] [Ale Outer Inner ‘Source: Pita International Ld require 20,000 sheets plus overs of sheet size SRA2 based on 8 pages of AS out of each side of the sheet. Using the same example but printing by work and-turn would require 10,000 sheets plus overs of sheet size SRA\ based on 16 pages of Ag out ofthe sheet Sheetwork is the most popular method of working for multi-section work printed by sheet: fed offset litho, such as books, magazines and journals, as the perfected sheets can be folded without the cutting in half required for half-sheetwork Its also regularly used where different colours ate printed on each side ofthe printed sheet ‘Short-un work printed on both sides of the sheet with a straight litho press, ie. a press that can print only one side at a time, is very much suited to sheetwork. This, is because after the fist side of the sheet has been printed, the operator can leave the printed sheets undisturbed to dry while the second set of plates is put on and registered, allowing backup without too much delay and perhaps no delay. Work that is printed on ‘one-sided material, such as MG poster or carbonless paper, is always printed sheetwork Half-sheetwork is most popular on relatively short pagination jobs with common colours printed both sides, especially long-run work allowing time for the initial printed sheets to dry before backup: a further advantage here is that it only requires one set of plates compared to two for sheetwork Workand-tumble is most suited to long narrow-shaped work such as gate and rol fold work, which would be impractical for work-and-turn, With the development of convertible multicolour sheetfed offset litho presses up to 12 colours, perfecting has Page 88. © Copyight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003Flat plans Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working become a popular practice where, for example, an eight-colour convertible press with the appropriate conversion configuration can print four-colour process both sides in one press pass. This method of working is technically work and-tumble as the sheet has to be tumbled over after printing the first four colours before passing through the last four printing units to complete the back-up. Figures 6.2 and 6 3 confirm that workand-turm produces an upright or portrait 4 page section, whereas work-and-tumble produces a landscape a-page section; this is due to the different way the sheet is turned or tumbled over for back-up. All methods of working can be printed more than up: for example, 2-up workand-turn or workand-tumble would result in four copies out, whereas 2-up sheetwork would result in only two copies out. When producing periodicals such as magazines, journals and other structured work, it is common practice for the publisher or customer to supply the printer with a flat plan, indicating the required pagination for editorial and advertising pages or other matter. The flat plan can also be used to indicate the sequence of copy or colour to be used on a publication such as an annual report. As an alternative, a production dummy may be supplied as a made-up copy or series of folded sections. The dummy will normally be produced from plain paper folded to the finished bound size, with details of page numbers, copy, illustrations, numbers of colours, etc The publisher, designer or customer, in consultation with the printer, has the task of juggling and manipulating the overall contents into a coherent and costeffective publication. The printing of most periodical publications is produced under contract, where the printing company quotes various options of colour usage within certain cost parameters, eg, the contract for a monthly magazine of 64 pages text, excluding cover, may state that the publication is to be saddle stitched and that the text isto be printed in four 16-page sections, with 32 pages in four-colour process and 32 pages in black only, spit evenly throughout the publication. (See Figure 614, page 106, for a typical 16-page heatset web offset press cylinder configuration), Cone ere Coed See a ee) 25 26 ar 2B 33 34 | 7 36 37 we | 39 40 Source: Pra International Ltd Page 99. © Copytight Pra Intemational Ltd 2003,How binding affects imposition Example job specification Insetted and gathered sections Introduction to Prepress Impostion, multiple images and methods of working Figure 65 illustrates a flat plan for the centre 16-page section of the text, ie pages 25 to 40; the tinted areas, pages 25, 28, 29, 32, 33, 36, 37 and 40, indicate four colour process, and the blank areas, pages 26, 27, 30, 31, 34, 35, 38 and 3g, indicate black only. A careful study of the flat plan will reveal that the outer section pages are in four- colour process and the inner section pages are in black. Any deviation from the specification, including the use of colour outside the agreed flat plan, will incur extra costs. ‘The flat plan is used by the printer as a guide to the colour fall of pages, which has a major impact on deciding the method of working. With bound work there are two major methods of binding folded sheets or sections together, insetted and gathered, Insetted is where folded sections are placed inside each other and is the most common form of binding associated with saddle stitching, Gathered sections are placed on top of each other to create a group or block of sections that are typically bound together by adhesive or thread sewn. To help illustrate how binding affects imposition, here is an example job specification. The specification for a job is 32 text pages, excluding cover, ofa report printed with pages 1 10 4,73 to 20 and 29 to 32 in four-colour process, with all remaining pages in black only. The job is to be printed in 8-page sections as insetted sections (Table 61) and gathered sections (Table 6.2). Table 62 lays out the pagination to suit insetted sections, which follows the rule of the sequence of pages running down to the centre spread and back again, with all pairs of pages adding up to one more than the total number of pages, 33 in this case. This common total of 33 results from matching printer's pairs consisting of first number and last ‘number, second number and second last number, and so on, up to pages 16 and 17, the centre spread. The frst section, containing pages 1 to 4 and 29 to 32, and the fourth section, containing pages 13 to 20 (numbered in italics in Table 63), are in four-colour process and therefore require four plates for each section. The second section, containing pages 5 to 8 and 25 to 28, and the third section, containing pages g to 12 and 21 to 24, are in black only and therefore require two plates, making a total of 10 plates. ‘Table 6.2 represents four independent gathered sections; the numbers tun in Uninterrupted printer's pairs sequence with the first section, pages 1 to 8, adding up to 9; the second section, pages 9 to 16, adding up to 25; the third section, pages 17 to 24, adding up to 441 and the fourth section, pages 25 to 32, adding up to 57. Because each section contains four pages in four-colour process (numbered in italics in Table 6.2) and four pages in black, a total of 16 plates are required. The most costeffective method of working with this job specification would be based on insetted sections as illustrated in Table 61. For periodical work, such as magazines, journals, catalogues, and for more general work, such as brochures, part lists and manuals, there is the option of using insetted sections for Page 100 © Copyright Pa intemational ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple mages and methods of working 16 Seaton 4 in four colour process ‘Source: Pio Intemational Lc Oe 202) Seaton = miv af fourcalour process and black 25 32. - — 26 El — - 7 27 30 - _ - - 7 3829 Section 4= mix of fourcolour proces and black — Source: Pra intemational td saddle-stitched binding, or gathered sections for mainly adhesive or thread-sewn binding (Figures 6.6 to 6.13). In book work, where pagination is normally well over a hundred pages cn bulky stock, gathered sections is the chosen method of binding, Publications thicker ‘than 7mm are unlikely to be suitable for insetted, saddle-stitched work. The methods of calculating the pagination, ie. page numbers, in the two types of bound sections are quite different and are outlined below. Page 101 © Copyright Pra International itd 2003Insetted sections Gathered sections Webfed imposition Large-width webfed presses Introduction to Prepress. Imposition, multiple images and methods of working Figures 6.6 to 6.9 illustrate four examples of insetted bound work, covering 16, 24,32: and 64-page publications, split up into 8-page sections as follows: 16 pages (Figure 6.6) pages 1to 4 and 13 1016, 5 t012; 24 pages (Figure 6.7) pages 1 to 4 and 21 to 24, 5 to 8 and 17 to 20, 9 1016; 32 pages (Figure 6.8) pages to 4 and 29 to 32,5 to 8 and 25 to 28, 9 to 12 and 21 to 24,13 t0 20; > 64 pages (Figure 6.9) pages 1 to 4 and 61 to 64, § to 8 and 57 to 60, 9 to12 and 53 to 56, 13 t016 and ag to 52,17 to 20 and 45 to 48, 21 to 24 and 4} to 44, 25 to 28 and 37 to 40, 29 to 36. Figures 6.10 to 6.3 illustrate four examples of gathered bound work. The imposition rules for insetted work do not apply to gathered work. Notice that the pagination of gathered sections is much easier to establish; namely in 8-page consecutive sections a5 1to 8, 9 to 16,17 t0 24, 25 to 32, 33 t0 40, 41 to 48, 4g to 56 and 57 to 64. Webfed printing is fundamentally different to sheetfed printing in that a continuous web of substrate is printed rather than a sheet, There are two types of webfed or reelfed presses, large-width and narrow-width, Large-width presses are almost exclusively of fixed-cylinder construction, ie. the cylinder sizes cannot be changed. The presses are mainly perfector presses, where the web is printed on both sides simultaneously, known as printing topside of web or deck and bottom side of web or deck. The exception to this isthe satelite-constructed press, where only one side of the web is printed at a time; here perfecting is achieved by the web going through a second satellite unit, Another major difference between webfed and sheetfed printing is that webfed printing allows inline folding and other finishing operations that cannot be achieved with sheetfed presses. ‘Source: Pio Intemational Ltd Page 102 © Copyright Pra International lsd 2003Introduction to Prepress impesition, multiple images and methods of working oe kee eee TL 2 | 2 3 [2 a4 fa 5 | 20 6 [9 7 [18 3 [v7 3 10 W 2 3 Source: Pra Intemational Ltd BE eee 1] 2 2 [ai 3_| 30 4 | 2 | 5 [28 6 | 27 7 [26 3 fs 9 [24 0 | 23 2 a | 3 | 20 [aa [os is | 13 16 | 7 < Source: Pra Intemational Ltd Page 103 © Copyright Pra Intemational ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress. Imposition, multiple images and methods of working ae eed Ts 2 [ae 3 | a 4 [a 5 [# 6 | 59 7 | 8 af 9 | 6 10 1 2 [ss 3 | 2 4 [si 15 [ 50 ie [48 7 | 3 | 47 9 | 46 | 20 | 4 a | 2 B 24 | at 25 | 40 26 | 39 27 | 38 28 | 37 29 | 36 30 | 35 at | 34 32 | 33 <=... Source: Pra International td Page 104 © Copyright Pra Intemational ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working FIGURE 6.10 Gathered 16-page section laydown Source: Pra International ltd FIGURE 6.11 Gathered 24-page section laydown o [1 10 [15 7[ 2 if B Ts 7 | 24 [2 7 3 [6 a[s Source: Pra Intemational Ld FIGURE 6.12. Gathered 32-page section laydown 7 [24 a | 23 [is | 2 20 | a 2s | 32 wo || [26 | 3 | i a7 | 30 2 Ls 28 | 29 | —= = —= —= Pita Intemational Ltd Page 105 © Copight Pra ntemational ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working ee ee Source: Pita International Lid ils 9 [6 | [7 [24] [2s 722] [3 To] [ae [as] fo [se] [a la 2/7 wo [15 | [18 [23 | [26 [a | [34 [39 | [a2 [a7 | [50 [ss | [se [os 3 fe [ve] [99 [22 | [27 [30 | [as [ae | [aa [as | [st [se | [59 Pe | a[s 2 [3 | [20 Ta | [28 [20 | [6 [a7 | [aa [as | fe fs | fo pa —= —= —= = —= —= —= —= Large-width web machines come in a range of configurations, including 8-page, 16-page, 32-page, 48-page and 64-page, single-web and multi-web. The numbers associated with each press type indicate the number of Aq pages out from one full-width web and cylinder cut-off. Variations in the number of pages from one cylinder cut-off can be obtained by running with say a half or three-quarter width web of paper. As an example, a fullwidth web on a16-page press will give 16 pages Aq per cutoff, 2 pages ‘Ag on a half-width web and 8 pages on a three-quarterwidth web, Figure 6:4 illustrates a typical 16-page press cylinder configuration, showing the 630mm circumference or cut-off out of which, using Aq as an example, two 2g7mm lengths are taken, with four times 210mm out of the web width. Two sections or jobs Can be run together and separated on or off press to add variation to the output configurations, such as the production of two separate 8-page Aq jobs on a 16-page press. Rae eae ‘965mm web width Source: Pra intemational ltd Table 63 indicates a page laydown for a 32-page section, pages 1 to 32, to be printed on a five-unit, win-web heatset web offset press, with 16 pages in four-colour process, C1 and C2, and 16 pages in black only, 81 and Ba. a (pages 1, 32; 8, 25; 9, 24; 16,17) epresents the top side of the web or deck of the first web, and C2 (pages 2, 31; 7, 26; 0, 23:15, 18) represents the bottom side, the Page 106 © Copyright Pra Intemational ltd 2003Narrow-width webfed presses Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working ‘A 32-page section produced as 2 x 16-page sections, with one 16-page sect Cd Page 1 __fourcolour oy Page 32___fourcolour 2 fourcalour (2) 31 fourcolour 3 Black black 4 Black (@2) black Ss black ___ (82) _ “black 6 Black BT) black 7 (a) 26 Fourcolour 8 fourcolour (a Tourcolour 9 Tourcolour a Teurcolou 10 fourcolour (C2) fourcolour “Bip Black (2) black (82) Black 4 (ei) ack 15 fourcolour (2) Tourcolour (C2) 16 fourcolour (CI) 17 foursolour (Cl) ‘Source Pial International Lid equivalent of the outer form in sheetwork printing. Br (pages 3, 30; 6, 27;1, 22; 14,19) represents the top side of the web or deck of the second web, and B2 (pages 4, 29; 5, 28; 12, 2:13, 20) represents the bottom side, the equivalent of the outer form in sheetwork. Note that all pairs of pages add up to 33. An alternative to producing a 32-page section Using the twin-web facility would be to produce a single 16-page section in five colours from a single-web configuration Most narrow-width webfed presses are used for a wide range of work, including continuous stationery and business forms, direct mail, labels, tickets and vouchers. Besides reel-to-sheet, the presses are configured to produce a wide range of products, including single-part or multi-part, reel-to-eel or rel-to-pack. When considering different methods of ‘working on natrow-width webfed presses itis generally a matter of deciding, for example, how many printed items the press can accommodate, working backwards from the finished size of the job, taking into account the additional processing equipment the job will pass through. The presses can have a fixed cylinder size or a variable cylinder size, The narrow: width and larger-width presses can be rwide (around 3g4mm or 15.5in wide), 2-wide (around s2omm or 20.5in wide) and 3-wide (around 82gmm or 32.5in wide). In flexographic and letterpress machines the width of the press can be as small as 100mm. Narrow-width presses often come with the option of variable-size cylinders so that the cut-off or diameter of the cylinder can be changed to suit the requirements of the job, as long as the printing company has the required cylinder sizes and tooling, plus the appropriate finishing or processing facilities. On the larger presses, suitable for continuous business forms and direct mail, the most popular cylinder circumferences are 24.75in, 2ain, 235in, 2in, 20in and r7in, Business forms and other related work are designated in inches Page 107 © Copyright Pita Intemational id 2003Designer's and printer's spreads Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multiple images and methods of working because computer stationery stil relies on sprocket holes exactly half an inch apart and half-inch tearoff stubs. Variable cylinder circumferences give the opportunity of producing variable product depths, e.g. a 22in cylinder can produce a range of depths, such as 2in x niin, 3in x 7.33in, gin x sin. Figure 615 illustrates a 2qin circumference, maximum web width 520mm cylinder producing two deep by two wide, 12in x 250mm mailers. ek Lek inder printing two wide by two deep mailers 520mm web width | ircumerence/| printing length Source: Fira Intemational Ltd When arranging for finished artwork, film or digital data to be sent to a printer, the customer should ideally have the work prepared in printer's pairs, rather than designer's pairs Better stil, if multiple pages such as imposed 4 or 8 pages are to be supplied, these should be inline withthe imposition agreed and supplied by the printer, with appropriate margin allowances. Figure 6.6 illustrates pairs of pages appropriate to an 8:page saddle-stitched booklet as designer's and printer's pairs. When designing and laying out pages, the designer will naturally lay pages out in pairs as they will appear in the final printed copy, i appearing as double-page spreads. But the printer lays out pages to the required imposition, so that when printed, folded and bound, the pages will fallin the correct sequence. Sa ee Te eer peed eer! DESIGNER'S SPREADS in appearing pais PRINTER'S SPREADS in appearing pairs 8 1 2 7 6 3 4 5 Source: Pra international td 108 © Copytight ia Intemational Ltd 2003,Margin allowances in imposition Introduction to Prepress Imposition, multe images and methods of working ‘As we move closer to all-digital prepress workflows, electronic imposition becomes an increasingly accepted practice in generating selected impositions and multiple image laydowns within a Mac, PC or other workstation. Electronic imposition is the process of arranging electronic files into the selected planned format and placement for subsequent outputting in analogue form as planned film, or digital form as plate-ready computer-to- film (CTF) or computerto-plate (CTP). Briefly, the process consists of the operator calling up the electronic files created (on DTP, or dedicated proprietary make-up software, or perhaps importing them from other sources such as disk, ISDN and modem. The files and images are then placed into an electronic imposition program, where the operator selects the facilities requited to create the desired finished result, accessing imposition, OPI (Open Prepress Interface) and trapping options as require. ‘On some electronic imposition software, several versions have been developed to suit the circumstances and requitements of the user, €g. a simple or cut-down version and a full-featured or mult-licence client-server version. Often electronic imposition will ake place on a powerful workstation server handling all the heavy processing for less powerful Mac or PC clients on the network. When preparing an imposition, allowances for margins must be included to ensure the job can be trimmed or cut out tothe required final size; Figures 617 to 620 show some examples. With electronic imposition this often means laying the images or pages out in such @ manner that complete CTF or CTP is carried out. Apart from determining the margins around an image, an extra allowance is required for final trim: the standard is 3mm. In bound work, such as saddle stitched or thread sewn, this means 3mm on head, tail and foredge, i. three sides only (Figure 6:8). With perfect bound work, 3mm on all four edges is required, ie. head, tail, foredge and back; tis is due to the backs being ground down to reduce the bound sections to single leaves and to aid adhesion ofthe glue applied to the backs (Figure 6.20). Non-bound work, such as labels, leaflets and posters, requires 3mm on all four sides (Figure 6.17), although to ensure a smooth, sharp edge on all sides, double cuts need to be allowed for, as in Figure 6.20. The tinted areas in the figures represent a 3mm trim Poteet hn came ns eee erry Source: Pra International Ltd Page 109 © Copyright Pra Inerational Ltd 2003Introduction to Prepress imposition, multiple images and methods of working allowance. Besides the working size of a job that includes trim, the printer needs to allow for positioning the images precisely on the image carrier appropriate to the type of press. These further allowances will include colour bar and registration marks on colour work and ripper margin on sheetfed printing Source: Pita Intemational FIGURE 6.19 Example of margin allowances for work that is typical multiple-image working] such as 8-up leaflets to view trimmed four sides and single inner cuts to size ‘Source: Pita International Ltd FIGURE 6.20 Example of margin allowances for perfect bound work or multiple-image work Cee ae Source: Pita International Ltd Page 110 © Copyright Pra intemational ltd 2003Single-colour and spot-colour proofs Colour proofs Proofing, specifica’ standardisation Proofing is the making of a copy of the proposed printed image or part of the printed image to check content and/or reproduction quality before the job is printed. Proofs have ‘two main roles: > They are submitted to the customer as a preview for checking, amendment and approval D> They are used as a working guide forthe printer at all stages up to the final print run, establishing the requirements at the current stage before moving on to the next stage, ‘There is no such thing as an all purpose proof, ie. one that suits every need and circumstance; consequently, the types of proof are many and varied. They are produced in a specific form, at a particular time in the printing cycle to allow the customer and the printer to judge at that stage whether the indicated result is going to be satisfactory. Inthe initial stages of a job, proofs such as digital blackand-white laser proofs, or conventionally generated proofs such as page and ozalid proofs, are used for checking the accuracy and position ofthe printed elements on a page. Later, quality standards and colour registration are checked by the production of a wide choice of analogue and digital colour proofs. The objective is to produce a proof that is ft for purpose at each stage of the prepress workflow and that will be a guide and reference point in printing With the vast majority of prepress work now being carried out on DTP systems, the black and-white laser printer is the most popular means of producing single-colour (monochrome) ‘and spot-colour (colour split) proofs Laser printers are now available in 2400dpi (dots per inch) up to Ag and above. The operator, having created and viewed the images required on a monitor, will generate a hard-copy facsimile on the printer. If colour spits are required, they will normally be done on the host DTP program; the normal procedure is to produce separate colour overlay sheets and/or a master composite proof that could be marked up with highlighter of with instructions for colour split as an alternative When larger proof sizes such as Bz or B1 are required, then large-format printers or plotters are used for proofing electronically imposed signatures for magazines and other bound publications, or multiple-image laydowns such as for sheetfed printed flat labels or cartons. Alternatively, ifthe printer is working traditionally with planned film, then diazo or ozalid dyeline proofs are commonly used, where the light-sensitive compounds of the copying paper are processed to create a visible image. As practically all printed work is initially produced from a DTP front-end, the most popular initial colour proof is laser, which is inexpensive and generated to give the overall appearance and concept of the job, broken down into individual page or image form. Laser colour rendition gives a colour visual rather than an accurate visual proof, as the colours can only be taken for general hue rather than accuracy. Medium- to higher-cost proofing systems tend to fall into the category of target, and contract type proofs, where the systems lend themselves to controllable and accurate colour rendition. Its only when a high-quality, carefully calibrated proofing system is used, incorporating colour management and dot gain, that the proof result can accurately reflect Page 111 © Copyright Pra international itd 2003Conventional colour proofing systems Photomechanical proofs Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specifications and standardisation and replicate the required high-quality colour printing, A proof isthe intermediate stage, or series of stages, between the prepress arrangement of the elements of a job, and the finished printed result The different types of technology used for producing digital colour proofs include dye sublimation, laser and inkjet. Dye sublimation produces a high sheen, continuous tone, photographic proof. Heat is generated through a thermal printhead consisting of thousands of minute heated heads. The heat is applied to laminates coloured with dyes of yellow, magenta, cyan and black; it causes the coloured dyes to sublimate on to the paper cartier to form the proof. During sublimation the coloured dyes turn from solid to gas without becoming liquid, In colour laser a charged photoreceptive drum or belt is used with a laser light that selectively dissipates the charge in the non-image areas. The coloured toners contained in four separate cartridges of yellow, magenta, cyan and black are attracted on to the drum or belt in the charged image areas, which are then transferred and fused on +o the cartier, normally paper. Inkjet systems fal into two types, liquid and phase change. Liquid inkjet divides into drop-on-demand and continuous flow. Drop-on-demand subdivides into piezo and thermal jet/bubblejet. Piezo uses a pump action to force droplets of ink on to the paper, and thermal jet/bubblejet uses rapid alternation of heating and cooling to create a gas bubble that forces ink out as directed droplets on to the paper. Continuous flow operates by the printhead continuously directing ink droplets ‘towards the carrier medium, The ink droplets are given an electric charge, so the image- forming droplets are directed on to the proof material, with the non-image-atea droplets deflected away into a recycling reservoir. Four nozzles create the four process colours. Solid inkjet systems use solid ink sticks of yellow, magenta, cyan and black that change to a liquid state when heated. The liquid inkjets are then directed on to the proof material; as the ink comes into contact with the proofing substrate, it returns to its original solid state. Large-format inkjet colour printers are popular for producing low-resolution imposed positional proofs or high-resolution target proofs, which can be in the form of perfected or backed-up proofs. Proofing systems are now available that can produce colour proofs in six colours or more. Although most prepress systems currently centre on a DTP or digitally driven front-end, the workflow and working practices can revert to film output and conventional platemaking processes. That is why analogue film-based proofing systems are still in use, especially at the high-quality end of colour proofing, i. target and contract proofs. There are two main types of analogue proof that are still relatively popular: photomechanical proofs, often known as dry proofs, and wet proofs, which are generated from printing plates Photomechanical proofs are produced from four-colour process separated films and do not, require the use of printing plates. Two different processes are used, one based on coloured toner being applied to the base sheet and the other using coloured cartier foils Page 112 © Copyright ira Intemational Ltd 2003Wet proofs Introduction to Prepress Proofing spectcations and standardisation Toner ‘The original Cromalin system still used to some extent, employs colour toners and is based on photopolymerisation. Photopolymers are substances that when excited by light energy, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, are transformed from a sticky monomer into a non-sticky polymer. When the material is exposed under a colour separation film in a contact frame, the unexposed sections remain tacky and so attract the coloured toner during the toning process. ‘The proof is composed of a paper or board base sheet on to which the toner laminate sheets are built up in sequence, eg. cyan first followed by yellow, magenta and black, plus any special colours that are applied by hand, and a protective laminate sheet on top. Coloured foil Coloured foils, one for each of the four process colours, are transferred on to a base sheet by heat and pressure in a laminator. The coloured carrier fils are exposed in a contact frame similar to the toner system; after it has been exposed, each coloured foil is peeled away from the base paper, leaving a colour image of the film separation that builds up to include all four colours Traditionally the highest-quality method of producing colour proofs is with printing inks and printing plates on a specialist flatbed proofing press or a production press. Printers often favour wet proofs produced on flatbed proofing presses because the proofs have similar physical printing properties to the final printed result. Flatbed proofing presses have a flatbed construction and are available in single, two- and four-colour configurations, in ‘approximately B2 or B1 printing size. Flatbed wet proofs Flatbed wet proofs normally have the advantage of being printed on the correct job substrate; also it is possible to produce progressive proofs (see page ns) that are invaluable to the printer. A further advantage of wet proofs is that special colours can easily be incorporated on a wet proof, but a major disadvantage is that they are expensive and time: consuming as plates have to be produced. A further disadvantage to wet proofs produced on proofing presses is that they cannot replicate the ink tracking of the actual printing press to be used and therefore do not fully represent the results of a genuine production proof. Production proofs Production proofs are the ultimate proofs as they are produced on the press that will be used for the final printing, All other types of proofs can only be an approximation of the variables encountered in the job. A recent development popular with some printers possessing highly automated multicolour presses i for them to produce wet proofs on a production press designated for proofs or on the actual press to be used for the job. One solution to the high cost and time spent on producing separate production proofs is to arrange for the print customer to pass on press, having previously approved a Page 113. © Copyright Pra International Ld 2003,Proofing terminology Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specications and standardisation range of proofs reflecting concept/ visual, position, registration and general colour quality. The job is made ready and approved against the previous proofs and/or originals by the printer and line managers; the customer then approves them and agrees for the production ‘un to start. This arrangement is much more practical when the section or jb in question can be completed in one press pass, perhaps on a multicolour sheetfed or webfed press. Visual proof ‘A visual proof, also known as a colour visual, such as a DTP laser or inkjet proof, is produced by the client, graphic designer or printer to indicate the overall concept and design required in the finished product. Typographic proof ‘A typographic proof, also known as a positional or content proof, such as an ozalid, laser, inkjet or bromide, is produced so the client can check the typesetting, position of graphics and imposition of pages during the initial stages of a job or just before platemaking, Soft proofing Soft proofing is a means of approving and reviewing digital data in the form of images and pages on-screen, often with a hard-copy proof taken as final confirmation. Remote proofing Remote proofing isa type of soft proofing, in that the originators ofthe digital data, such a a design studio, repro company or printer, send a digital soft proof by telecommunications such as ISDN to the client for viewing on-screen at their own premises. ‘The client can then make comments and indicate any changes, returning a corrected file for processing or the original file with attached amendments. The client can request a further remote proof or hard-copy proof or give approval to proceed subject to incorporating the amendments. Target proof A target proof, such as a photomechanical or digital Cromalin, high-resolution Iris inkjet or ‘wet proof, is produced to represent as closely as possible the expected printed result, conveying press characteristics such as dot gain and colour accuracy. Contract proof ‘A contract proof, such as ‘pass on press’ pull or approved target proof, is signed off by the customer for the machine printer to match and use as the master pass sheet. A target or contract proof should reflect what is possible when printed on a production printing press. ‘Maximum benefit ‘To gain the maximum benefit from comprehensive procedures and proofing policy, at all stages of the job there should be consultation between the parties involved in bringing the Page 114 © Copsight Pa international ltd 2003Presentation of proofs Print specifications and standardisation Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specifications and standardisation job to press — customer, repro area, proofing house, printer, etc. ~ to ensure the best possible match is achieved at all proof stages up to final printing Single-image or page proof A single-image or page proof isa proof produced on its own for perusal and approval before further processing, Imposed page or multiple-image proofs Imposed page or multipleimage proofs are produced to show the laydown of pages and ‘multiple images in the final planned position for printing, Backed-up proofs Backed-up proofs ate produced predominately as a check for positional or content problems that would normally only show up in the final printed result by viewing the proof via an illuminated source such asa light table or some other form of light source. Scatter proofs Scatter proofs result from a process that does not plan and/or impose pages or images in their final printing positions. This type of proof is most common in high-pagination ‘magazines, journals, brochures and catalogues, where the publication is a mixture of monochrome and four-colour work, and where all the colour pictures are randomly arranged or scattered over the required number of sheets for proofing, It is a very cost: effective way of proofing a large number of colour images or pages, with the customer approving the images in the form of overall flat sheets, or individually cut out and pasted Up page-by-page on a dummy of the publication, Progressive proofs Progressive proofs are a progressive combination of printed proofs in a particular colour sequence, Here is a typical four-colour progressive sequence: cyan on its own; then yellow on its own; then cyan and yellow combined; then magenta on its own; then cyan, yellow ‘and magenta combined; then black on its own; then cyan, yellow, magenta and black ‘combined to show the final printed result. This type of proof is usually produced on the job stock on flatbed proofing presses, or occasionally on production presses; itis highly regarded by printers as a quality control and check on ink weights, trapping, registration, colour guide, etc, and is particularly applicable when printing jobs in several press passes. Subjectivity is one of the main problems in judging the quality of proofs and the final printed result, ie, one person's opinion of what is a good colour rendition or colour match may differ significantly from someone else's, There are many reasons for this; here are some of ther Preferences and judgements vary from person to person. D> The viewing conditions are different at the different viewing locations. Page 115 © Copyright Pra Intemational td 2003Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specications and standardisation > The people judging the proof may have different expertise and experience and a different understanding of what the proof should look like to achieve the desired result at final printing. The growth of multicoloured printing and advances in prepress and printing presses have brought an increasing drive to make the finished product more predictable by the establishment of agreed tolerances and standards through print specifications that are objective and can be adhered to by everyone. These take the place of parameters that are mainly drawn up by printers to ensure that the information and materials supplied to them such as digital data or film are in ine with the characteristics of their presses and platemaking procedures, etc. Each printing press can display differences in a wide range of print related areas, particularly dot gain, so specifications need to be drawn up for each type of press and conveyed to all relevant parties involved in the print chain. Here isa typical reproduction print specification drawn up by a printer for submission to print-buying customers and/or repro companies supplying digital data to the printer so the printer can produce a product by sheetfed offset litho: D> Digital data: all data clearly marked for colour. > Screen ruling /frequency. 175 lines per inch/6g lines per centimetre on gloss-coated stock, 150 lines per inch/sq lines per centimetre on matt-coated stock. Screen angles: black 45°, magenta 75°, cyan 105° and yellow go*. Halftone range: on coated stock, highlight 5%, shadow g0% maximum. Printing sequence: black, cyan, magenta, yellow. Ink density. yellow 1.00, magenta 1.50, cyan 1.55 and black 180, Tolerance 0.10. Readings measured on an appropriate densitometer Printing control strips: all proofs to carry colour control targets positioned across the line of inking, > Dot gain: to be allowed for during the reproduction and proofing stages. The recommended readings are Gretag CSM2 40% tone to record 14%, 80% tone to record 10%, Tolerance 42%. > Undercolour removal: 260% to 300% lower and upper limits Here isa typical reproduction print specification for a heatset web offset printer: Digital data: all data clearly marked for colour, ‘Screen ruling / frequency. 150 lines per inch/'sg lines per centimetre on gloss-coated stock, 133 lines per inch/s2 lines per centimetre on matt-coated stock. Screen angles: black 15°, magenta 45°, cyan 75° and yellow 90°. Halftone range: on coated stock, highlight 5%, shadow go% maximum. Printing sequence: black, cyan, magenta, yellow. Ink density. yellow 0.95, magenta 1.45, cyan 1.40 and black 1.75. Tolerance 0.10. Readings measured on an appropriate densitometer. Printing control strips: all proofs to carry colour control targets, positioned across the line of inking. vvvy v > > vvvy v Page 116 © Copyright Pra International Ltd 2003Colour control bars or strips Dot gain Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specications and standardisation D> Dot gain: to be allowed for during the reproduction and proofing stages. The recommended readings are Gretag CSM2 40% tone to record 16%, 80% tone to record 12%. Tolerance 42%. > Undercolour removal: 260% to 300% lower and upper limits. All details are for general guidance only, specifications should always be thoroughly checked withthe printer and all relevant parties, as considerable variances can exist between one printer and another due to the differences in press settings and working practices. Colour bars of colour strips allow accurate and meaningful quality control comparisons to be made between colour proofs and the printed sheet. They permit individual colours to be measured densitometrcally, as in the actual printing operation process colours are superimposed and therefore cannot be measured separately. Measuting the colour control strips of a proof and the printed result with a densitometer introduces the objectivity essential to print standardisation. Density and dot gain are two of the most important areas to control when predicting the final printed result. Colour control bars increasingly feature on comprehensive electronic imposition software, along with automatic press calibration based on automated presses setting the required ink settings from downloaded image profiles supplied from prepress data or a plate-scanning device. Figure 72 illustrates the DuPont Eurostandard colour bar that provides colour-matching elements for digital proofing workflows. After platemaking, a test forme, in conjunction with the appropriate plate exposure test target, can be printed to give visual and measurable information on overall performance, notably dot gain, ink film thickness (density) and colour values. This practice of calibration, using a standard range of printed images, is often known as fingerprinting printing presses, where the recorded values are compared to previous records and standards. Any deviations outside the established optimum settings are noted, and steps are taken to ensure the print quality is maintained at the required level, Control strips are ‘now built into most digital proofing systems. FIGURE 7.1 DuPont Eurostandard colour bar om i i me ae = meta Source: DuPont Dot gain takes place at almost every stage in the reproduction and printing process. Its the inctease in dot size between the first-generation dot created during prepress to the corresponding dot on the printed substrate, ie, the final printed result. To ensure predictable and consistent print quality, dot gain needs to be managed, controlled and compensated at all stages of the printing process. Page 117 © Copyright Pra Intemational td 2003Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specications and standardisation The most significant dot growth occurs from the plate stage onwards, including variations resulting from the type of substrate and ink used, press design and condition, pressroom conditions, press settings, ink film thickness and ink density, plus damp/font solution and type of blanket used (in the case of offset litho). Dot gain is generated visibly in two separate ways, physical and optical, Physical dot gain covers any uncontrolled change that takes place between the creation of the first dot and the platemaking stage, as well as any changes when the ink is subjected to pressure in the press nip. Optical dot gain results from reflected light being scattered by the surface of the printed substrate. A gloss, or very white substrate, reflects more ight back to the eye around each dot, and this has the effect of making the dot appear smaller than it really is. Conversely, a matt or rough substrate makes the dot appear larger. The substrate also affects the physical dot gain, as a poorer-quality or uncoated material will not allow as sharp a dot as a high-quality material. Therefore, to minimise dot gain, the proofing material should rmatch the production substrate. Total dot gain, a combination of physical and optical dot gain, can be as high as 30% in the midtone (50%) dot areas, although it is normally much less. Without a considerable degree of standardisation, no consistency can be achieved. Every press has its own dot gain characteristics and, wherever possible, proofs should accurately reflect the dot gain displayed by the press to be used along with all other relevant variables. With the dot gain controlled as far as possible for a particular press, the printer should seek to remedy any unexpected dot gain variances at the repro stage, rather than by further attempting to change the characteristics of the press. To assist this process, it is possible to set up templates in the prepress system for each of the designated printing characteristics. However, if flexibility is required to switch printing from cone press to another, then the two presses need to have similar characteristics, otherwise a new set of plates will be needed. When proofing on a proofing press, the exposure during platemaking should be controlled to produce proofing plates with a dot that will print the same size on the proofing press as on the production press. Additionally, proofing inks can be formulated to give a dot gain comparable to that of the final production inks. Whether printing plates are produced through an entirely digital or entirely analogue system, dot gain must always be builtin. To be truly effective, proofing systems need to allow for and/or simulate the dot gain experienced by printing presses. Film based systems seek to remedy dot gain by generating film that allows for the identified dot gain of a press; for example, if the dot gain fora press were assessed at 10%, then the film would be produced with just over a 90% dot, resulting in an overall 100% printed dot. Digital proofing systems have to overcome the problem in a different way as no film is used; also a different randomised screening method is often used, resulting in a Continuous tone effect. The digital proofing system needs to be able to simulate dot gain through software adjustment and setting facilities resident on the machine. Page 118 © Copyright Pra International td 2003Colour profiles and Introduction to Prepress Proofing, specications and standardisation “a A colour profile records the characteristics of a particular colour device. The accepted standard for drawing up colour profiles is the International Colour Consortium (ICC) standard. ICC structured colour profiles are written by manufacturers of colour output devices to describe the characteristics of their equipment. These colour profiles represent ‘the ideal, but changes do occur over time and in different circumstances, so additional calibration and adjustment need to be undertaken. Digital proofing systems are often bundled with colour profiles and colour management systems, Colour management systems cannot change the capabilities ofthe selected output device. The reproduced colour depends on the quality, accuracy and consistency of the colour management system but it also depends on the output device. The important issue is to be able to validate a proof’ ability to match the printed result consistently and to the standard expected; colour profiles and calibration facilities help to achieve this. Page 119 © Copyright Pra Intemational td 2003Imagesetters Output media and printing surfaces During the past decade, an increasingly wide range of output media have been developed based on digital systems. They include the creation of the intermediate surface carters required by conventional printing processes, as well as digital printing options that have been developed to meet the challenges and requirements of faster and shorter lead times, reduced costs, improved quality, and to respond to developments in printing processes Output can take many forms, including analogue products such as film, bromide, conventional offset litho and flexographic platemaking, and digital systems, such as laser and inkjet printers, computer‘to-plate (CTP), colour proofing and digital printing, The same digital information can also be repurposed for other multimedia applications to provide ‘outputs to CD-rom, the internet or websites, video and presentation slides. This chapter focuses on imagesetters and laser printers, along with all other forms of output media, including CTP and related areas. Chapter 7 covers colour proofing systems, including the main digital printing technologies. Chapter g covers how prepress has become the focal point of all printing and other media areas. Imagesetters are output devices that produce analogue media mainly in the form of film, as press-ready film or sometimes CTP offset litho polyester material. Imagesetters can reproduce the full range of images required in printing, including text, linematter, tints and photographs in a prescreened form in preparation for outputting and ultimately printing, The development of imagesetters and laser printers has allowed full DTP and WYSIWYG, ie. full make-up on screen, to flourish as all elements on the computer screen can be reproduced in a wide range of options. Examples include analogue form such as film, bromide and in certain cases offset litho polyester plates; also hard-copy proofs, prints and laser-generated plastic or polyester plates Imagesetters are driven from application programs that can output their information in PostScript, the de facto standard page description language (PDL) used in printing and other multimedia industries. PostScript is a device-independent programming language, which means that a PostScript file can be output on any device, regardless ofits resolution. As a programming language, PostScript can support any level of graphic complexity tis also a page-dependent description language, ie. the entire file needs to be interpreted before imaging a single page. Imagesetting essentially consists of two stages using two different devices: a raster image processor (RIP) and a high-resolution printer or output device, normally using laser exposure, A RIP operates by transforming the front-end instructions from the host DTP or EPC system, stored in PostScript language, into a digestible bitmap form of managed data that the output device can use. An RIP has to perform three functions: > Interpret the page description language from the application program, such as (QuarkXPress or Adobe InDesign. D> Create a lst of all the objects on a page, known as a display list. Page 121 © Copyight Pia Imernational Ltd 2003Different types of imagesetter Introduction to Prepress (Output media and printing surfaces > Create a page bitmap for the output device, which tells it where to place the dots that form the page image and how to draw the objects on a page. There are two types of RIP hardware and software. A hardware RIP exists asa separate piece of physical hardware coming between the computer-criven front-end and the output unit, such as the imagesetter or platesetter. A software RIP resides in the computer front-end. Hardware RIPs were used traditionally, but there has been a recent swing to software RIPs as computers and processing power have increased and improved so dramatically. Software RIPs tend to be cheaper and upgrading is a relatively simple task of increasing the processing power of the host computer, or perhaps changing the computer. Hardware upgrades can mean starting all over again. Imagesetters used to have more processing power than RiPs and were therefore faster. This often meant that the imagesetter had to wait for the RIP to catch up, with the required data being supplied to the output device in chunks, leading to visible lines across tint and solid areas, known as banding. There are several ways to minimise banding or avoid it altogether: D> Choose an RIP that is faster than the output device. D> Use a page buffer that retains the rasterised data until it can be sent to the imagesetter or other output device in one complete unit. > Multiplex the RIPs; use several RIPs in parallel to achieve a very fast and powerful rmulti-RIP operation. D> Use capacity doubling, where the RIP can simultaneously convert and queue files while writing a file to an output device Each RIP has a limit on the overall size of each single graphic it can handle, e.g. 83, B1 and above. Adobe, the originator and developer of PostScript, has issued licences for RIP designs that continually take account of new PostScript developments. A RIP controls most forms of powerful output device, from colour copiers transformed into colour printers, to imagesetter and platesetter systems. RIPs are designed to run on Mac, PC or Unix platforms, some as dedicated or proprietary units and others as relatively general-purpose RIPs driving a wide range of output devices ‘Many major prepress companies have developed RIPs to drive their specific range of imagesetters and platesetters with builtin upgrade paths. Electronics for Imaging (EFI) is well known in the industry for its Fiery RIPs for converting colour copiers into colour printers and for use in large-format digital printing. Apart from RIPs developed by major prepress companies, which tend to be dedicated or proprietary, there are also open systems developed by companies that have produced their own PostScript interpreters rather than licensing them from Adobe, These powerful, feature-rich RIPs are very popular in high-end workflows diving imagesetter, platesetters, digital proofing systems and digital presses. Imagesetters generate and expose dots on to photosensitive material, which is mainly supplied in light tight removable cassettes in rol form to different widths depending on job requirements and machine capabilities, Photosensitive material is also supplied in sheet form Page 122 © Copyright Pr Intemational td 2003Capstan imagesetters Drum imagesetters Introduction to Prepress (Output media and printing surfaces in some applications. Different sizes of film can often be held in the imagesetter for easy switching of work. There are two main types of imagesetter, capstan and drum. Capstan imagesetters have a flatbed system using a drive mechanism that moves the photosensitive material, such as film, up to and past the imaging head in the form of a platen, The mechanical capstan relies on the correct amount of tension being present at all times, so capstan imagesetters are generally regarded as inferior to drum imagesetters Capstan imagesetters are seldom considered appropriate for fine and accurate colour registration work. Nevertheless, the latest capstan imagesetters are far more accurate and create work to far higher tolerances than their predecessors. Many capstan imagesetters an produce four-colour separations for printing, with resolutions up to around 20olpi. Drum imagesetters come in two main types, internal drum and external drum, The material to be exposed is held or attached internally or externally around a drum or cylinder. With internal machines the light source or imaging head moves along the inside of the rotating <érum, imaging as it traverses. With external machines the drum not only spins but also traverses while the imaging head remains stationary. One advantage of the external drum machine is that the laser light path to the film is very short compared to the internal drum, helping to achieve very accurate imaging, Imagesetters are continuously improving their speed and their output quality, such as scteen frequency and precise positioning, Speed improvements are achieved using multiple imaging beams, Most modem imagesetters use lasers to produce the imaging beams: visible red laser diode, helium/neon (He/Ne), and light-emitting diode (LED). Laser light is intense but it cannot be easily switched on and off while retaining high speeds and stability. To overcome this problem, the laser light is often passed through ‘a crystal prism or mirror system that deflects the light differentially to simulate on/off switching, A further requirement isa spinning mirror that delivers the imaging dots to exactly the requited positions. Alternatively, a deflecting mirror mechanism without a prism system can be used to introduce the on/off imaging cycle to create the image dots. AAs covered in Chapter 4, the higher the resolution, the greater the range of tones that can be reproduced in halftone form; for example, to reproduce a 15olpi screen frequency with up to 256 grey levels requires an imagesetter that can generate an output resolution of at least 2400dpi. For text, line and relatively coarse halftone work, 1200dpi is generally considered adequate, Modern imagesetters come with a range of output resolutions; this allows each job to have the resolution best suited to its own specific requirements and characteristics, alongside the most efficient use of RIP and imaging or outputting times. The resolution range offered by imagesetters now covers from around 00dpi to over 16,0004 In recent years there has been a considerable trend towards printers installing imagesetters to match the size oftheir biggest press, e.g. B2, B1 or above. The drive towards electronic imposition has accelerated this move to output one-piece composite punch-pin Page 123 © Copyight Pa ntemational ltd 2003Online processors Introduction to Prepress ‘Output media and printing surfaces register film ready for platemaking. Imagesetters can output at over n,o00cm per minute at 1200dpi and over Gooocm? per minute at 2400dpi. The higher the output resolution, the longer it takes to output a given image. Some output devices offer film and polyester plate processing on one machine. ‘The vast majority of printers, repro houses and service bureaus use online film processors ‘that automatically take the exposed film from the imagesetters through a processing unit delivering dry film ready for platemaking, or further operations such as retouching and planning. Some imagesetter and online processor combinations produce film and polyester plates ready for press. With environmental and economic pressures forcing printers to work more cleanly and efficiently, systems have been developed in which the imagesetter and online Pee es Source: Agta Gevaert Page 124 © Copyright Pra international xd 2003Laser printers Introduction to Prepress ‘Output media and priting surfaces processor work in an intelligent or linked relationship. In these systems the imagesetter instructs the processor on what types of image have to be reproduced. Examples are light ‘or heavy image areas, types or tones, with the processor releasing just the right amount of developer and fixer to the units concerned, along with closely monitored temperature control, establishing the optimum working environment. Figure 8: illustrates the Agfa Phoenix internal drum imagesetter with online processor. The imaging system is visible red laser diode, with resolution up to 3o00dpi and 2o0lpi line screen. It is also @ popular dual imagesetter and platesetter as it can regularly be used to produce polyester plates. Monochrome laser printers are relatively ubiquitous in business, office and home environments, in that the majority of computers have at least a monochrome laser printer as an output device. Desktop laser printers have improved considerably in terms of speed and quality since they were first introduced. Originally the printers started at Ag size and 300d; prepress machines were used extensively for proofing work consisting of text and relatively coarse tints Laser printers can now produce much higher added value products, with resolutions of up to 1800 and 24oodpi in A3+* format, thereby positioning them as plain paper imagesetters or platesetters, rather than simply producing hard copies or proofs. Laser printers are also very popular as digital printing devices. The machines come in a wide range of models running on the PC platform, e.g, PCL and HP models, plus PostScript printers that run on Macs. Laser printers usually consist of an inbuilt RIP and a print engine, although sometimes a separate RIP is used on the host Mac or PC. The RIP executes the PostScript commands, taking the digital data, interpreting it and translating or processing it into a series of raster images, which are then output on the appropriate output device, ie. the print engine. The print engine operates by directing extremely fine beams of laser light via a revolving hexagonal mirtor on to a photosensitive drum, The laser beam pulses on and off in response to the instructions received from the RIP, creating charged toner particles con the drum in the image areas only. The particles of toner are then heated and fused on to the chosen carrier or substrate from the loaded drum as they come into contact, producing the printed result. During printing, the software program builds up a description of every object on the page, which is translated by the printer driver into PostScript commands, As the PostScript description language is device-independent, itis the output device, i. the printer, that defines the output resolution. Ifa printer does not have a resident PostScript interpreter, it has to rely on the host computer to create the pattern of dots, which considerably slows down the printing process. Desktop laser printers are capable of speeds over 16 pages per minute, and more powerful, stand-alone machines have speeds of over 100 pages per minute. Actual printing speeds will depend on the complexity of the page to be printed. A highly illustrated page will take longer than a simple text page, as will an A3 image compared to an Ag image, Page 125 © Copyright Pa Intemational ltd 2003Mixed media Dot-for-dot scanners Mixed-media output systems Introduction to Prepress (Output media and printing surfaces due to pages having to be created and imaged before the print engine can deliver them through the laser printer. ‘One problem yet to be overcome by some printers is working with mixed media, digital and analogue. Many printers operate in an environment, such as in newspapers and magazines, where they regularly work with publishers, advertising and design agencies, etc, who supply at least some film or camera-teady copy for jobs, along with digital data in its many forms, To operate efficiently, printing companies have to find a common ‘working environment and that increasingly involves a digital workflow. ‘Apart from the external influences of printers being supplied material in non: digital form, there is often an immense amount of useful archived material in film form, at least some of which would be invaluable if it were available in digital form. One solution lies in the use of a scanner or scanning systems that will digtise the analogue media to create a common digital working environment with electronic make-up and imposition, ‘outputting in composite plate-ready film flats or computer-to-plate. Specialist flatbed CCD scanners have been developed to create digital data from line artwork, continuous tone or colour-separated, prescreened negative and positive film, transparencies and reflection colour prints. The machines come in scanning format sizes from A3* up to Br, taking existing imposed film flats, or pasted-up artwork, and digitising them in planned form, The scanner has the facility to reproduce each single dot or line of a prescreened original. This dot-for-dot procedure will operate where the size and screen ruling in the originals match the required result ata 19 ratio. In circumstances where the screened material needs changing and manipulating, a descreening process is undertaken, along with retouching and manipulation as required. ‘The dot-fordot scanner consists of two main parts: the front-end or job preparation station and the scanner. The job preparation station consists mainly of a high: performance PC, interfaced to the scanner, that is often networked to a company’s general digital workflow, plus software packages covering data compression, picture replacement, manipulation, automatic registration and digital descreening, etc. The scanner normally has a flatbed copyholder construction, available in varying sizes to suit requirements. Input scanning resolution is from at least 1270dpi up to 2540dpi, with output or interpolated resolution at so8olpi. In addition to dot-for-dot scanners, some scanner manufacturers offer a ‘copydot’ add-on for their conventional scanner. ‘A further option for mixed-media working is to use products that allow exposure of digital source data and conventional planned film on the same plate, masking off selected areas of the plate to suit the circumstances. Two such devices are the Laserstepper (Misomex) and the rebadged Platejet (DuPont/Cymbolic Sciences). Other dual or hybrid devices include imagesetters that can be upgraded to platesetters producing metal as well as polyester plates. But with digital workflows becoming the norm, suppliers and printers are increasingly phasing out mixed-media output systems. Page 126 © Copyright Pra Intemational lid 2003