2013 Real World Print Production by Claude McCue

Question 1

What is a raster image processor?

Answer 1

• Dedicated computer running specialized software that converts PostScript or PDF files into bitmapped information.
• Used by imaging device such as placesetter, digital press, or inkjet printer.
• Since each RIP consists of proprietary hardware and software, capabilities differ among vendors.

Question 2

What is a one-color job vs two-color job?

Answer 2

(1/C or 1-C)
One-color job is printed with only one-ink
(such as black-only text)

(2/c or 2-C)
Two-color job is printed with two inks

Question 3

What does 1-C and 2-C stand for?

Answer 3

One Color and Two Color jobs

Question 4

What does 2/1 or 4/1 mean?

Answer 4

• two-over-one job. Printed with two inks one side, one ink on other.
• Four-over-one. A job printed with four inks (usually CMYK) on one side, and one ink (usually black) on other side

Question 5

What is artist alterations?

Answer 5

Changes requested by designer after the job has been submitted to the printer. Simple changes early in the job (such as correcting mispellings) may incur little or no charge once the job is on press would be expenssive

Question 6

What is a bump plate?

Answer 6

A second impression of a color, to strengthen the appearance on paper. Often used for large area coverage and for color enhancements of product imaging and fine arts prints.

Question 7

What does C1s and C2s mean?

Answer 7

Paper coated on one/two sides

Question 8

What is casebinding?

Answer 8

Bookbinding process in which multiple signatures are sewn together. Then glue is applied to the spine edge of combined signatures, and a hard cover is pressed into place

Question 9

What is a color cast?

Answer 9

An unwanted color shift in an image, such as an overall pink tint to a scene that should be all grays and white.

Question 10

Color Management

Answer 10

Calibrating and proofing devices to ensure color consistency among monitors, printers, proofing systems, and printing presses

Question 11

What is a converter?

Answer 11

A manufacturing facility that makes products such as envelopes, folding cartons and dislpays

Question 12

What is creep?

Answer 12

The tendency of inner pages of a book (of large signature) to push outward, pushing the edges of inner pages beyond the edges of outer pages. Compensation is performed during imposition to minimize unwanted cropping of page content.

Question 13

What is DIE?

Answer 13

• It is emobssing
• Sculpted metal pieces used with heat and pressure to mold paper for artistic embellishment
• Usually there is a positive and negative version of the shape to be embossed

Question 14

Define digital camera

Answer 14

Filmless photography, thanks to tiny photosensitive circuity. Images can be downloaded directly to a computer and used immediately in design. Maybe you should soften those wrinkles first, though.

Question 15

Define duotone

Answer 15

• Rendering an image in two colors of ink (black and spot)
• Tritones use 3 inks
• Quadtones use 4 inks (usually 3 spot + black)
• Used to achieve visual effect, or provide more interesting rendering of images in two-color or tree-color jobs

Question 16

What is a fake duotone?

Answer 16

Using, printing a black-and-white halftone over a color tine to add a bit of color to a grayscale image

Question 17

Define folio

Answer 17

A sheet of paper folded in half; for example, the outside and inside pages of four-page brochure. Folio is also used to refer to page numbers

Question 18

Define grain

Answer 18

The predominant direction of fibers in paper, which can determine the direction in which folding is best performed

Question 19

What is ‘gripper edge’?

Answer 19

The edge of a sheet of paper used to pull the paper through the press. Sometimes called feeding or leading edge.

Question 20

Define Moire patterns?

Answer 20

An undesirable interference pattern created between inks of different angles, especially when printing images containing patterns of their own, such as photographs of textile or clothing.

Question 21

What is overprint?

Answer 21

To print text or artwork over an image or color tint (for example, black text over background image); also called surprint.

Question 22

What is pagination?

Answer 22

Placing pages in the correct order during imposition for trimming and binding.

Question 23

What is printer alterations?

Answer 23

Changes made to a job by the printer, to ensure successful print, such as creating a rich black build to use instead of only black ink in a large are of coverage. The costs of printer alterations are not charged to the client.

Question 24

What is a scatter proof?

Answer 24

A preliminary color proof of images and other artwork, used to determine if color corrections and retouching will be neccesary before the job is printed

Question 25

What is a screen angle?

Answer 25

The angle along which the halfdots of a color are positioned. In a multicolor job, each ink prints at different screen angle to minimize the interference pattern called more.