Ch 4 Package Printing and Decorating

Question 1

In the ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM, provide examples at the long, medium and short end.

Answer 1

Long end = Infrared, microwave, AM radio
Medium end = VISIBLE LIGHT (to the human eye)
Short end = Ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays

Question 2

For VISIBLE LIGHT, list which colors have the shortest to longest wavelengths.

Answer 2

(shortest) Violet, Blue, Green Yellow, Orange, Red (longest)

Question 3

For COLOR PERCEPTION, which 3 colors can the human eye detect?
How many differentiable colors are there?
Which two colors provide the largest perceived contrast?

Answer 3

Red, Green and Blue
Over 1 million colors
Black & Yellow

Question 4

Define ADDITIVE SYNTHESIS?
What are the combinations of the 3 primary additive colors?

Answer 4

The addition of different light wavelengths to produce a new color.
Blue + Green = Cyan
Red + Blue = Magenta
Red + Green = Yellow

Question 5

Define SUBTRACTIVE SYNTHESIS

Answer 5

Synthesis of printing inks where colors are produced by subtracting wavelengths from white light.

Question 6

For COLOR TERMINOLOGY:
Define HUE
Define VALUE

Answer 6

The color’s position in the spectrum of light.
The lightness or darkness of color relative to the gray scale.

Question 7

For COLOR TERMINOLOGY:
Define SATURATION
Define BRIGHTNESS

Answer 7

How strongly colored the object is or how much the color differs in it’s strength of color from gray.
Describes the total amount of reflected wavelength particular to a color.

Question 8

What is the difference between INCANDESCENT LIGHTS and FLOURESCENT LIGHTS?

Answer 8

INCANDESCENT LIGHTS are rich in the red end of the spectrum.
FLOURESCENT LIGHTS are deficient in reds.

Question 9

Graphic art industries have standardized viewing illumination to a light source. What is the optimal temperature value and why?

Answer 9

5000° Kelvin - approximates northern daylight at that temperature

Question 10

What are the 3 factors that COLOR PERCEPTION depends on?

Answer 10

LIGHT SOURCE - Light from different sources has different wavelength compositions.
OBJECT - The object itself influences color.
OBSERVER - Person viewing the color.

Question 11

What is the problem with “objective” instrumental color measurement?

Answer 11

The instrument makes no allowance for shapes, adjacent colors, textures and other factors that will affect human color perception.

Question 12

To create a good full-color illustration, a minimum of how many print plates are required?
What are the process colors?

Answer 12

Four
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black)

Question 13

What are the 3 general categories of printed matter?

Answer 13

LINE ART
HALFTONE ART
PROCESS PRINTED ART

Question 14

Define what LINE ART is and provide examples.

Answer 14

LINE ART consists of solid or monolithic ink lay-downs of a single HUE.
Type copy, diagrams and line illustrations with solid color blocks are LINE ART.

Question 15

What is the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM (PMS) used for?
What is a DRAW DOWN and how is it used with PMS?

Answer 15

PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM - the most frequently used system for specifying LINE ART which is comprised of multiple books of color chips.
DRAW DOWN is a step in which the correct thickness of the specified formula is applied to the substrate to be printed.

Question 16

What is a CONTINUOUS HALF-TONE IMAGE?
What does K50 mean?

Answer 16

CONTINUOUS HALF-TONE IMAGES are black and white photographs that use only black pigments.
K50 = Black at 50% saturation (about 50% of surface is covered by Black ink dots)

Question 17

What are the typical DPI or SCREEN RANGES for the below printing methods:
SCREEN PRINTING
FLEXOGRAPHY
LITHOGRAPHY/GRAVURE

Answer 17

SCREEN PRINTING = 40 to 110 DPI
FLEXOGRAPHY = 60 to 150 DPI
LITHOGRAPHY/GRAVURE = 133 to 200 DPI

Question 18

What is PROCESS PRINTING and how is it achieved?

Answer 18

Complex printing of a full color illustration. It is achieved by separating the photographic original into three component colors plus the key color CMYK.

Question 19

What is COMPUTER TO PLATE (CTP) technology?
What is DIRECT TO PRESS (DTP) technology?

Answer 19

CTP imposes the graphic record directly onto the printing plate eliminating all intermediate steps and photographic materials.
DTP forms the printing plate directly inside the press.

Question 20

What is a MOIRE PATTERN and how can these be minimized?

Answer 20

MOIRE PATTERNS occur when dot rows in different colors would lining up in orderly formations that interfere with proper product appearance.
These are minimized by placing the color screens at different angles.

Question 21

Define what a KEYLINE is and which department requires it?

Answer 21

KEYLINE is a layout showing the exact position and size of each element in a proposed design. This is required by the ART DEPARTMENT.

Question 22

Define PRE PRESS and what important factor is usually determine then?

Answer 22

PRE PRESS is the transformation of turning a concept on computer screen into a form that can be satisfactorily and economically printed in the millions.
The number of colors on a carton is usually finalized in PRE PRESS.

Question 23

Define KISS and TRAPPING

Answer 23

KISS = White line that appears between two colors during lithographic printing.
TRAPPING = The extra margin of color where two colors come together so that the inks overlap even at the extremes of plate movement.

Question 24

Which color is the most difficult to keep consistent and why?

Answer 24

BROWN is the most difficult because it requires blending of all 4 process colors.

Question 25

Define MAKE READY for offline operations

Answer 25

MAKE READY refers to having separate press setups and a number of printing trials to register and bring the machine up to production readiness

Question 26

What are the typical reasons (4) PROOFS are wanted?

Answer 26

1) During the design stage to approve and copy
2) During the design stage to verify general color corrections
3) For a final contract proof before print plates are made
4) For a press proof and approval before commitment to production

Question 27

Creating a DIGITAL PROOF that closely matches what will come off the press is a challenge because (4 reasons)?

Answer 27

1) Digital printers use CMYK inks
2) Digital printing employs line patterns whereas process printing uses half-tone dots
3) The proofing image might be applied to a different substrate
4) Digital proofing may not accurately duplicate press characteristics

Question 28

The bulk o f package printing can be grouped into 3 basic categories

Answer 28

RELIEF - Variations include FLEXOGRPAHY
PLANOGRAPHIC - The process is known as OFFSET LITHOGRAPHY.
GRAVURE - The process is ROTOGRAVURE

Question 29

PRINTING PRESSES have what features (5) in common regardless of printing method?

Answer 29

1) An accurate feed system that presents substrate to the printing station
2) An ink reservoir or ink fountain
3) A means of metering ink so it’s consistently applied
4) Uses print plates that are each dedicated to one color
5) Means of transferring the ink to the substrate

Question 30

The term ROLL FED is also known as?
What kind of materials are typically roll fed?

Answer 30

1) Also known as WEB FED
2) Materials that are lightweight or stretchy

Question 31

What are the reason why you would ADD COLOR STATIONS outside the primary 4?

Answer 31

1) Double applications of the same color needed to produce the desired depth
2) Cooperate colors that are often specified PMS
3) Produce fluorescent or metallic colors
4) Produce difficult colors such as orange, dark brown and some greens

Question 32

Describe the process of RELIEF PRINTING. This type of printing is also known as?

Answer 32

Uses a raised surface to hold the ink. The raised surface is inked by passing an inked roller over it (simple rubber stamp is an example of this printing). This direct style of print is AKA FLEXOGRAPHIC printing.