Course Description
Print Production for Designers focuses on current print production procedures that can ready designers for real world policies, procedures and accountability. Understanding printing processes is an essential part of designing that can assure a predictable outcome. Emphasis is on the importance of personal communication skills to better advance ideas. Topics include print media specifications, digital prepress, Pre-flight, page imposition, proofing, and preparation of color files. Strategic use of internet search engines, websites, and leveraging tools of technology will be demonstrated to support student efforts.
Expectations
In this course you will be expected to learn and demonstrate knowledge of the terminology, technology, policies and procedures of graphic print production. You will be expected to understand the skills, tools and applied theory necessary to manage graphic arts color.
You will be expected to work individually to document, analyze and apply key printing production topics and concepts. You will be required to demonstrate an understanding of the topics from reading resource material and completing written assignments prior to the class sessions. You will be expected to articulate your thoughts during class sessions through discussions and presentations.
In addition to individual assignments, you will work in teams to produce a major term project, and several in-class projects. Team assignments, including the mid-term, will be creative applications of subject matter and presentations covered in class. For the Final Project, each team will collaborate to design, produce and present a publication of no less than 16 pages with a self-cover.
Correct document preparation, Pre-flight, printing and finishing will be covered during the semester. Team cooperation will be critical to project success.
Attendance
College and Departmental policies regarding attendance and lateness will be strictly upheld. Only two absences will be allowed. Students arriving after attendance is taken will be marked late. 2 lates = 1 absence. After being absent two times or equivalent, a student may be asked to withdraw from the class (code W before the College drop deadline) or may be withdrawn from the class (code WU).
Please notify me in advance if you will be unable to attend a class session. It is your responsibility to obtain class notes and assignment details from your peers for missed sessions from your peers. You will be expected to submit homework assignments electronically before any missed sessions.
Absence from class does not excuse you from submitting homework assignments on time.
Grading
Learning Journal: 30%
In-class productivity: 25%
Mid-term Project and Presentation: 20%
Final Term Project and Presentation: 25%
Academic Integrity Standards
You are responsible for reading, understanding and abiding by the NYC College of Technology Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities,” section “Academic Integrity Standards.” Academic dishonesty of any type, including cheating and plagiarism is unacceptable. “Cheating” is misrepresenting another student’s efforts/work as your own. “Plagiarism” is the representation of another person’s work, words or concepts as your own.
Recommended Texts
A Guide to Graphic Design Production. (3rd Edition) Kaj Johansson, Peter Lundberg, Robert Ryberg. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 0470907924
Forms, Folds, and Sizes. (2nd Edition) Poppy Evans and Aaris Sherin. Rockport Publishers. ISBN: 1592534619
Getting It Right in Print. Mark Gatter. Harry N. Abrams Books. ISBN:081099206X or Laurence King Publishing. ISBN:1856694216
Pocket Pal, A Graphic Arts Production Handbook. International Paper. ISBN: 0977271617
Production for Graphic Designers. (5th Edition) Alan Pipes. Overlook Hardcover. ISBN: 0205684793
Additional Resources
American Printer, Graphic Arts Monthly, Printing Impressions, Printing News, Blurb.com, vistaprint.com, adobe.com, Library of Congress Digital Collections, Wikimedia Commons, ilovetypography.com, myfonts.com, etc.
Course Materials
Plan to use a portable hard drive for storing, transporting and managing your digital files. This is essential for accessing files and managing digital assets. At very least, for this course, you will be required to work with a 16gb or 32gb USB storage device.
You should also have access to cloud storage such as Dropbox and Google Drive. While these resources will not be acceptable means of transporting files to and from class on a weekly basis, they can be valuable tools for backing up and transferring files.
Access to the Adobe Creative Suite outside of class will be necessary to complete this course. Please familiarize yourself with City Tech lab hours and locations if you do not have access to the necessary programs on your own computer.
Note that you will be expected to contribute to the cost of producing your mid-term and final projects.
OpenLab & WordPress
We will be using the OpenLab internet application in conjunction with WordPress to provide access to course materials, keep current with course developments and allow students to communicate, collaborate and submit course assignments inside and outside the classroom.
Weekly homework assignments and other course materials will be readily accessible to you via this platform. You will be responsible for creating a WordPress and OpenLab profile (if you have not done so already), and joining the Course group for this class.
Our OpenLab Course page can be found at the following URL:
https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/groups/cdmg3532-printproductionfordesigners-fa2016/
The WordPress.com site that is connected to OpenLab and will serve as our class website can be found at the following URL:
https://cdmg3532fall2016.wordpress.com/
You will be responsible for posting weekly homework assignments on these sites. Please familiarize yourselves with them as soon as possible.
Class Schedule
**Note: The following schedule is subject to change. Weekly Assignment posts will serve as updates.
Week 1 – August 29
Introduction and Course Overview
The Evolution of Print Production
For Next Week:
Reading: Paul Chan, Wht is a Book?, Badlands Unlimited, NY, 2010. (PDF available online.)
*NO CLASSES – SEPTEMBER 5*
Week 2 – September 12
Discussion: Wht is a Book? Printed Media and Digital Production.
Designer as Manager: Roles in design and production processes.
Group Work Session: Establishing a collaborative design team.
For Next Week:
Attend the NYABF, Written Response.
Week 3 – September 19
The Print Production Industry: Management and Organization.
Group Work Session: Organizing the Design Process.
For Next Week:
Written response: Project brief defining roles and organization in the print production workflow.
Week 4 – September 26
Postpress Specifications: Analyzing industry specifications for binding and finishing, planning for a finished product.
Group Work Session: Begin First Project, design a miniature “zine.”
For Next Week:
Identifying bound and finished products.
Continue working on first project.
Week 5 – THURSDAY – October 6
Papers and Substrates: Understanding paper production, impact of surfaces and finishes on printing processes
Group Work Session: Feedback/Adjustments/Imposition for First Project
For Next Week:
Complete Layout and 1 Print of First Project
*NO CLASSES – OCTOBER 10*
Week 6 – October 17
Group Work Session & Discussion: Print/Fold/Collate/Bind First Project
For Next Week:
Written Response: Assess First Project
Week 7 – October 24
Color Management for Production: Analyzing color modes and spaces, planning for color gamuts, mapping additive and subtractive color principles.
For Next Week:
First Draft of Mid-Term Brief: Color Design
Week 8 – October 31
Using Color in Production: Understanding the Bourges Color Concept, working with color combinations and color palettes, Mapping color relationships; clean, contaminated and complementary colors.
For Next Week:
Complete Mid-Term Brief
Week 9 – November 7
Mid-Term Review
Examination and presentations of Mid-term project
For Next Week:
Written response: Ideas for direction of Final Project
Week 10 – November 14
Printing Specifications: Compare industry specifications for printing processes & devices.
Group Work Session: Begin Final Project
For Next Week:
Written Assignment: Technical Project Brief
Gather images, text, etc. for final
Week 11 – November 21
Previewing Final Layout: PreFLyt
Examining documents, layout, file formats, and color space for successful printing
Group Work Session: Continue Working on Final Project
For Next Week:
Pre-flight Checklist: Begin examining final project for potential output issues
Week 12 – November 28
Prepress and Proofing Specifications
Review procedures for calibration on soft-proofing devices, anticipating and correcting issues in hard proofing formats
Group Work Session: Continue Working on Final Project, prepare files for hard proofing and soft-proofing
For Next Week:
Written response: The importance of proofing
Continue work on Final, Create hard proofs of your files
Week 13 – December 5
Postpress and Printing: Understanding the relationship between printing processes, substrates, and binding and finishing.
For Next Week:
Send your project to press
Written response: Expectations for print output
Week 14 – December 12
Present Final Projects: Digital Aspects of Production Process
For Next Week:
Written response: Outcome and assessment of printed object
Week 15 – December 19
Present Final Projects: Physical Objects
PRINT PRODUCTION FOR DESIGNERS 