When you flip through a
brochure or catalog, do you ever wonder how the material was produced? Have you
ever thought of the process that the material went through? Between the design
and printing, there is a meticulous process that happens before a brochure or
catalog will become ink on paper. It’s a process that people don’t really know,
but without it we will never get hold of printed materials.
Prepress
is a process that a document must go through before final printing. It’s what happens
from the moment design decisions are made to the final product—from the
preparation of the texts, photos, and graphics to the printing press. The
prepress process must take into consideration the process and limitations of
traditional and digital prepress in order to create a successful design.
Most prepress works are
done digitally these days. The introduction of the Apple IIGS in 1984 allowed
graphic designers to create designs on a computer. Software (QuarkXPress for the layout, Adobe Photoshop
for image manipulation and special effects, Extensis PreFlight for correction
of design elements such as colors and fonts, etc.) were also introduced that
helped them convert digital files into press ready files.
With continuous improvement
in technology, prepress houses can now create huge and complex files. The
results are beautifully designed materials that look visually interesting to
readers. In the years to come, the industry can expect to see more advances in
digital prepresses, andompanies who want to stay competitive must learn to
adapt to these advancements in order to stay at the forefront of
technology.
There's something interesting in my mind right now. We are aware of the wonders of 3D printing. I believe that in the coming days, we will be able to do as much in 3D printing as what we have done with graphics designs. I'm excited!
ReplyDelete