The Young Designer’s Guide

Goodbye crappy ink jet printer. So long expensive print lab fees. Au revoir staying up until 2:00 am to complete your final design piece for class the next day. Goodbye slicing off the tip of your finger in the paper cutter while and your roommate tells you to “just put a band aid on it,” when it’s gushing blood… Sorry if I stirred up some memories there. I am sure you have a similar story and the battle wounds to prove it.

Now that you are a graduate with a degree, you are either working on a freelance gig or recently started your first job. Now you have to work within a print budget. It’s probably pretty small, unless you are really lucky and your client has given you a nice chunk of change. Either way, for the first time you are designing a piece that will be mass produced, with perhaps hundreds, even thousands printed. You have options, use them.

Ordering a Print Job
The first step is to make sure you know how to order a print job. Don’t be shy, ask the printer questions. They are usually more than willing to help and give advice. Ask them what type of file to send, typically an EPS or PDF file. I normally outline the fonts into shapes when working in illustrator to keep things simple. (Select All Open Apple + Shift + O)

Here is a basic outline of what information to submit to a printer when requesting a quote

Project Type:
Dimensions:
Quantity:
Paper:
Ink:
Bleed:
Binding: (Optional)
Special Instructions:

Here is an example:

Project Type: Letterhead
Dimensions: 8.5″ x 11″
Quantity: 1,000
Paper: Neenah Classic Laid Solar White 24lb
Ink: 2/0 Black & Pantone 151
Bleed: Full Bleed
Special Instructions: Letter “M” embossed in lower left hand corner.

Paper
If your office does not have a paper sample library already setup contact the paper companies we’ve listed on the site to get samples, or attend a paper show held by associations like the AIGA. Remember when working with papers there are different weights “T” is Text, a lighter weight paper good for letterheads. “C” for Cover, and is a heavier weight. Paper companies may vary on weight systems, so if you are confused by their system you best bet is to feel the papers to get a better idea of the weigh and find what you are looking for. If you are looking to save money ask the printer what paper stocks they carry in house.

Ink
2/0 What does that mean? Well it means two colors on the front and none on the back. 4/4 would be mean either full color CMYK or 4 pantone on each side. Full color, unless it is on a digital printer, can be pricey. Working with one or two colors on a high quality colored paper or texture can look high end for a lower cost.

Bleed
A bleed is when an image or letters run off the edge of the page. If you have a bleed on one, two or all sides, you should mention it to your printer because it affects the cost. The printer has to print the design on a larger size paper and trim down to the edge to have a bleed. If you have a bleed on a design make sure the final file you send the printer includes an extra .25 inch of the image around the document.

Special Instructions
Special Instructions can be anything from embossing to spot gloss or a dye cut. If you have the budget and it works with the design go for it.

In conclusion, you no longer have to print your own work or slice off pieces of your finger. You have a chance to play and explore textures, colors, bindings, and more. Be creative. Don’t be afraid to try. There is more to life than plain white paper.