PRODPP711 – Design and produce creative digital colour artwork for print
Overview
This standard covers the design and production of digital artwork for print using software such as desktop publishing, word processing, electronic page composition or graphic illustration.
The standard is intended for designers working in a production environment whose role involves working with and advising customers on appropriate specifications for artwork for print and producing finished digital artwork to agreed or amended specifications.
This is what the standard covers:
Creative colour artwork for print is required for a vast range of products that may be printed using various printing methods. For example, printed textiles, ceramics, packaging, books, magazines, display and point-of-sale material, may involve lithography, flexography, gravure or screen process, depending on the substrate and other factors.
Each product and printing method requires artwork to be designed and produced, mostly in digital format that will meet the product specification and the customer's requirements.
It is critically important at the outset of a printing project that the product design requirements, as they relate to print, are correctly specified. For example the size of the print area, the number of colours to be used and any post-print processes that may impact on the design must be determined. There will be many different factors to be considered, depending on the type of product.
The designer must be able to assess technical printing issues and product requirements when the artwork design is being specified, and to offer correct advice to the customer to prevent subsequent problems during printing and post-printing operations. In addition, the designer must be capable of understanding and interpreting the customer's creative requirements, so that the artwork fulfils its practical, aesthetic and design objectives.
Once a design specification has been agreed, artwork must be produced, often incorporating several different kinds of source material. Photography, copy-writing and image scanning may need to be commissioned, for example. Depending on the size of the project, work colleagues and outworkers may need to be co-ordinated so that all the elements required for the creation of the digital artwork are available in time to meet the production schedule.
After the first proof has been submitted to the customer, there are likely to be changes required. These may range from simple typographical corrections to major re-working of the artwork. The designer must be able to deal with the customer professionally and helpfully whilst making sure that the project remains on time, within budget, and meets the product technical specification and print requirements. Where any of these are at risk of being missed, the designer must give appropriate and timely advice.
On completion of the artwork and approval by the customer, the designer must make sure that all the digital files are properly archived and the files required for print are forwarded in the required format to the printer.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Agree a design specification for digital colour artwork for print
establish the proposed specification for artwork, including any technical requirements relating to application or use of printed product
establish the printing method, substrate and finishing method likely to be used for printing artwork, together with any enhancements which will be needed during or after printing to meet the specification
establish the creative or stylistic needs for artwork in order to satisfy its intended audience, use or application
propose to customers design specifications that meet requirements relating to creative or stylistic needs, product use and printing method
amend your proposals to comply with any comments from customers and re-submit proposed design specifications until customers are satisfied
agree timescales with customers for the production of artwork that both meets the needs of customers and the capability of yourself and your team
keep adequate records of agreed designs and product specifications, the scope of the work agreed, and any other relevant contractual issues
Produce creative digital colour artwork suitable for proofing
identify the range and sequence of tasks required to produce artwork
check you have the correct digital files needed for production of artwork, including any text, database, spreadsheet or image files
identify and obtain other appropriate source material as required
delegate and co-ordinate tasks to colleagues or external sources when required in order to meet agreed production timescales
confirm that digital files for use in artwork are in a suitable format
convert or use appropriate import filters to bring files into artwork layout software, retaining original formatting where required
produce creative colour artwork that meets agreed design specification as far as possible
check that any typographical elements are formatted to a high standard of accuracy
check that any charts or tables are in the appropriate format
check that any line-art or bitmap images are of sufficient quality for the document use and have the correct resolution and colour space
check that all the colours used in documents are consistent with the intended printing method
save digital files in a secure way, using an adequate archiving or indexing system
submit colour proofs to customers in the appropriate manner for them to evaluate
Amend digital colour artwork as required to meet customer and product specification
carry out a realistic assessment of the extent of any corrections, amendments and stylistic changes required to proofs by customers
interpret and apply accurate typographic corrections indicated by readers and copy preparation marks
seek clarification or advice from customers where requirements are unclear or unable to be effected
bring issues relating to likely additional costs caused by unexpected re-working to the attention of customers or appropriate colleague in line with organisational procedures
seek agreement for additional work to be done, when necessary, in line with the policy of your organisation
make corrections and amendments which meet customer requirements and submit subsequent proofs after each round of amendments until artwork is approved
archive digital files in a secure way
submit finished digital artwork for printing in the format required by printers
liaise with printers or pre-press specialists to resolve any difficulties with digital artwork
assess printed work against requirements to evaluate how design and artwork have worked in practice
Knowledge and understanding
You need to know and understand
the law as it affects printing: defamation, copyright and ownership of images, obscenity, incitement, forgery, data protection
ethical issues relevant to printing: confidentiality, personal issues important to others, including ethnic origin, gender, religion, sexuality
hazards and risks in your own job, their assessment and the action to take to deal with them
the relevant health and safety regulations on the safe handling of equipment and materials, and the safe use of computer equipment
how to safely handle customer material
security and storage: computer system security and virus protection, the print with time-sensitive or restricted release dates, the high value products or print with a high risk of theft
how to securely archive digital and conventional artwork
how to communicate with colleagues, customers, suppliers and visitors
workplace objectives, priorities, standards and procedures
the range of work carried out in the workplace
the key job roles within the printing and graphic communications industry and their main purposes
the identification and assessment of printing options
the reasons for selecting one process over another
the choice of processes for any particular product
the role of images in graphic communication
changing image styles, fashions and demands in printed products
the stages in the printing process from pre-press to printed product
the different types of resource, including labour, materials, and machinery
the relationship between resource usage and profitability
the operation of software and hardware used in a creative artwork environment
typefaces and fonts
the procedures for document checking and proofing
document layout
the principles of design and how it is affected by different substrates
the finishing method used and how this will affect the creation of digital colour artwork
ways to obtain sources of material including photography, scanning or copy-writing
sources of original material, including photographers and graphic artists
how to find and use archive and on-line sources of digital images colour theory
the importance of visual compatibility in digital images
the relationship between image size, file size and resolution file formats for digital images
the assessment of material for scanning and potential problems and solutions
dealing with embedded information
file management procedures
file conversion techniques
how to transmit digital files
administrative procedures: planning and scheduling, recording and reporting
product labelling
the main features of quality assurance and quality control systems
the light standards for viewing and assessing colour print
the types and characteristics of paper, board and other commonly used substrates the types & characteristics of inks, coatings and coatings
the principal types of proof and their role in the printing process
the printers imprint
Keywords: digital, print, pre-press, pre press, design, colour, artwork
PRODPP711 – Design and produce creative digital colour artwork for print
Overview
This standard covers the design and production of digital artwork for print using software such as desktop publishing, word processing, electronic page composition or graphic illustration.
The standard is intended for designers working in a production environment whose role involves working with and advising customers on appropriate specifications for artwork for print and producing finished digital artwork to agreed or amended specifications.
This is what the standard covers:
Creative colour artwork for print is required for a vast range of products that may be printed using various printing methods. For example, printed textiles, ceramics, packaging, books, magazines, display and point-of-sale material, may involve lithography, flexography, gravure or screen process, depending on the substrate and other factors.
Each product and printing method requires artwork to be designed and produced, mostly in digital format that will meet the product specification and the customer's requirements.
It is critically important at the outset of a printing project that the product design requirements, as they relate to print, are correctly specified. For example the size of the print area, the number of colours to be used and any post-print processes that may impact on the design must be determined. There will be many different factors to be considered, depending on the type of product.
The designer must be able to assess technical printing issues and product requirements when the artwork design is being specified, and to offer correct advice to the customer to prevent subsequent problems during printing and post-printing operations. In addition, the designer must be capable of understanding and interpreting the customer's creative requirements, so that the artwork fulfils its practical, aesthetic and design objectives.
Once a design specification has been agreed, artwork must be produced, often incorporating several different kinds of source material. Photography, copy-writing and image scanning may need to be commissioned, for example. Depending on the size of the project, work colleagues and outworkers may need to be co-ordinated so that all the elements required for the creation of the digital artwork are available in time to meet the production schedule.
After the first proof has been submitted to the customer, there are likely to be changes required. These may range from simple typographical corrections to major re-working of the artwork. The designer must be able to deal with the customer professionally and helpfully whilst making sure that the project remains on time, within budget, and meets the product technical specification and print requirements. Where any of these are at risk of being missed, the designer must give appropriate and timely advice.
On completion of the artwork and approval by the customer, the designer must make sure that all the digital files are properly archived and the files required for print are forwarded in the required format to the printer.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Agree a design specification for digital colour artwork for print
Produce creative digital colour artwork suitable for proofing
Amend digital colour artwork as required to meet customer and product specification
Knowledge and understanding
You need to know and understand
Keywords: digital, print, pre-press, pre press, design, colour, artwork