Page 16 - Graphic Design and Print Production Fundamentals

4 Graphic Communications Open Textbook Collective
Chapter 6 is a comprehensive look at how all of this design work will result in a finished product. The
many ways that a design can be printed are varied and complex, but having some knowledge about how
the print process works will help to create a more successful project. Is it going to be printed on a box,
or on a billboard? How many copies are needed: one or one million? These and many more decisions
influence how a product will be produced. This chapter outlines some of the more popular printing
technologies, along with industry standard procedures for working with them. Suggestions for choosing
the right paper (or other types of substrates) are also made along with best practices for working with
colour on the printed page.

Chapter 7 rounds out this textbook with a look at online technologies and how they affect, and are
affected by, the printed word. We examine online web-to-print solutions and their contribution to
bridging the process from graphic design to printed work. We also highlight other considerations such
as branding and digital file resolution strategies. As the world has moved into an Internet-connected,
always-on compendium of information, print remains a vital, relevant, and important part of the media
mix. Effective communication campaigns make the most of all opportunities that media design and, in
particular, print design can offer.

The goal of this text is to bridge the disciplines of communication design and print production to form
a concise, accessible compendium outlining the design process in this modern, computer-driven age.
While it is common, or perhaps easy, to surmise that graphic design is solely a computer-driven pursuit,
when we take a step back, and look at the entire process, we see that computer-aided design is only
one part of a larger picture. And by including this larger domain in our studies, we can truly gain an
appreciation for the influences and strategies needed to be successful in this field.

Media Attributions

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• Folha by Brunomed © Public Domain