Printing Guide

Prompt: Design a way to present information about commercial printing. Include pre-press information as well and finishing techniques.

 

Commercial printing and pre-press production are complicated processes. I created an informational desk toy shelf to educate users on the steps of the process. I chose to make a shelf so users could access each topic quickly. I didn’t want the user to have to flip through all of the content to find the information they needed, so I subdivided the information by category. Each group of information is printed on a two-sided “puck” that slides into the shelf. I wanted to make a colorful interactive object to brighten up a desk space. I chose the colors teal, goldenrod, and bright purple: a secondary color triad and a fresh twist on the traditional CMYK. The shelf and the pucks are labeled on all sides so the user knows where to return each puck when they are done reading. 

The information in this guide is targeted towards professionals. These users are not graphic designers, but work closely with them and need to understand what sort of specifications are required for commercial printing. This guide includes information on everything from document setup and color requirements to the best printing methods and the different finishing touches that are available. The information is presented in a way that is easy to digest so the user can continue their workflow. 

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