They say that the proof of the pudding is in the eating, well we say, the success of your printing is in the proofing.
When you’re investing in print you want everything to be perfect, and so do we. So here are three simple tips for proofing, which will help create perfect print jobs.
1. Don’t do it alone
If you’ve written the content, worked with the designers on the visuals and then try to proof the artwork you are likely to miss something. Ask a colleague to take a look with a fresh pair of eyes for the best chance of avoiding something slipping through. (Note: this is not the time for tinkering with content or design so be sure to tell your colleague you simply want to know nothing’s wrong)
2. Look for the technical stuff
Having something printed means we need to know where the paper needs to be cut, the content needs to run over the edge of the page so you don’t end up with a white gap all the way around (known as the bleed) and the artwork needs creating with the right type of colour set up. Our helpful team will advise you about the specification for your project and any decent designer will know just what to do with that information
3. Never proof on screen
Things look very different on screen to the way they look when printing out so always print your proofs. You’re looking for fuzzy images – probably because the original file wasn’t high enough quality, colour discrepancies (although remember that colours do look different when printed on your average office printer versus the ones our suppliers use), spelling or other mistakes and anything which has been mistakenly left out. Things to check especially closely are phone numbers and email addresses – if someone wants to get in touch, you need it to be easy!
If you have a high-value printing job or are willing to allocate a bit of budget we can provide what’s known as wet proofs, which are the most accurate kind of proof you will get. They are printed using the actual inks, materials and usually the exact printing press that will be used on the final job. Having these produced will also add some time on as they need to be printed and posted to you, but if you have time and money in the budget, they are the best kind of proofs you can get.
Our friendly creative team will also check your artwork to ensure it meets the specification for your job, but they won’t look for spelling mistakes or if the wrong colour has been used in your logo.
As always, if you have any queries we’re on the end of the phone.
