Here's how you can bridge the gap between graphic designers and printers in the Graphics field.

To bridge the gap between graphic designers and printers, I prioritize clear communication and collaboration. I ensure that our designs are print-ready by understanding printer specifications and limitations. Regular meetings with printers help address any concerns early on, and sharing proofs and samples ensures alignment on quality expectations. By fostering a relationship built on mutual respect and open dialogue, we can seamlessly integrate our design vision with the practicalities of printing, resulting in flawless final products.

Research and communication is key early on in the project. Not only should there be clear specs and expectations communicated/documented with the client, it is part of the job to check that those needs are able to be filled by the printer chosen and that if there are any potential modifications needed to meet those printer's specs that those are worked into the design itself. Keeping dated logs of what printers you've worked with, their file needs, standard bleeds and trims, turn arounds, and other information that clients might need in the future is extremely helpful.

Send info to your printer as to what program you used to create a file/PDF since certain programs will process differently through pre-press systems

Check. Every. Phone. Number! Read copy out loud and never proofread copy you've written yourself. A printed copy often makes mistakes easier to spot and having a margin to sketch or hand-write in changes. Never go to print without a signed and dated proof! If you get business cards back and a mistake was made by you and the client didn't spot it, be reasonable and agree to only charge 50% or less for the reprinted job. Suggest other ways to use or recycle the current cards and give them to the customer.

When I first started in printing 40 some years ago a "blueline proof" was used with different exposure times for lighter shades of blue to "show" color breaks or separate proofs were made for each color. Then about 10 years ago color proofs printed from a digital printer, like an Epson, replaced blueline proofs since most platemakers that had been used for exposing blueline paper had been replaced by digital platemakers for exposing just plates. By the time I left printing in 2020 PDF proofs created from the job files were being sent to the client and digital prints were just for the pressman to match for color on press. Oh my how things have changed...what's next?

I Strongly feel material plays a huge role in deciding how your design will look once its printed good paper weight and high quality non pixelated images are must too from the source

Having worked in the industry since before the onset of digital, I see the need to understand the concepts of ink on paper, dots, screens and traditional color separations. Having that knowledge has been instrumental in growing and understanding digital for me. It is the missing piece in graphic design graduates who have only worked in digital and web.