Four reasons printers hate designers
Mike Roberts
CEO JPS Print Management & MD PMG Print Management Print Management | Catalogue Production | Marketing Print | Direct Mail | Maximising Your Print ROI | Immediate Past President - IPIA
OK, so hate is a strong word, but I’m rising to the challenge set by Paul Tompsett after my last article, 4.5 ways to annoy your designer.
Paul, himself a successful and experienced graphic designer, suggested this topic plus a starter for ten, so here we go.
1. They need everything tomorrow
It’s a sweeping generalisation of course, but tighter-than-tight deadlines can make it hard to deliver a great service. As an award-winning print management company with three decades of experience we have a huge roster of printers we can tap into so it’s likely we can pull it off if you have something that’s urgent, but can it not be Every. Single. Time?!
2. They haven’t designed it for print
On the PMG blog we’ve written about how designing for print is different to designing for digital, not least because we need documents configured for colour in a particular way to get the outcome the client is wanting. Then there’s bleeds, crop marks, multiple shades of one colour, text that’s too small within blocks of colour… To get the outcome you’re after it’s best to design for print in the first place, and that is a different skill to general design.
3. They create things at non-sensical sizes, seemingly for a laugh!
We’re not saying you have to print everything at A4, A3 or another off-the-shelf size, but with machines and paper stock working to standard sheet sizes, designing with that in mind means much less waste, and therefore lower costs. Known in the industry as b@stard sizes, we can absolutely print something with your weird dimensions, but not understanding the physical and logistical constraints can lead to some bonkers specifications – and budgets!
4. They can’t count in fours
That’s maybe a touch harsh. I’m sure they can count in fours, but maybe don’t realise they have to – or at least, when producing a booklet you do because they have to be printed in multiples of four pages. We’ve had some stinking examples of artwork which is beautiful, but which cannot be printed as a booklet because there would be random white pages included. Maybe this isn’t always the designer’s fault – there’s clearly a client involved too – but if they were more familiar with doing print jobs it wouldn’t get to the stage of us getting it ready for production before that issue is picked up.
Clearly designers need the print industry and vice versa, but it also seems like we could help each other out with a little more understanding. Without wanting to start a war here, have you got any examples to share?
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4 年Lewis Burrow Gareth Williams Oliver Dean what do you think?
Co-Founder THE Worldwide Partners | Helping to drive business growth, develop leadership, and improve performance.
4 年It's all about the brief and including your print partner at the start of the design process, not the end of it as so many creatives do, almost as an eleventh hour thought. Takes me back to first meeting you Mike when we developed the Everything's Possible strategy for the IPIA.
Reliable & fast to react. 16 years at imageData Group, Hull, delivering one of the most comprehensive print services in the UK to Corporate & Retail clients. The impossible achieved daily - miracles as necessary!
4 年Ha - too true Mike & a really great piece! Speaking from the Printers side we don't hate Designers - but it is true we have become wary over the years! Knowing there is a difference between online production & print is a key starting point! It's not rocket science but there is a science to print that many are oblivious to. Often because "someone" (people like us) "make" it work for them. Usually as no schedule left so we have to pull the rabbit out of the bag! Many designers do know their dot from their pixel - thank heavens! They know that a frank chat, before the project is started can save them hours - sometimes weeks! I've been in print for long enough to know there is no such thing as a daft question, it's only daft if you don't ask! It's always good to talk & it's amazing what comes out of it! Keep banging the drum Mike !
Graphic designer | Making your business look great, digitally and in print. #graphicdesign #logodesign #branding
4 年I do think that as Printers are at the end of the line, any deadline is passed on from us to them, generally because the client hasn't got their finger out to confirm it. The other points you raise, are valid, but I think it's the kind of problem you get with students or the untrained. Us designers can generally do the 4 times table and know that 4pt text is illegible. My favourite one from the past was 'we've got to let the ink dry before trimming it' - and blue ink always dries slower!!??