Types of proofs used for brochures, catalogs, price lists, newsletters, direct mail

Types of proofs used in the printing industry

Summary

Changes can occur to files during processing at the printer.

Proofs are important because everyone wants the final job to meet the customer’s approval

Customers should supply the printer with a hard copy of their job when submitting files.

The following are types of jobs should you can be comfortable approving PDF proofs; smaller jobs that don’t have multiple pieces that fit together, jobs where accurate color isn’t important, small dollar jobs.

Soft stable proofs allow multiple users to review, annotate and approve stable proofs on-line.

Digital dylux proofs are useful on multiple page projects such as newsletters, reports, manuals and brochures.

Contract color proofs are a very accurate representation of what the color of the final printed piece should be.

Press proofs are actual press sheets you review prior to full-scale production. You visit the printer and approve the sheets, as the job is being set-up.

Throughout history the printing industry have used an extensive proofing process. I’m sure Ben Franklin printed out one copy of Poor Richard's Almanack before cranking up the presses for each run. I can just see Ben reviewing each page, looking to make sure nothing was cut off, that all the text was there, that the pages were in the correct order. In short, he would have reviewed the proof very carefully so each book in the final print run looked just as he wanted it to.

Why proofs are a good idea
The proofing process ensures to a large degree that you, as a customer, will like the final printed process. Everyone involved in the process wants the final printed piece to meet with the customer’s approval. Despite tremendous advances in digital document creation, proofs are still a good idea today.

Sometimes a document will look different on your system than it will on your printer’s. There are a number of reasons why changes can occur. The most common reasons are font issues, platform differences (Mac, PC), program versions and output devices. In a broad sense, your document was created on a computer with a specific ambience. This ambience includes software, hardware and system resources. When your printer gets the files she loads them onto a system with different ambience. Don’t get me wrong; printers take a wide range of measures to recreate the system ambience your document was created in. However it isn’t always perfect.

Another reason why a change can occur is simply the nature of computers. Files sometimes get corrupt or change minutely when transferred to another computer. While today’s hardware and software is well designed to prevent these hiccups, they still occur.

Sometimes customers send us files that are not up-to-date. More than once a customer has sent me a file for a previous iteration of the job instead of the final version. Upon reviewing the proofs they recognize the problem.

Finally, your printer will put your files through a few digital transformations. In order to image proofs and plates she will do one or more of the following to your files: trap them via software trapping programs, save as .eps files, place in an imposition program, send them through a raster image processor (RIP). Despite the best-planned processes, the end result can be adversely affected. In other words, changes can occur to the files.

Why it’s important you review the proofs
Therefore it is a good idea printers make proofs. It is also a good idea you review them instead of your printer. Customers sometimes say to me, "As long as it looks like what I gave you, you’re good to go." That often leads to a disappointed customer. The most important reasons customers should want to review proofs is that they know the job better than anybody else. Your print salesperson or his customer service person might know your work, but they have not seen the myriad of previous proofs you have. They don’t know the changes you made in the 2nd or 3rd PDF proof so they might not catch a subtle variation.

Does this mean the printer has no responsibility? No. Your printer should compare the proof he has made to the hard copy you provided him. If something looks out-of-whack he should correct it or contact you about it. Are you not in the habit of supplying hard copy with your job? Think again. If you expect your printer to review your proofs how can she do it without something to compare it to? At the least send her a PDF that you have reviewed along with the final files.

What’s the bottom line?
The chance for errors is numerous. Reviewing proofs takes a big bite out of the chance you will not like the final printed piece.

Types of proofs
Hard copy provided with job
This is the hard copy proof you provide to the printer along with the files. If there is one way to get a job started off on the right path it’s here. Make sure to provide an appropriate hard copy. All it needs to be is a printout from your (or your designer’s) computer that you are happy with. Your printer will then use as a benchmark throughout the prepress process, comparing their work to your hard copy. Most likely your output won’t be color accurate and that’s OK.

PDF
A PDF proof is a type of "soft" proof. A soft proof is created via software, not a photographic or imaging process. As such is is not tangible until you print it out.

A PDF file can be made from your supplied files and sent to you via email. PDF’s are suitable for "pleasing color" jobs where accurate color isn’t important. They aren’t accurate for color because each computer monitor looks a bit different. As evidence just go into any Best Buy and look at the bank of televisions for sale. They usually are all tuned to the same station but the color looks different on each set. Usually PDF files are low resolution so the file will be small enough to send via email. This means the images don’t always look so good.

PDF’s can be less than 100% accurate, depending on how they are made. Files are said to be "Ripped" during the electronic prepress process. This refers to the step of rasterizing the files, or Raster Imaging Processing (RIP). Ripping a file converts it to a stable, postscript file, suitable for use in proofing or plate imaging. A ripped file is a stable file that accurately represents the final output. PDF proofs can be made from files either before, or after, ripping. Make sure your printer shows you PDF proofs from ripped files. If not, there may be subtle, though possibly important, differences between the PDF and the final printed piece.

The following are types of jobs should you can be comfortable approving PDF proofs; smaller jobs that don’t have multiple pieces that fit together, jobs where accurate color isn’t important, small dollar jobs.

Remote soft proofs
If you want to use a "soft" proof but don’t quite trust PDF’s, there are other options out there. Many printers use a type of soft proof that can be viewed, and approved, through an on-line interface. These proofing systems use proprietary software. They allow customers to collaborate with colleagues, formally approve proofs and also indicate changes, all electronically. These systems are good when you want multiple people to review a proof. All of the changes are stored electronically for all users to see. Use these proofs if you want a more secure of soft proof than the more informal, PDF.

Digital dylux
The term "dylux" is a throwback to days when film was used in the printing industry. Most printers have replaced film with a totally digital prepress process. A dylux proof was blue in color and produced from film. The equivalent proof today is most likely produced on a large, color, ink-jet printer. Digital dylux proofs show color but are not color accurate. For instance, you can see that a headline is in blue, but the shade won’t be accurate. As a note: these printers use four-color process (CMYK) so PMS colors are also not accurate.

The proof will be to size and pages of a multiple-page project will be "backed up", or imaged on both sides. That means you can check bleeds, that the pages are in the correct order and that margins are correct. Proofs for saddle-stitched pieces can be bound and any proof can be three-hole drilled.

When do you want to use one of these proofs? You should look at a digital dylux any time you aren’t comfortable with a PDF. They are especially useful on multiple page projects such as newsletters, reports, manuals and brochures. Even if you are getting a contract proof (see below) you want to look at a dylux as well to make sure the final piece will be bound correctly.

Contract color proof
This is a color accurate proof made on any one of a number of high-end proofing devices. Common names are Fuji Final, Digital Matchprint from 3M and Kodak Approval or Veris. The reason these are called "contract" is because they are color accurate and your final printed piece should be reasonably close to the proof. Make sure your contract proof is dot-based. That means the image uses the same dot pattern that will be used to print the job. These are usually one proof per sheet.

Contract proofs can’t be stitched into a book or backed up to show pagination. Unless you are doing a single sheet project (poster, postcard, letter, etc.) you will want to see a digital dylux along with your contract proof. As a note: these printers use four-color process (CMYK) so PMS colors are not accurate. It is possible to produce contract proofs on the actual material the job will be printed on. However this is most often not done.

Most contract proofs have a laminate component so the result won’t really replicate the shine of the final printed piece. When I first learned this I though you would be able to see the effect of printing on an uncoated sheet but that turned out not to be the case. The ink on the proof doesn’t sink into the sheet the same way it does on a printing press.

Press proofs
On a press proof, you go to the printer to approve the job, as it is being set-up on press. Prior to running at full speed, the pressman will bring you a press sheet printed on the actual stock. You can approve it or make changes. If you make color changes he will adjust the color and then show you another sheet. The process continues until you approve of the color. Then you sign the sheet and that becomes the benchmark.

Color settings are entered into the computer on the press so each sheet should look just like the benchmark. If you want to make type changes the job will need to go back into prepress. This can get very expensive as there are a lot of steps required and the press might be sitting idle while they are being made. PMS colors are, of course, accurate on this type of proof.

So what about PMS colors?
As we said above, none of the current proofing methods represents PMS colors accurately. So what can you do? Simply trust your printer and the Pantone Matching System (PMS). The system was designed so you can feel comfortable the final printed piece should look like the swatch you saw in the book. With that said though, there are any one of a number of reasons why the color might not look like the PMS book. Most likely this can occur in pieces with heavy coverage and those using very light PMS colors. If the job is very important consider doing a press proof.