Offset printing is a commercial printing method, using a colour seperation method transferred onto metal plates, ready to be inked up and printed. This is only appropriate for large print runs to save on cost, with this process outsourced to a professional printing house.
This process uses CMYK printing inks and colour ways. The CMYK mode is used to define colour as it is when created during the printing process, it is also referred to as Process Colour. When we have overlaps in the CMYK, other colours are created during the ink-mixing-print process. This allows us to change the tint and HUE of each colour, allowing us to create and alter more colours.
In the Offset Printing process printing plates are used, its a photographic process that creates the metal plate, ink then sticks and the ink is varied out over paper depending on how much is needed. eg: the component parts of Cyan will be printed, then Yellow, then Magenta, then Key, slowly leading to a full colour image featuring all these tones and hues.
Spot Colours
A pre-mixed colour, ready to print with straight out of the tin. Eg: to make green, via Offset printing via metal plates you would need Cyan, Yellow and perhaps some Black. When using spot colours, costs are saved as you would just work straight with a green, often the Pantone reference colour system to provide as much accuracy as possible when transferring from screen to print. By using spot colours you are able to save costs in bulk printing, especially when a limited colour pallet is used.
Spot colours are unique, just like CMYK mixes. However, unlike CMYK mixes they are always unique, no +0.2% extra Magenta differing the shade, increasing consistency throughout works.
However, like all design decisions consideration to spot colours or the use of spot colours, needs to be considered at an early stage alongside the printers. This would impact stock choices, any finishes such as dye cutting and even if that colour style is possible to print at that particular printers. To ease this final process, the consistent use of Swatch Colours, Global Colours and the Pantone reference guide is imperative on the Adobe Creative suite.
Printers work from Pantone colours unique numbers, often converting them to their own make up with the same pigmentation as expected. The benefits of this is the universal ease of colour translation, varying from screen to printers. Pantone Coated/Uncoated is the most common subsections of colour, simply referring to if the stock is Coated or Uncoated, informed from discussions with the printers. The colour must be labeled throughout so the colour pigmentation is not altered. This is an important factor to consider with reference to my own publication, if it ever reached the Offset printing process. The Harley Davidson orange is very distinctive and particular, suggesting its easy to represent a slightly different orange rather than H.D (such as Sainsbury's or Orange's distinctive orange). By using spot colours, reproduction of colours may become easier and more consistent, especially with the limited colour pallet I shall be working with.
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| Saving the Swatch Pallet: By saving as a .ai file, it will appear in Illustrator applications only. To save for InDesign purposes on the 'Save Swatches window', assure this is set to ASE. This allows you to use the exact same colour pallet wherever you work, enabling the selection as Global Swatches. |
Probably the most feasible and cost effective process for this type of publication. I aim to achieve a sleek finish, crisp lines and delicate edges- something digital printing can also offer in a time saving manor.
I plan to contact professional printing companies to ask about the costs of a short print run, with professional quality glue and binding. Other options such as the digital print resource at Blenhaim Walk and Blurb the online printing service are other options, yet these may restrain the materials and quality of the final outcome.
As I have the benefit of Black & White images, a black and white print run is much cheaper as only one ink is needed- rather than 4 with CMYK printing. This could be achieved by only applying the Key ink, or using a black spot colour.
Darkroom Printing
As this brief is allowing me to explore personal interests, the use of film is a continuation from my own practice throughout summer. Despite dark room printing being a cheap alternative (as no ink is needed), the costs of time would be exponential. This would also limit commercial viability as reproduction would be harder to achieve on a large scale.
With the Harley Davidson scene a collectors market, often people prefer buying a single print rather than a full publication. Limited edition dark room prints could be created, either as complementary images or created purely as a conclusion to the publication. The scope of images I have is not limited to type, meaning I have a large selection of 'ascetically pleasing' photography to choose from. I could even experiment with light blocking type onto of dark sections of a print- creating a naturally formed ad or promo.
Screen Printing
When considering the design quality of the publication, the use of black and white does not necceserily mean black only printed onto white. Precision print Ltd offer a white ink printing service, yet this would mean heavy costs and a large print run. Screen print gives you the opportunity to print white ink on black stock, ideally GF Smith's Colourplan Ebony -135gsm.
A black inner sleeve with (perhaps) an introduction, adding context behind the project. As there are specific chapters I will need to thank in the credits section of the publication, the use of a traditional print combined with digital may add a higher quality. It is known that people connect with artwork more when there is evidence of human presence, so hopefully the small imperfections which are often a byproduct of screen printing will have this effect. However, I do not feel a messy publication (in any parts) is acceptable for the intention of a collectors piece, so I may need to research further alternatives.
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