Print production refers to the entire process of creating and producing printed materials, including books, magazines, brochures, and more. This involves several stages from designing the layout to printing the final product. The process is critical in ensuring that the final printed material meets the desired quality, meets the client’s specifications, and is delivered on time.
There are various types of print production, including:
Offset Printing: This process involves transferring an inked image from a plate to a rubber blanket before it is printed on paper. Offset printing produces high-quality prints at a low cost per unit.
Digital Printing: This uses digital files to print images directly onto paper. It produces high-quality prints at a lower cost for short-run projects.
Large Format Printing: This type of printing produces larger-than-life prints like banners or wall graphics.
Print Finishing: This involves finishing touches like binding, folding, cutting and other treatments to ensure that the product looks good and is functional.
Printing Techniques: There are different printing techniques that can be used in print production, such as die-cutting, embossing, foil stamping among others.
Print production plays a significant role in advertising campaigns by helping businesses promote their products or services. It helps businesses reach their target audience in a way that digital advertising can't do. Print materials also have long shelf-lives compared to digital content since they can be kept for years without losing relevance.
In print production, designers will create files using design software such as Adobe InDesign or Illustrator. They send these files to pre-press technicians who will prepare them for printing by ensuring that they are correctly formatted for the appropriate printing technique.
The pre-press team then sends these files to print operators who will load them into computer-controlled machines that print and finish the final product.
The amount of time required for print production varies depending on the type of printing being done, the complexity of the project, and order volume. Generally, most print production projects can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
