Print Production

TC412A MW 1:30-2:30pm Prof. Geoffrey Sauer

http://eserver.org/tc412 [email protected]
office hours: by appt. 14C Loew Hall
office phone: (206) 685-3409 cell phone: (206) 525-9026

Objective and Description

The editor working in print media should be knowledgeable in the following areas: typo-
graphy, visual media, publication design and production. He or she should understand the
functions of type—both text and display. He or she should understand both the design and
readability implications of typography, and should be able to describe these to justify
design decisions. The editor should understand the communications function of graphic
design elements, when a visual is likely to have an advantage over text in conveying data,
or a fact, principle or concept, and should be able to explain why. He or she should be
able to specify design requirements and evaluate the design of publications, and be able
to explain in concrete terms why a design has succeeded or why it has failed—and, when
it has failed, how to rescue it. Finally, the editor should understand how a print document
is produced. Proper planning can have enormous implications for cost and quality. This
course will provide opportunities to acquire that knowledge and practice these skills.

Course Plan
Our approach will be to develop an understanding of the ‘process flow’ in contemporary
methods of print production. This will enable us to examine possible areas for confusion
in both ‘upstream’ and ‘downstream’ communication during production editing. One of
the goals this term will be to master the terminology used to describe various components,
techniques and procedures in print production. By reading, critiquing and (in time)
creating print products, students will over the term develop an understanding which will
be elaborated in a final group project demonstrating mastery of various techniques.

Participation
You are expected to participate in class sessions and conferences as scheduled. Consider
this class as part of your professional life and keep in mind that you would not fail to
report to work without giving appropriate notice.

Student Responsibility
Your contribution is central to the course. You will be expected to read critically the
assigned readings, prepare brief written responses to particular assignments and to
participate intelligently and articulately in class discussions. Your grade for the course will
be based on the following areas: class participation, including in-class discussion, written
responses and peer presentations, two-page critiques of typography, visual media and
design, a group redesign project and final examination (see the ‘Grading’ section below
for more details).
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Schedule and Bibliography

The books required for this course are:
• Parker. Looking Good in Print. 4th edition.
• Beach, Mark and Eric Kenly. Getting It Printed. 3rd edition.
• Pipes, Alan. Production for Graphic Designers. 3rd edition.
Also, there will be a few photocopied handouts and web-based readings online at the
course website, as occasioned by class discussions.

Meeting Deadlines
Meeting deadlines is a professional responsibility. Therefore, all written assignments must
be submitted on the due date. You can receive an extension only if you meet two
conditions: 1) contact me before the date on which the assignment is due to explain why
you need an extension, and receive written (or e-mail) approval from me. Then 2) submit
the assignment within one week after the scheduled due date. Using these procedures,
you may submit one late assignment during the term without harming your grade.

Grading
Participation will be graded not only on the quantity of contributions to in-class discussion
but also to its quality: comments should attempt to build upon previous speakers’
comments or topics whenever possible.

The papers and exam will be graded on a scale from 0-4. The three major assignments:
the short paper, mid-term exam and final research paper, will be judged in one-tenth of a
point increments, as follows:

4 Top-notch, excellent, extraordinary accomplishment. Really strong conception

and execution. Minor tinkering at most needed to make this comparable to
professional-quality work.

3 Very strong work. Everything in order, well conceived and well executed. Minor
editing problems at most.

NOTE: The differences between a 3 and a 4 have to do with a combination of

originality, excellence, thoroughness, and attention to detail in execution.
Although 4 grades may include comments on sentence level editing, doing this
type of editing would not be sufficient to raise a 3 to a 4.

2 Average, but missing some components. No glaring conceptual or execution

problems, but nothing particularly outstanding in either department. Topic or
problem may be somewhat limited, or execution may be less than optimal.

1 Acceptable, but below average work. Either conception, execution or both

definitely need to be improved.

0 Not of acceptable quality.

Any in-class quizzes, short writing assignments or supporting work for main assignments
will be graded on a √, √+, and √- basis, which will equate to a 3, 4 and 2 respectively.
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Your final grade for the course will be determined using the following breakdown:

Typography Critique 10 %
Visual Media Critique 10 %
Design Critique 20 %
Re-Design Project and Presentation 20 %
Participation 20 %
Exam 20 %
_______
100 %

Appointments, Conferences and Communication

I will be glad to meet you during office hours, before or after class, or by appointment to
discuss your work in the course and any questions and concerns you may have in relation
to it. I’m also available to answer questions via e-mail or phone. An e-mail message is
often the easiest way to be sure you reach me or that I will be in the office when you drop
by. You can get in touch with me in a number of ways:

· come to office hours: Loew 14C

· send me e-mail: [email protected]
· call me at my office: (206) 685-3409
· leave a note in my mailbox in the TC Department
· call me at home: (206) 525-9026

If you have an important question or problem during the evening, or on a weekend,

particularly when an assignment is due, I don’t mind your calling me at home as long as
you call between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and not during dinner (5:00 to 7:00 p.m.). If I
am not at home, the call will roll over automatically to my cell phone.

Religious Observance
In accordance with university policy, I have worked to avoid having graded assignments
due on major religious holidays, but given the variety of such observances, it is often
impossible to avoid all conflicts. If you have a conflict between a religious holiday and an
assignment, please contact me in advance so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Accountability and Plagiarism

In your academic and professional career, you will often draw on work done by others.
You are expected to do so, but you are always required to give due credit to the person(s)
whose words, thoughts, ideas or phrases you are using. Presenting someone else’s work as
your own is never acceptable. Any assignment including non-documented material from
another source will receive a failing grade. A second instance will mean failure in the
course and may result in further disciplinary action.
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Week I: January 7, 9
Introduction: Print Production in TC
Monday: Introduction to the Course—Themes and Topics.
Wednesday: Typography Principles and Practices
Assigned Readings: Beach and Kenly, Chapter 1
Pipes, Chapter 1

Week II: January 14, 16

Typography
Monday: Typography, continued. Display type.
Wednesday: Typography, continued. Composition.
Assigned Readings: Parker and Berry, Chapter 1, 3
Pipes, Chapter 2

Week III: January 21, 23

Typography Critique
Monday: Holiday
Wednesday: Typography: Student Presentations
Assigned Readings: ‘Counterspace,’ at http://counterspace.motivo.com/
Look particularly at the ‘Timeline’ section.

Week IV: January 28, 30

Integrating Visual Media
Monday: Selecting and Editing Visual Media: Illustration, Color
Wednesday: Visual Media, continued.
Assigned Readings: Parker and Berry, Chapters 5, 6
Pipes, Chapter 3
Further Readings: Fred Showker. ‘Trapping? Dangerous Subject,’ at
http://www.graphic-design.com/DTG/Graphics/trapping/

Week V: February 4, 6
Integrated Composition
Monday: Visual Media: Student Presentations
Wednesday: Publication Design
Assigned Readings: Parker and Berry, Chapters 7, 10
Further Readings: Susan G. Miller, STC Proceedings. ‘Integrating Type and Images,’ at
http://www.stc.org/proceedings/ConfProceed/2001/PDFs/STC48-
000126.PDF

Week VI: February 11, 13

Publication Design: The Mechanics
Monday: Publication Design, continued.
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Wednesday: Electronic prepress, halftoning. Color.

Assigned Readings: Beach and Kenly, Chapters 3, 4
Parker and Berry, Chapter 6, 12, 13
Pipes, Chapter 4
Further Readings: Sandee Cohen. ‘Illegal Colors,’ at
http://www.graphic-design.com/DTG/Graphics/IlColors.html

Week VII: February 18, 20

Prepress
Monday: Holiday
Wednesday: Electronic Prepress, continued.
Assigned Readings: Beach and Kenly, Chapters 5, 6
Parker and Berry, Appendix
Further Readings: Julian Foster. ‘Printing Tips to Desktop Publishers,’ at
http://www3.teleplex.net/jr/

Week VIII: February 25, 27

Printing
Monday: Electronic Prepress: Student Presentations
Wednesday: Printing
Assigned Readings: Pipes, Chapter 6
Beach and Kenly, Chapters 7, 8
Further Readings: Linda Beebe and Barbara Meyers, in JEP
http://www.press.umich.edu/jep/05-04/sheridan.html

Week IX: March 4, 6

Putting it Together
Monday: Binding, finishing.
Wednesday: Print, continued. How a printing plant operates.
Assigned Readings: Beach and Kenly, Chapters 9, 10
Further Readings: About.com. ‘Binding Decisions: When Paperclips Won’t Do,’ at
http://desktoppub.about.com/library/weekly/aa123099a.htm

Week X: March 11, 13

Presentations and Critiques
Monday: Course Project Presentations/Critiques
Wednesday: Course Project Presentations/Critiques

Week XI: March 18-22

Final Examination
Final: Final exam.