There's no better way to kick off this series than by interviewing the person who kicked off my love of print in the first place: my dad.
My dad has run his graphic design and print shop for more than 30 years now, and he’s the guy who showed me what’s possible in graphic design and small business. The foundation of my design and print knowledge comes directly from him, so I figured it should also be the foundation of print design knowledge for you all here, at the start of this series.
And if you’re wondering what this series is, well, let me tell you all about it.
On the third Friday of every month, I’ll share an interview with leading printers in the industry. I’ll ask some of the most pressing questions like common file setup errors, beginner-friendly tips for print design, and more. My goal is to open up the world of print for you, the same way it’s been open for me.
Not only will these interviews give you direct insight from printers themselves — the ones currently working within the industry — but they also open the discussion between designers of all kinds! I encourage you to drop a comment, leave a question, and join in! Your questions may just show up answered in the following interviews.
My goal in this series is to show the design community that print is, in fact, not dead. Instead, the skill of print design may have just been neglected for a little bit too long. But it’s never too late to learn, and I hope to show you what’s possible with some paper and ink and creativity.
In every interview, you’ll see a few questions available for free readers. The majority of the interview will live behind a paywall for paid subscribers only, giving special access to those who find the most value in educational posts such as these. At the end of every interview, you’ll find the printer’s information and how to inquire with them. In offering this information, I hope to give you a roster of printers within the design community that you can feel confident in reaching out to when you score your next print job.
If you’re looking for even more print education, consider checking back in every first Friday of the month for a free print education post written by me. And if you missed this month’s Print Education post, check it out below!
Alright, let’s get right into it. Grab a cozy spot on the couch and… happy reading!
Q: What is the most common mistake you see from designers when it comes to print?
A: The most common mistake I see from new designers in not setting up files with bleeds (extending the artwork beyond the trim edge of the design). Another common mistake is using low resolution images and/or not converting RBG files to CMYK.
Q: What’s a mistake that seems small but creates big production problems?
Setting black type (especially small or fine type) to rich black rather than standard black. Rich black is a blended (CMYK) mixture that includes cyan, magenta, and yellow ink alongside 100% black, creating a deeper, more saturated tone. Standard black uses only 100% black (K).
Rich black should be used for large, solid black backgrounds, prominent titles, and bold graphic shapes. It prevents large areas of ink from looking grey or patchy. A common rich black is 40/40/40/100.
Standard black (0/0/0/100) should be used for small text, fine lines, and highly detailed artwork. Because it only uses one ink plate, it avoids the “halo” or blurry effect that can happen if the printer’s registration is slightly off or misaligned.
Q: What is something designers consistently overthink when it comes to print that’s not really a big deal?
One of the biggest things print designers stress over that the real world rarely notices is micro-managing color accuracy for non-brand elements. Slight shifts in color during print is usually not noticed by most clients.
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