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Graphic design printing processes trapping chokes and spreads

Continued from previous page Technique #2 Have the printer do it Once again I repeat that famous rule: Never do anything yourself if you can hire someone else to do it... particularly if they can do it better. Generate your graphics and supply disk or film to the printer with the understanding that no trapping has been done. This way it's his responsibility. You've got more important things to do. Now I'll throw a wrench into the whole works. In these days of technology, I don't trap at all. I know my printers and what they're capable of. If the project is going to a known goof printer, I follow technique #1. That way I know it will be right, even from the corner quick printer. __ Other, more demanding printing jobs go to the more experienced litho house. I know their equipment is precise, their personnel conscientious, and that they'll hit the bullets. They know if they don't - they won't get paid. If they see an overwhelming need for trapping, they just do it and I never hear about it. Period. __ Last year I saw more and more people in my workshops becoming confused and concerned about trapping. I just pull out one sample, I carry along, with 21 PMS color builds over colored backgrounds. I point out that every color matches perfectly - even with no trapping on a 29-inch press! This type of project would have taken 161 pieces of film and 9 hours to trap the all the colors. __Another project involved a web-printed box wrap, printed on 50lb litho label stock. Worst case scenario. The file had 100% ink coverage, and contained 3,785 individual color objects. No trap. No hint of problems. Then the same image was reduced to 4 x 5 inches, stepped and printed on Fasson label stock (striking fear into printers hearts) with no problems! Why did they turn out perfectly? Because the printer has a controlled environment, and knows what he's doing. __ I've run tremendously complicated built-color jobs without a hint of trapping, and the printer has hit the mark. If you get matchprint proofing without trapping problems, and the printer is a good, quality control printer, chances are you'll have no problems. If there are problems, you probably need to look for another printer. Call me, I've got several I can recommend. __ You must demand proofing from the actual negatives which will burn the plates. The new "proofing printers" are good for general proofing, but they won't tell you if there's a problem in the negatives. __ Specific trapping instruction goes beyond the size and scope of this issue because each software program handles trapping differently. If you decide you want to tackle the trapping trap, I stress the importance of carefully reading your software manual, testing with small sample files, and talking with both your service bureau and your printer. Just because your program controls trapping doesn't mean it has the common sense to decide which color(s) to trap, or how much to trap. If your printer refuses to help with trapping, or balks at untrapped files, look for another printer. And remember Technique #2. You've got more important things to do, and not much time to do them. Fred

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