4/18/2024 12:48:44 AM	GD 57 Course Outline as of Fall 2021	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  GD 57	Title:  GETTING IT PRINTED
Full Title:  Getting It Printed: Digital Prepress and Print Production
Last Reviewed:9/14/2020

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade Only
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly: 

Catalog Description:

A course designed to prepare the graphic design student for dealing with the prepress and print production process. The student will learn the skills needed to create accurate files for printing using a variety of processes, learn skills necessary to communicate and work with prepress vendors and printing firms, and choose wherever appropriate printing solutions that support sustainability and environmental concerns.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Course Completion of GD 54

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

A course designed to prepare the graphic design student for dealing with the prepress and print production process. The student will learn the skills needed to create accurate files for printing using a variety of processes, learn skills necessary to communicate and work with prepress vendors and printing firms, and choose wherever appropriate printing solutions that support sustainability and environmental concerns.

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:Course Completion of GD 54
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2009	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.  Create professionally formatted files on the computer appropriate for print production and prepress.

2.  Create specifications for a variety of printing processes for the appropriate vendors and print production professionals.

3.  Create and apply profiles for basic desktop printers and computer systems, calibrate desktop monitors and manipulate Photoshop files for reliable color output for print design.

4.  Communicate knowledgeably with printers and prepress professionals with reference to printing techniques and set-ups.  

5.  Choose appropriate printing solutions that support sustainability and environmental concerns.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.   Outline the prepress and print production process.

2.   Set up a workspace with the correct equipment for print production and prepress graphic design environment.

3.   Choose appropriate printing processes for different applications.

4.   Create professional two-color with duotones and three and four color digital files ready for print using Indesign and Photoshop.

5.   Produce files containing correctly tone targeted images, appropriate line screens, dot shapes, and correct screen angles using Photoshop and InDesign.

6.   Analyze images for quality, calculate correct scanning resolutions using industry formulas for them and retouch them in Photoshop if necessary.

7.   Create and apply profiles for basic desktop printers and computer systems, calibrate desktop monitors and manipulate Photoshop files for reliable color output for print design.

8.   Create files in Indesign and Illustrator with simple traps applied.

9.   Identify the most common types of folds, scores, perforations, and binding and be able to specify these processes correctly for the printer.

10. Identify the common specialty processes: embossing, die cutting, foil stamping, screen printing, special coatings, metallic inks, thermography and be able to set up files correctly to produce these techniques.

11. Create dielines and artwork for specialty process in Illustrator for a 3-D package.

12. Create correctly imposed files for offset printing in Indesign.

13. Separate files correctly.

14. Correctly preflight files for the prepress service and printer.

15. Iimplement good communication with print vendors, by being prepared to communicate with them intelligently in person, on the phone or over the internet. fill out their prepress forms correctly so as to clarify job specifications including: specifying inks for a variety of processes and environmental concerns, specifying printing papers and substrates appropriately for a variety of reproduction processes and sustainability.

16. identify common proofing methods in print production such as hard proofs, soft proofs, and press checks.

Topics and Scope

I. Exploring the Prepress and Print Production Process

    A. Setting up for prepress and print production

    B. Equipment

    C. Workspace

II. Evaluating Various Printing Processes and their Specific Uses for Printing

    A. Letterpress

    B. Offset lithography

    C. Gravure

    D. Flexography

    E. Screenprinting

    F. Digital Devices

III. Understanding Spot Color

    A. Specifying spot color

    B. Duotones, tritones, and quadtone

    C. Separations

IV. Planning Print Production in Photoshop and InDesign

    A. Tone targeted images

    B. Line screens

    C. Dot shapes

    D. Screen angles

    E. Fonts

    F. Packaged files

V. Analyzing, Scanning and Retouching Images

    A. Determining quality

    B. Calculating correct scanning resolutions for flat art

    C. Using industry formulas for scanning images

    D. Retouching images in Photoshop

VI. Creating and Applying Profiles, Calibrating Desktop Monitors, and Color Correcting Images

    A. Applying device specific profiles

    B. Calibrating desktop monitors

    C. Manipulating Photoshop files for reliable color output

VII. Implementing Simple Trapping

    A. Understanding what trapping does

    B. Applying traps in Illustrator

    C. Applying traps in InDesign

VIII. Identifying and Specifying the Most Common Bindery Applications

    A. Folds

    B. Scores

    C. Perforations

    D. Binding

IX. Identifying and Specifying the Most Common Specialty Processes

    A. Embossing

    B. Die cutting

    C. Foil stamping

    D. Screen printing

    E. Special coatings

    F. Metallic inks

    G. Thermography

X. Creating Die Lines and Specialty Process Files for 3-D Package

    A. Creating die lines with the pen tool in Illustrator

    B. Creating artwork for embossing, foil stamping, screen printing, special coatings, metallic inks and thermography

    C. Creating proper specifications for die lines embossing, foil stamping, screen printing, special coatings, metallic inks and thermography

XI. Using Imposition for Efficiently

    A. Understanding print sheet sizes

    B. Understanding work and turn and work and tumble

    C. Understanding signatures

    D. Setting up imposed files in InDesign

XII. Working with Vendors

    A. Communicating with vendors: in person, over the phone, on the internet

    B. Preparing prepress forms correctly

    C. Preparing files correctly for preflight

    D. Choosing proper substrates and methods of reproduction that support sustainability and environmental concerns

XIII. Identifying Common Proofing Methods

    A. Soft proofs

    B. Hard proofs

    C. Press checks

Assignments:

1. Thirteen graphic design assignments focusing on the following prepress and print production skills:

    a. Exploring the prepress and print production process

    b. Evaluating various printing processes and their specific uses for printing

    c. Understanding spot color

    d. Planning print production in Photoshop and InDesign

    e. Analyzing, scanning and retouching images

    f. Creating and applying profiles, calibrating desktop monitors, and color correcting images

    g. Implementing simple trapping

    h. Identifying and specifying the most common bindery applications

     i. Identifying and specifying the most common specialty processes

     j. Creating die lines and specialty process files for 3-D package

    k. Using imposition for efficiently

    l. Working with vendors

    m. Identifying common proofing methods   

2. Online quizzes over reading material (8-10)

3. Group project: such as creating a playing card deck that is printed in 2 colors

4. Individual project: such as a 3-D package with specialty process specifications

5. Individual project: such as an invitation and promotional materials for event that is printed in 2 colors

6. Worksheets (12-17)

7. Final Exam

8. Reading approximately 10 pages per week

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 0%
None
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because problem solving assessments and skill demonstrations are more appropriate for this course and this course includes essay exams that fulfil the writing component of the course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 50%
Group project and individual projects
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 30%
Graphic design assignments focusing on prepress and production skills
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 50%
Online quizzes and final exam
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 20%
Participation, worksheets

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Design School: Layout. Poulin, Richard. Rockport Publishers. 2018

A Guide to Graphic Print Production. 3rd ed. Johansson, Kaj and Lundberg, Peter and Ryberg, Robert. Wiley. 2011 (classic)

Instructor prepared materials

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