Being a Multimedia/screen based designer I have little experience in creating documents for print. I have been asked to prepare and design a 20 page brochure using InDesign. Although I feel capable of designing the brochure I feel insecure about producing artwork for print as I am unaware of the pitfalls in print production.
Although I’m not asking for a lesson in graphic design as I’m sure you’d all tell me to go back to school, but I would be grateful for any advice or tips on preparing and producing work for print.
I learned how to do print on my own when I was 18 using Aldus Pagemaker (the heir apparent to InDesign.) You can do it to, just make sure to:
Work directly with the printer that will be accepting your In-Design file and be sure to factor in plenty of time for changes prior to going to press. In-Design has a feature that will collect all your files for print–make sure it includes the fonts and placed images.
Ask for advice on paper stock, it makes a huge difference.
Choose the appropriate paper-size and number of colors for the job. For a low-cost newsletter, 2 colors are typically done to save cost. Typically black plus one other Pantone color.
If you use a Pantone color, be sure to pick it from an actual guide–NEVER trust what you see on your monitor or your printer.
For full-color, go with a 4-color (CMYK) press. It’s more expensive, but will be easier for you to work in. Make sure you’re working in CMYK–that includes any Photoshop .PSD’s or .TIFF’s you place. You’ll notice a much smaller color-gamut when working with CMYK–particularly in the greens and reds.