Is anyone out there doing any kind of electronic proofing for digital print?
One possibility I have explored is PDF proofing, which works well for layout and document assembly elements of proofing, but does not provide any good capabilities for color accuracy proofing.
Not to mention, is it a good idea to give a customer an electronic proof that is entirely ready to print with layout and color correction. What is to stop them from giving that file to a competitor?
Full Version: Electronic Proofing for Digital Print
Yeah I agree. PDF proofing just isn't there.
At best, sending them a low res print laid out proof can stop them from sending it to another printer. At 72dpi it won't do them any good. But they can see the press sheet so to speak.
As for color correctness, I really think this is a long, long way off. Monitors are RGB, and range in color from monitor to monitor. Sure you can calibrate your monitor and restrict it to display printer CMYK but try doing that remotely with a customer or client.
For me, it comes down to "trust me color" where we are entrusted to reproduce the customers colors faithfully and accurately based on standards or previously agreed to colors and try to match those...
At best, sending them a low res print laid out proof can stop them from sending it to another printer. At 72dpi it won't do them any good. But they can see the press sheet so to speak.
As for color correctness, I really think this is a long, long way off. Monitors are RGB, and range in color from monitor to monitor. Sure you can calibrate your monitor and restrict it to display printer CMYK but try doing that remotely with a customer or client.
For me, it comes down to "trust me color" where we are entrusted to reproduce the customers colors faithfully and accurately based on standards or previously agreed to colors and try to match those...
Just a quick note here...
When I started at my current company, the company was letting the customers push them around as far as matching color. They either were providing a proof they wanted us to match to or the were comparing us to other printing methods. The company was spending countless hours doing color matching or color tweeking on the press.
When I came had to put a stop to this. I told the sales team they need to educate the customers and get rid of the mindset that we are Digital printers and can produce Offset quality work.. While this is true, this is not the mindset we want.. We want to sell IGEN quality and IGEN print. I told them to sell it as IGEN.... If the client wanted to see a proof we would run one off, but we are not in the business of doing press ok's and playing with color on the press.. Once everyone was educated things began to fall in place nicely and implementing a PDF workflow became much easier..
Dale
When I started at my current company, the company was letting the customers push them around as far as matching color. They either were providing a proof they wanted us to match to or the were comparing us to other printing methods. The company was spending countless hours doing color matching or color tweeking on the press.
When I came had to put a stop to this. I told the sales team they need to educate the customers and get rid of the mindset that we are Digital printers and can produce Offset quality work.. While this is true, this is not the mindset we want.. We want to sell IGEN quality and IGEN print. I told them to sell it as IGEN.... If the client wanted to see a proof we would run one off, but we are not in the business of doing press ok's and playing with color on the press.. Once everyone was educated things began to fall in place nicely and implementing a PDF workflow became much easier..
Dale
QUOTE(rugby148 @ Sep 26 2005, 11:27 AM) [snapback]11[/snapback]
Is anyone out there doing any kind of electronic proofing for digital print?
One possibility I have explored is PDF proofing, which works well for layout and document assembly elements of proofing, but does not provide any good capabilities for color accuracy proofing.
Not to mention, is it a good idea to give a customer an electronic proof that is entirely ready to print with layout and color correction. What is to stop them from giving that file to a competitor?
We are doing more and more pdf proofing. We also have added Xerox's Web Services which our repeat customers can go to a so called "store front" and preview a pdf, insome cases make changes to records and then submit an order.
It is very hard though to find good information on soft proofing since it is such a new practice. Without everone using the same color management and ICC profiles there is IMO no way to gaurantee color. I am researching this very thing right now becasue we have customers willing to find other printing means if we can't accommidate them.
But there is a way to make your Print ready PDFs secure with certifying the pdf and restricting certain aspects.
I am still researching. If I come up with anything I will post it as I'm sure a lot of companies are moving in this direction.
zoegirl2003
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