The best books on going to press?

[thecat@]

Hi all, I'm putting together a series. In each section of the series I research the different books on the subjects - in this case, anything to do with printing and prepress.

Jeff Fisher wrote a classic article on Creative Latitude where he lists his favs (below) - Design by the books (http://creativelatitude.com/articles/articles_fisher_rlist.html)

As Jeff's book advice is pretty much how I stocked my design library, I don't have any to add to this subject. Do you?

Alleviating Prepress Anxiety: How to Manage Your Print Projects for Savings, Schedule and Quality, by Ann Goodheart


Getting It Printed: How to Work With Printers and Graphic Imaging Services to Assure Quality, Stay on Schedule and Control, by Mark Beach & Eric Kenly


Graphic Designer’s Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook, by Connie Sidles


Great Production by Design, by Connie Sidles


Pocket Guide to Digital Prepress, by Frank J. Romano


Pocket Guide to Digital Printing by Frank Cost


Pocket Pal, by International Paper Company


Production for Graphic Designers, by Alan Pipes


Professional Prepress, Printing, and Publishing, by Frank J. Romano

[kar-po]

I really like Robin Williams and Sandee Cohen's The Non-Designer's Scan and Print Book

[thecat@]

Thanks! I have one of the non-designers books and its read well.

[Nevermore]

A Guide to Graphic Print Production
by Kaj Johansson (Author), Peter Lundberg (Author), Robert Ryberg

[thecat@]

Excellent. Thanks!

[vxhorusxv]

I have: "Getting it Right in Print: Digital Prepress for Graphic Designers" by Mark Gatter. I remember reading it and thinking back to the first job I ever did where I submitted a JPEG [I was young!] and I CRINGED thinking about it.

[thecat@]

Lol! The first job I submitted was so wrong. I broke the first rule of going to press - always ask your printer what software they use. They got the job printed, but begged me to learn how to use the industry standard for their country.

Thanks for the heads up on the book (I'll add it)

[vxhorusxv]

Lol! The first job I submitted was so wrong. I broke the first rule of going to press - always ask your printer what software they use. They got the job printed, but begged me to learn how to use the industry standard for their country.

Thanks for the heads up on the book (I'll add it)

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I was going through old files recently for archiving purposes and just about died when I saw that job. I am EXCEEDINGLY nice to my in-house production people and I am sure they just chuckled to themselves and did the conversions themselves rather than call and scream at me. A few years on and I wouldn't even consider linking to a JPEG in INDY ... my how the times changes.

The book I recommended is really good ... it goes into ink densities and thresholds when dealing with process print ... something I had never gone near. Definitely eye opening. Hope it helps =)

[thecat@]

"ink densities and thresholds when dealing with process print"

Sounds useful! When I first got into trouble, I became very good friends with my printer. He saved my behind many times and I'm very grateful. Grateful enough to forgive him his trespasses :-)

Hmm ... for the Printer's / Prepress series I should have written a "stupid things we've done in press" post and have everyone contribute ... there's still time to pull it off (it runs over a month).