morea
11-26-2004, 03:31 AM
I've worked in print shops for 5 years and didn't realise how different things were in the 'real' world. I think that anybody who knows anything about paper will appreciate this story:
As most of you know, I just took a job working with a company that distributes kitchen appliances (stoves, microwaves, refrigerators) and large commercial laundry equipment. I'm handling much of the office work as well as designing flyers, etc for the company to send out. (This involves everything from writing the copy and taking the photos to doing the layout.)
The first project I did was a simple letter to potential customers with a few photos included. I asked the boss how many colors he wanted it to be (thinking of printing costs) and he told me that I could use whatever I wanted! (Exciting, right?) Well, I included some nice color photos and got approval on the letter, then asked where we were having the letter printed (figuring that I would call the company and see how their prepress department wanted it supplied). My boss told me that we would be printing the letter 'in house'. The following conversation ensued:
me: Oh, we have a color printer in house?
him: No, we can print it on the (black and white) laser printer!
me: oh... I see. But then the photos won't come out in color...?
him: oh, that's ok, it doesn't matter how you designed it, it will come out in black and white!
me: (to myself) Dear God, what have I got myself into?
So the next project came along - an 8.5 x 11' flyer. Again, I could use whatever colors I wanted. (This time I asked ahead of time if we would be printing it 'in house' and was told that we would do just that to save money.) No problem... I can do a flyer in grayscale. No big deal.
So this time when I finished the flyer and presented it for approval the boss was pretty happy. He liked it SO much he told me he would get the 'good' paper for me to print it on! Now I was pretty excited that he got special paper for me to print the darned things - I figured that it would look better for my portfolio.
Well, the boss came in with a pack of paper and laid it proudly on my desk.
I looked at it. I looked at HIM. I looked back at it, to be sure my eyes were not deceiving me.
Yup, it was 24# white #4 bond. Glorified copy paper.
me: oh, is this the special paper?
him: Yes! Isn't it nice? It's thicker than what we usually use! (Not too hard, since we usually use 20# white bond. )
me: (to myself) Dear God, what have I got myself into?
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.
As most of you know, I just took a job working with a company that distributes kitchen appliances (stoves, microwaves, refrigerators) and large commercial laundry equipment. I'm handling much of the office work as well as designing flyers, etc for the company to send out. (This involves everything from writing the copy and taking the photos to doing the layout.)
The first project I did was a simple letter to potential customers with a few photos included. I asked the boss how many colors he wanted it to be (thinking of printing costs) and he told me that I could use whatever I wanted! (Exciting, right?) Well, I included some nice color photos and got approval on the letter, then asked where we were having the letter printed (figuring that I would call the company and see how their prepress department wanted it supplied). My boss told me that we would be printing the letter 'in house'. The following conversation ensued:
me: Oh, we have a color printer in house?
him: No, we can print it on the (black and white) laser printer!
me: oh... I see. But then the photos won't come out in color...?
him: oh, that's ok, it doesn't matter how you designed it, it will come out in black and white!
me: (to myself) Dear God, what have I got myself into?
So the next project came along - an 8.5 x 11' flyer. Again, I could use whatever colors I wanted. (This time I asked ahead of time if we would be printing it 'in house' and was told that we would do just that to save money.) No problem... I can do a flyer in grayscale. No big deal.
So this time when I finished the flyer and presented it for approval the boss was pretty happy. He liked it SO much he told me he would get the 'good' paper for me to print it on! Now I was pretty excited that he got special paper for me to print the darned things - I figured that it would look better for my portfolio.
Well, the boss came in with a pack of paper and laid it proudly on my desk.
I looked at it. I looked at HIM. I looked back at it, to be sure my eyes were not deceiving me.
Yup, it was 24# white #4 bond. Glorified copy paper.
me: oh, is this the special paper?
him: Yes! Isn't it nice? It's thicker than what we usually use! (Not too hard, since we usually use 20# white bond. )
me: (to myself) Dear God, what have I got myself into?
I haven't lost my mind... it's backed up on disk somewhere.