There is never enough time to proof properly but there will always be time to reprint when the job goes wrong!” This is a well-known saying in the printing industry but still we allow timescales to pressure us into taking short-cuts. The first casualty is a proper reviewing of the proof, and a key aspect of proofing is to make a mock up that is near as possible to the final product.
Mock ups provide several advantages to ensure a successful printing result:
- The client or the end user can check for readability including clarity, grammar and accuracy.
- The functionality in terms of asking “Are the original goals of the item achieved?”.
- The layout functionality and the practicality of producing the item can be checked to ensure consistent production.
- Forms can be checked for space and the paper choice for writing on.
- Books can be checked for binding allowances, pagination or the way pages fall with respect to sections and chapters.
- The overall aesthetic appeal of the product can more accurately be accessed in a physical proof rather than an on-screen check.
Whilst a lot of the above can be covered by the practical input of experienced printers or good designers, nothing can beat a mock for driving out the weaknesses of a product.
Top tips for proofing:
- Never check a print proof on a computer screen or a cell phone – size and colour are not the same as a final printout.
- Always make a mock up and finish it as close as possible to the final product – even the cleverest of us cannot “picture it in our heads”.
- Never rush proofing, take a pen in hand and tick through checking each word, sentence and number – the biggest opportunity to avoid wastage is as early as possible in the design process.
RevPrint, with their range of digital machines is very capable of helping with proofs and mock ups even if the final prints are going to another production facility.
Follow these simple guidelines and you will never find yourself paying for a second set of litho plates or throwing away printing and ending up paying twice and still only getting the work later.
For more tips on proof reading – https://solutions.teamavalon.com/blog/tips-on-how-to-review-a-printers-proof
Leave it with us, you’re in good hands!
