Overview of Graphic Communications Unit 1

Learning Objectives Explain the important role of graphic communications in our technological society. Identify the major processes commonly associated with the graphic communications industry. Summarize the four printing classifications. Describe the impact the computer has made and will continue to make on the graphic communications industry.

Vocabulary Words Graphic – A term that describes the things that we see. Communication – A term that refers to the exchange of information in any form. Printing – A term that is used to describe the process of using ink to place an image on a substrate. Graphic Communications – A term used to refer to the many methods and technologies used in transferring and processing images before they are printed, as well as the steps completed to prepare a printed product for final use. Advertisement – A widely used means of conveying messages to potential buyers. Design – Assures that the printed image conveys the intended message.

Examples of Products that are printed in the Graphic Communications Industry Books Newspapers Greeting Cards Packages Stamps Maps Fabrics Labels Order Forms Advertisements Manuals Certificates

Specifications Specifications are guidelines used to determine the format and cost of the final product.

Copy and Line Art Copy is written material or text produced by a computer or other output device. Line art is an image consisting of solid lines on a white or contrasting background.

Tones Continuous Tone – Material with gradations of tones or shades from light to dark is called continuous tone copy. Halftone – A converted continuous tone print that has been broken up into tiny dots using a screen process. Halftones are needed to print images on a press.

Classifications of Editing Content Editing- This is editing the content of what is going in the publication. Copy Editing- Editing the copy for final publication.

Composition Text composition today is generally done on a computer. Cold Composition – This is an old form of composition most commonly known as photocomposing. Electronic Page Composition – Text, line art, and photographs in digital form are arranged and manipulated on a computer monitor to assemble the final page. Completed pages are then output to an imagesetter to produce camera-ready copy, actual negatives of printing plates.

Composition continued…. Photoconversion – A general term for processes that use light to place the original image onto a light-sensitive material. Process Camera – This is a traditional piece of equipment used to make enlargements, reductions, and same-size reproductions for use in page composition or stripping.

Composition continued… Scanner – An electronic scanner is used to convert the light and dark values of the original to digital form and store the image as an electronic file. When using color you will need four separations to produce a four-color illustration. Computer to Plate is a platemaking method which uses an imagesetter to prepare the plate.

Printing There are two basic types of presses used in printing. Sheet Fed Web Fed

Four Major Printing Processes in the graphic communications industry Relief Planography Gravure Screen Printing

Printing continued… The two most common types of relief printing are the letterpress and flexography. Waterless printing uses ink viscosity, rather than a dampening solution, to keep the image and nonimage areas of a plate separate. Ink-jet printing is an example of the impactless printing process.

Printing continued… The process of joining together multiple pages of a printed product by various means is called binding. Various processes that enhance the final printed product are considered finishing operations. Lamination is the process of bonding plastic film to a sheet of paper to protect its surface and improve its appearance.

Printing continued… Offset Lithography is a printing process that dominates the commercial printing segment of the graphic communications industry. Periodical Printing segment of the graphic communications industry consists of plants that are designed primarily to print magazines.

Printing continued… Trimming – Cutting the edges and sides. Embossing – The process of producing a raised design on a substrate.