Underground Journal

What Are Prepress Services?

Prepress is a term used in the publishing industry for the work that is done after layout creation and before the final printing process takes place. When a file needs to be altered, it should be done while you are still in the prepress phase rather than after the piece has gone to the printer. The process involves print plate creation and the mounting of that plate on the printing press. Text and images are able to be manipulated at this time and a high resolution print file is created.

Color correction, file manipulation, typesetting and photograph retouching are all services provided by an experienced prepress company. Prepress business is used most often by print companies followed closely by major metropolitan newspaper publishers. Prepress job opportunities have changed with the times and while modern technology has forced some of those traditional positions to be eliminated, digital prepress skills have become more in demand as the technology shifts.

Customers are able to conveniently submit files electronically to a prepress operation. PDF, Adobe and Quark files are the most popular file types used today. Technological advances have greatly reduced the time needed to complete most prepress processes. Specialized equipment used by the prepress specialists to create files these days include publishing software and image scanners.

Back in the day, typesetting was done by hand in a printing shop. This process for reproducing text as a graphic on paper was later handled by machines. Eventually even the machines become obsolete as software companies introduced desktop publishing programs that allow virtually anyone to handle the job.

The responsibility of an editor is to improve the format and style of a document in a process known as copy-editing. The next phase in the printing process is proof-reading to catch any mistakes before publication. It should be noted that proof-reading is actually an ongoing process that can and should be done at each stage in the procedure. A final read through is required, however, as a final check.

Markup is an additional prepass process that is now commonly done with a word processing program. Markup involves making notations to the text as a direction for suggested display and arrangement.

Proofs are created for any portion of the product including text, illustrations, photos and colors. During this phase, the artwork is accurately reproduced so it can be checked for any errors.  Photographs are subjected to various prepress processes including adjustment, screening and retouching. This is a service commonly used by marketing companies as well as publishers of newspapers and magazines.

Workflow is another industry term that is used to refer to the execution of various prepress processes. Workflow varies according to whether the publisher is producing packaging, newspapers or books and is specific to the project at hand.  These days, workflow can be managed with prepress software and allows various workers in completely different locations to collaborate simultaneously on the same project. This has been helpful to many modern industries and allows companies to hire freelance workers from a distance without having to shell out extra money for travel expenses. Editors, prepress operators and graphic designers can consult with each other remotely and keep any schedule that works best for them. Obviously, companies find this to be a huge time saver.

Finding a company that offers a large variety of services is easier than ever. These services include graphic design services, web development, prepress service and even photography. With a one stop shop, the client is guaranteed greater consistency and accuracy than might otherwise be realized by using outsourcing for each individual element. Start with an Internet search when you need to find a company to hire for professional prepress services.

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