Learn Commercial Printing Process - Offset Printing

Disc Pro Graphics is Houston’s Leading Commercial Printing company, and was honored to have SHSU Graphic Design Students visit us. Any time a graphic designer is interested in seeing where the magic of printing happens and asking those all important questions about how things get done, we get excited.

 

Learning the commercial Printing Process with Graphic Design in Mind

 

The students of SHSU were able to see first hand how we take their designs and turn them into beautiful printed products. They were also able to learn about the different types of printing processes including Offset, Digital and Large Format printing.

They were able to see all the different machines in action. Getting to see this helps designers understand the production process of their designs. Making every decision for file preparation much easier to see why things are necessary. Printing Technology has improved so much over the last century and Disc Pro Graphics is continually impressed by the imaginations of graphic designers that know about how to make the most of the modern printing process and printing technology we have use of today.

 

What the Class was able to see first hand

Graphic Design students from SHSU were shown first hand their recently reviewed topics. Making use of every visual aid available to them at Disc Pro Graphics.

Spot colors

When designers understand the use of spot colors being used separate of process color they can utilize mono-printing designs that take full advantage of the wide range of substrates that can be used in offset printing.

Process colors

Seeing printing plates being installed into an offset press for the standard four color printing process is amazing. How it becomes a common occurrence for offset printing is a beautiful part of the process color procedure. Getting the opportunity to see printing plates up close and learning about how process color works even at high speeds and precision placement of small color patterns is always a highlight for students ready to learn more.

Overprinting vs. Knockout Printing

Solid ink densities are crucial to the process color saturation. Being able for students to design with the inherent understanding of what a commercial printer needs on the back end makes all the better Graphic designer when it comes to the modern printing process.

Registration

Offset and Digital Printing have a completely different registration process and getting the ability to see both first hand makes for great graphic designers when wanting to get the most out of each design. Knowing how to design around limitations of what type of press your artwork may be chosen to be printed on makes for amazing graphic designers.

Color Separations

The Modern printing process uses software to produce color separations and being able to see the printing plates first hand gives you an appreciation for the complexity that is usually taken for granted.

Dot / Ink gain

Students who get the chance to see the offset printing process on Houston’s Fastest 6 color Offset press sheets quickly learn an appreciation for speed and the use of printing dot / ink gain.

Die Cutting

Students at SHSU Graphic Design were able to see first hand traditional Letterpress die cutting and modern cnc cutting tools. Both which have their place in the modern commercial printing process.

 

This is how your learn commercial printing process, from a Graphic Designer perspective.

It was a great day and we are already looking forward to the next group of design students coming to visit us. If you are interested in bringing a group to tour our facility please contact us. We would be more than happy to show you and your students around.

Disc Pro Graphics is a premier commercial printer in the Houston area. We specialize in printing high quality products catalogs, brochures, business cards, postcards, flyers, posters, and much more.