PROOFING PROOF OF WHAT? As digital technology rapidly changes print processes and workflow, it also is redefining the proofing function

he topic of proofing isn’t new. ing, any of which have the po- SWOP (Specifications for Web Unlike many other issues of tential to change the outcome Offset Publications) commit- the day, proofing challenges of the final product. tee—along with the publica- didn’t grow out of the digital The good news is that many tion and implementation of its design and revolu- of those variables can be iden- recommendations—have en- tion. Proofing has been an tified and controlled. As a mat- abled the industry to use ana- T issue in the graphic arts in- log proofing methods to suc- dustry for decades. None- cessfully simulate the outcome theless, the introduction of of the print process. The bene- digital production techniques, The market’s fits have included significantly along with some new tech- willingness to reduced costs and cycle time. nologies, has brought unique learn how to That’s not to say that a com- problems and solutions to parison of an analog proof to proofing operations. evaluate a proof the final printed piece wouldn’t In the professional graphic may be the real uncover some accuracy prob- arts, proofing serves two basic lems. But over time, users functions: it allows service issue in accepting have learned to “understand,” providers to confirm, with a a proofing or interpret, what can be ex- certain degree of satisfaction, pected on press based on the that what ultimately will be technology analog proof. In actuality, even delivered is what the client ex- with press proofs, there can be pects. It also has been used as differences in the final run a sort of “insurance” plan—in ter of fact, mastery of some of due to the presses used, setup, case something goes wrong in those variables is what allowed operator skill, etc. the process, the proof can be a our industry to move from The real issue in acceptance basis for further negotiations. press proofs to what are now of a proofing technology prob- But if the proof is approved called analog proofs (i.e., Cro- ably has more to do with the and no problems are encoun- malins, Matchprints, etc.) back market’s willingness to learn tered in production, then all in the 1970s. Standardization how to evaluate a proof (rela- parties involved have incurred of process inks and, subse- tive to the final printed piece), an expense that has no real quently, the creation of the than it does to technological value in the long term. limitations. If there was a way to guar- For example, when Croma- antee that a digital file would By DAVE ZWANG lin was introduced, the indus- process as expected, there Contributing editor and try reacted with skepticism— wouldn’t be a need for proof- consultant specializing in the at best. The group that most ing. Unfortunately, there are application of electronic needed convincing proved to many variables in the processes technology in the graphic be agency and design cus- of design, prepress and print- arts, based in Danbury, CT tomers. Du Pont, which devel-

40 • AMERICAN PRINTER DIGITAL PROOFING OPTIONS Size Company Product Type (inches) Use Substrates Cost RS#

Agfa DuoProof Dye-sublimation, Tabloid Draft Paper $18,995 1 thermal wax transfer intermediate/final DuPont Digital Ink-jet 27 x 27 Intermediate/final Three paper stocks (system) $99,000- 2 WaterProof MX6 $125,000 Digital Ink-jet, autofeed 27.1 x 20.4 Intermediate/final Three paper stocks $99,000- 3 WaterProof AX4 $125,000 WaterProof Preview Dye-sublimation 11.8 x 17.5 Draft Paper (system base) $18,999 4

Fargo Pictura 310e Dye-sublimation, 12 x 17.4 Draft/ Paper, transparency, $5,995 5 thermal wax transfer intermediate/final dye-sub receiver sheets Primera Pro Dye-sublimation, 8.5 x 11 Draft/ Paper, transparency, $1,895 6 thermal wax transfer intermediate/final dye-sub receiver sheets Fuji Color-Art Thin-layer 12.2 x 19.6 Intermediate/final Proof paper laminate $35,000 7 First Proof thermal transfer to stock First Look Thermal development 8.58 x 11.7 Random Donor and receptor $27,000 8 transfer and papers Imation Rainbow Proofing Dye-sublimination 11.9 X 17.2 Contract proofs Design, commercial, publication $18,500 9 System 2720 bases; adhesive-backed receptors System 2730 Dye-sublimination 12.2 x 18.1 Contract proofs Same as above $19,500 10 System 2740 Dye-sublimination 12.1 x 18.9 Contract proofs Design, commercial & publication $24,500 11 bases; roll-fed transparency material Model 2715 Dye-sublimination 11.9 x 17.4 Preliminary proofs Design base $9,995 12 Approval Thermal laser/ 13 x 20 Final/contract Receptor/printing stock $195,000 13 shows halftone dots Approval PS Thermal laser/ 13 x 20 Final/contract Receptor/printing stock $165,000 14 (PostScript) shows halftone dots Desktop Color Thermal dye transfer 12.16 x 18 Intermediate Publication and commercial grade $17,995 15 Proofer 9000 Konica EV-JetColor Proofer Ink-jet 13 x 18 Intermediate Various $39,500 16 NewGen ChromaxPro Dye-sublimation 12 x 19.2 Intermediate Specially coated $16,995 17 Systems dye-sub paper Optronics IntelliProof Laser/shows 19.6 x 25 Final/contract Konsensus paper $199,000 18 halftone dots Polaroid DryJet Solid ink-jet 13.5 x 19.3 Intermediate/final Actual printing stocks $35,000 19 Scitex Iris Realist 5015 Ink-jet 21 x 14 Intermediate/final Various $44,500 20 Realist 5030 Ink-jet 21 x 28 Intermediate/final Various $69,000 21 IRIS 3047 Ink-jet 34 x 46.8 Intermediate/final Various $101,200 22 Screen TruRite Laser exposure/shows 20.1 x 24.6 Final/contract Kodak-approved materials/ $299,000 23 (USA) halftone dots printing stock Seiko ColorPoint 820 PS Thermal wax, dye- 8.5 x 11 Draft/ Paper, transparency and specialty $7,999 24 sublimation modes full bleed intermediate/final media such as fabric transfer ColorPoint 830 PS Thermal wax, dye- 11 x 17 Draft/ Same as above $14,999 25 sublimation modes full bleed intermediate/final ColorPoint 835 PS Thermal wax, dye- 12.4 x 19.8 Draft/ Paper (dye-sub and thermal wax) $16,499 26 sublimation modes intermediate/final Shinko ColorStream II DP Dye-sublimination 9.4 x 12.6 Draft/intermediate Dye-sub paper, transparency sheet $7,995 27 ColorStream II DPL Dye-sublimination 12.2 x 18 Draft/intermediate Dye-sub paper, transparency sheet $14,995 28 Tektronix Phaser 440 Dye-sublimation 9.2 x 12.1 Intermediate/final Dye-sub material $7,995 29 Phaser 480x Dye-sublimation 12 x 18 Intermediate/final Dye-sub material $14,995 30 Western DiamondProof-DI Dye-Sublimation 24 x 180 Intermediate/final Paper (system base) $72,000 31 Lithotech oped Cromalin, in response still are important, predictabil- the digital revolution, in which instituted a full-blown mar- ity of the color and how the equipment costs were rising keting campaign aimed at the colors will work together when and margins were shrinking. design and advertising com- printed take center stage. The ink-jet proofer’s introduc- munity. Its goals were to edu- Moving down the produc- tion also wasn’t as well planned cate potential users and as- tion chain, from design into as that of Cromalin. suage any fears the creative prepress, adds requirements In time, better Iris and community had about using for details such as trapping. other ink-jet proofers came to this new technology. Further down the production market. Many dye-sublimation At the same time this was line, the print shop requires color proofers also were intro- going on, printers were being proofing of back-to-front page duced. These product introduc- sold on the reliability of the alignment and bindery con- tions, coupled with some shifts new technology. Once print siderations, such as folding, in process responsibility from buyers started to ask for this creep, etc. the prepress operation up- new proof, its success was al- stream to the designer, fostered most guaranteed. a wider market acceptance of The introduction of digital color digital proofing as a vi- proofing into the mainstream Any reliable able production tool. Still, a has a lot of similarities to Cro- tool that comparison of any of these malin. This time around, how- proofs to the final printed prod- ever, the move comes when encourages uct will show clear differences. our industry still is trying to creators to do Some of the differences may define responsibilities for vari- be more subtle than others, ous operations and stages of more thorough but these proofs—as is true of production—a problem that proofing earlier most proofs—require a cer- didn’t exist back in the 1970s. tain degree of interpretation. Cromalin was targeted at the in the process is That doesn’t make them less prepress area, while digital a positive valuable as production tools, proofing has the potential to especially since they offer be used in many steps of the lower cost proofing, increased whole production process, Color digital proofing has ease of use and quicker turn- from design to pressroom. been around for a while in around. If anything, such so- many different forms. The lutions may be more valuable, black-and-white laser printer given that the true value of There are many different has been around since the proofing is based on catching proofing applications and at early 1980s, and color thermal mistakes before going on press. least as many proofing tools printing dates to the late ’80s. As long as it’s reliable, any tool available. For example, editors These tools were adopted by that encourages print creators need to proof what they are the design community as vi- to do more thorough proofing writing for content and “fit” on able proofing techniques. Many earlier in the process definite- the page. Color generally isn’t print creators even started ly is a positive. a factor for this proofing re- making color decisions, to the quirement, but the way the chagrin of many printers, font looks and the copy fits is based on melted wax on paper. An added benefit of digital important. While this type of While these tools may have proofing in reducing cycle proofing usually is relegated to sufficed for some design appli- time is the ability to do “re- a black-and-white laser proof, cations, they couldn’t address mote proofing.” There have the file also might be reviewed many of the issues in the pre- been a number of attempts in on screen, as a so-called “soft press and printing stages of the past decade to develop re- proof.” Of course, this assumes the process. liable solutions that enable a the proper machine configu- The first viable digital color prepress operation to send a rations are maintained. As proof to answer some of the proof to its client over the users get more comfortable prepress proofing require- phone lines. The elimination with their ability to work with ments was the Iris ink-jet of the 12-hour (minimum) a good representation of final proofer, which was introduced “black hole” of overnight car- output on computer screens, in the late ’80s. Even though riers can be a welcome option they tend to skip the “hard it could be used to judge color for “rush” jobs. copy” proofing step. press results fairly accurately While telecommunication Color page proofing adds a (with the appropriate calibra- speeds impact the viability of number of additional require- tion), it was introduced to a remote proofing, the file trans- ments beyond those required largely skeptical marketplace. fer step has become less of an by editors. While the accuracy Potential users already were issue with the growth in ISDN of the copy and “fit” on the page trying to come to grips with and other telecommunication

42 • AMERICAN PRINTER technologies, coupled with de- through preflight checking challenges. While frequency velopments in file compression has gone a long way toward modulated screening technol- technology. Of course, there’s ensuring the “reliability” of a ogy (stochastic) could elimi- still the dilemma of how to en- file to be processed. This leaves nate this as an issue, it’s adop- sure that what clients view color predictability as one of tion hasn’t been as widespread coming off their digital proof- the only remaining issues, as initially hoped. Standard ers matches what press opera- and it should be taken care of dot configurations continue tors see in the printing plant. by the aforementioned devel- to be the solution of choice. There have been a number opments in color manage- There have been some so- of solutions offered to address ment solutions. lutions suggested to the prob- that problem. The latest of There also are less obvious lem of seeing the “dot effect” which is the “ColorLock” sys- issues that need to be ad- in a digital proof, including tem that works with Imation dressed to enable a complete integrating halftone dot gen- Rainbow proofers. This sys- eration for proofs with that tem is said to offer visual as- for outputting film or plates. surance that proofs will This would ensure a match match. This “proprietary” sys- The two biggest between proof and final out- tem is a valiant attempt to ad- unresolved put, but in the greater scheme dress color consistency, but a of things it isn’t a practical ap- broader-based solution ulti- digital proofing proach. As business moves to- mately is necessary for remote issues are the ward on-demand digital pro- proofing to really take off. duction and distribution of Developments in color man- abilities to see information, our industry will agement systems that support overprinting need to develop workflows and ColorSync, a standard system- and moiré production techniques that level tech- are independent of the final nology for the Mac, likely will patterns output device. lead to a final resolution of That last point is kind of this problem. ColorSync pro- ironic. The capability to pro- vides the ability to “profile” transition to digital proofing. duce final “printed” pieces proofing devices to establish Press and bindery require- electronically actually is part their individual characteris- ments traditionally have called of what’s driving the need for tics and compensate for vari- for “two sided” proofs to check digital proofing. And, the ac- ances. This will allow users to back-to-front page alignment. ceptance of communicate a file to differ- While this capability still would seems to be growing faster ent proofing devices with some be nice, it really isn’t necessary than widespread adoption of degree of assurance that the given the way page alignment digital proofing. output can be used to judge is determined in an electronic the acceptability of the final file. The move to electronic printed piece. Of course, a cer- imposition all but assures that, Still, where possible, today’s tain level of interpretation if properly configured, layouts proofing problems are being still will be required. will be very accurate and re- addressed by developments in peatable. Imposition software technology. These develop- also addresses the setup re- ments ultimately will reduce If the goal is quicker and quirements of bindery opera- print production costs and lower cost proofing methods, tions, since job parameters cycle time. They also may give why isn’t “soft proofing” of can be added to the layout in users a new level of confidence color pages the norm? After the imposition programs. that what they see in the proof all, other than completely The two biggest unresolved will be what they get in the eliminating proofing, it is the proofing issues are the abili- final printed piece. quickest and lowest-cost solu- ties to see overprinting and The introduction of any tion. There are, in fact, an in- moiré patterns. Overprinting new proofing solution always creasing number of compa- has been addressed in some of will be met with some skepti- nies doing just that. Tools have the proofing systems available cism, but demonstrable bene- been introduced that improve and should become a non- fits are apt to win out in the the match between what’s issue as the “new” PDF (Acro- long run. This will be the case seen on-screen and what ap- bat) file format, with its trans- until the ultimate solution is pears in print, but acceptance parency capabilities, replaces developed in the future, one takes time. PostScript as the de facto stan- encompassing processes and Eliminating “hidden” pro- dard for page production. systems that automate page cess-related issues (which re- That leaves the ability to see production and eliminate the sult from limitations in Post- moiré patterns as one of the requirement for proofing of Script or other applications) only remaining “technical” any kind. ‡

44 • AMERICAN PRINTER