David Milisock's Blog
https://au.marketo.com/
Never noticed this until a read today.
Marketo is more than just software - when you use it, you get a playbook for digital marketing success.
Not that I'm suggesting Corel should do this. Maybe worth finding a partner that's a "king" in this area.
Alternatives — Always looking for better than Adobe. financesonline.com/.../
I agree, I only use Acrobat Pro 9 anymore and that's because of the Adobe conforming PDF driver and Distiller. I us no Adobe graphics applications any longer and that has been for several years.
Yes it's called a professional digital front end work flow. The package has a RIP, sometimes it comes with a PC, Rampage is one that comes to mind, then there's a preparation package usually included in the RIP that has multiple workstations, an imposition application and a trapping application, some have a proofing package, others do not costing another $15,000 with calibration equipment. However you pay for each package after the RIP. Then you need the plate setter, prosser and punch.
You might get away with as little as $45,000 but top of the line packages can go $100,000, depending it supports AM, FM or both screening. However the PC,s needed for the workstations tied to the RIP need to be bought.
Now you need a 4 color press with at least a coater, cheaper units $400,000 state of the art with extended oscillators 1.2 million. Then another couple million for the rest, building, and associated gear.
CorelDRAW, Adobe CC all create PDF files that support live transparency that can be edited at the RIP level, no need for additional graphic applications licenses. However you'll need at least 1 or more graphic workstations, color calibrated systems $3,000, with Adobe CC fees on top of that most shops have a few. CorelDRAW as far as I know is rarely supported anymore.
The above workflows catch all transparency issues in the RIP preview or in the proof
Sign printing/vinyl graphics is cheap in comparison to printing, art printing a bit more but you can get into 54" sign work for $15,000 plus the laminator, finishing gear and building. It gets a bit more if you do what I did with lift trucks, you can get 35 footers used for $30,000, new around $130,000.
Art printing at the 54" size starts from about $30,000 plus finishing gear another $10,000.
Non of these RIPS catch all transparency issues until you print. A real bite, but the truth is you and by that I mean YOU, need to know what to look for and how to sort the wheat from the chafe. You most times just get what you pay for.
You need to rip to plates using the same technology as ripping to a proof. What is being used to proof in the US?
Proofing quality in the U.S. depends more on the quality of the technician then on the amount of money being spent. RIP once output many processing systems start around $65,000. Global Graphics have good systems for that but more costly systems exist by press manufactures that will set ink keys.
Inkjet proofing being low cost has been dominant for well over 15 years. Even though they have no inks that have hues equal to process color inks. The processes get SWOP or GRACoL certification even though they don't use proper hues, which in my opinion is techno BS.
Those systems use inkjet proofers and again depending on the quality of the technician the proofs are pretty good at best. You will see some images look different on press. NONE of these systems are as accurate as the Kodak Approval system, where you laminated a CMYK film set based on an ink set directly on to the paper used for print. I know of no Kodak systems installed anymore.
A more low cost process uses the same RIP as used for the plate setter for proofing but requires re processing another RIPPED file. The variations of raster images due to rendering variations can and usually are more severe. Again inkjet proofing is used. These systems exist in most smaller CMYK shops withn29" or larger presses.
Today I'd estimate that 50% or more proofs are done by a digital display that's improperly color managed.
Remember in 1990 there were 141 printers, (large 38" presses and small 17" presses) in a 12 mile radius from my shop, now there 4. You do the math.
Murdoch bought Imprint, Press Etching, all the local newspapers, bankrupted book publishers by under cutting the price to print the phone books... all this years ago. Before we gave him to you lot.They all seem to be making a buck here. If you had a 4 color press 20 years ago then you have 4+ of them now.
You're not buying alot of printing in your country. Look at the magazine racks they're 1/100th the size they used to be.
Yearly I send a few thousand images out to be printed in several countries one architect sends them to Australia. I've had to revamp my processes twice because of the downward movement of quality. The 0rint economy has a few bright spots but it's been a downward spiral for 3 decades at least. We've seen some stabilization now since there are so few.