Basics Design: Print & Finish [Paperback]

Gavin Ambrose (Author), Paul Harris (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 2940373426 | ISBN-13: 978-2940373420 | Publication Date: November 5, 2006

How can printing and finishing techniques be used to enhance graphic design? Basics Design: Print and Finish explores that question in depth, with complete information that will be valuable to both graphic-design students and practicing designers.

 

Concepts such as color building, reversing out, tints, shades, gradients, halftones, and computer-to-plate printing are all explained fully, with visual examples for each. Thermography, debossing, embossing, die cutting, varnishing, and other techniques are also covered in detail, with illustrations. Examples from top design studios illuminate the text and inspire readers to use these print and finish techniques in their own work.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'I love this series & this book is another excellent part, informative, easy to navigate & excellent examples.'  Patricia Buckingham, Bedford College, UK

'Excellent primer in print production techniques, made accessible with clear and concise examples and case studies.' Gerard Fox, IADT Dunlaoghaire, UK

'A great book with good examples of different types of printing and finishing.  Different papers in the book are great examples too.' Kyle Iman, Art Institute of Salt Lake City, USA

'Valuable information with nice examples.' Leslie Haines, Art Institute of Nashville, USA

 

 

 

Book Description

How can printing and finishing techniques be used to enhance graphic design? Basics Design: Print and Finish explores that question in depth, with complete information that will be valuable to both graphic-design students and practicing designers.

 

Concepts such as color building, reversing out, tints, shades, gradients, halftones, and computer-to-plate printing are all explained fully, with visual examples for each. Thermography, debossing, embossing, die cutting, varnishing, and other techniques are also covered in detail, with illustrations. Examples from top design studios illuminate the text and inspire readers to use these print and finish techniques in their own work.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Ava Publishing (November 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2940373426
• ISBN-13: 978-2940373420
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #655,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview of the Final Step in Document Production, December 29, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basics Design: Print & Finish (Paperback)

This is the fifth of a series of five books covering almost every aspect of producing a printed image. As the last in the series it is on the final step in the process, that of actually producing the document following: Format, Layout, Typography, Image, and Color.

This book covers the printing process from the standpoint of what you are trying to produce. What does metal printing offer to the printed image that offset does not? And what effect does putting a varnish over the surface create. And what is the effect of folding, die cutting, or various types of binding.

Printing is really a designing project, no less than product design, packaging design (which usually involved printing anyway), or advertising. The authors are expert designers who have further collected a lot of examples of designs from other people and then show a large number and a wide variety of examples of fine work using these techniques.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for the various print techniques, uses itself as example!, July 19, 2007

By 

A. P. Bejmuk II "AP Bejmuk II" (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basics Design: Print & Finish (Paperback)

Wonderful book that not only describes various print and finish techniques but uses itself as an example. From paper to ink - the book is bound with of no less than a half dozen stock types to demonstrate various techniques and stock/ink combinations, and demonstrates the printer spreads used for various sections. Even the cover uses a brilliant blend of die cuts and varnish prints to demonstrate the extent of the techniques described within.

Substrates, printing, finishing, production, binding and resolve... I certainly regret that this book wasn't required reading when I was getting my Graphic Design degree in college.

There are plenty of photographs of more advanced finishing methods, a doubtless source for inspiration. All full color, often with more than just 4 standard colors (as examples of printing with aqueous and metallic inks).

This was the first (and currently the only) book of the series that I purchased, and glancing through the others I do see some repeated information. However, as a stand-alone book, priceless. Definetly a good complement to the required reading in any Printing & Prepress / Design & Production course.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Print & Finish, September 29, 2008

By 

R. Kerr (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basics Design: Print & Finish (Paperback)

This book is such a good reference that I am going to buy the others in the series. Good design books are hard to come by and this is one I actually use for production ideas and specs. It may be a bit general for pros, but I found it very helpful.