Customer Reviews

Real World Print Production

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Every designer who wonders why the print shop refuses to run their work without a ton of extra setup fees and then wonders why nothing looks right in the end needs to read this book.

Every photographer who wonders why the cut rate coffee table books they order from China don't look as good as they did on their computer screen needs to read this book (and probably Real World Color Management as well).

Every print shop owner who refuses to upgrade any of his or her 20 year old equipment/software and expects to stay in business for the next 20 years needs to read this book.

Every prepress worker who relies on a free copy of Acrobat Reader for PDF jobs needs to read this book.

Every print shop sales representative who relies on the advice of prepress workers who rely on a free copy of Acrobat reader for PDF jobs when writing up quotes needs to read this book.

Every average Joe who suspects the print shop sales representative who relies on the advice of prepress workers who rely on a free copy of Acrobat Reader for PDF jobs when writing up quotes is ripping them off needs to read this book.

I don't think it's necessarily perfect, but if everyone involved in buying and selling of printed materials would at least thumb through this thing long enough to pick up some of the basics on the myriad ways ink can be smeared on paper, I'd like to think that there would be at least a few less hideously glossy, full-color business cards with Sears portraits on them in the world.

I've been design print material on the desktop for almost two decades and I wish I had this book since my first day. EVERYONE WHO WORKS WITH DESKTOP PUBLISHING SHOULD HAVE THIS BOOK AT THEIR SIDE. The author really knows what designers go through, and really knows her stuff. As I was reading it, I couldn't help but mutter aloud every few pages, "Wow! This is great advice!" It's like Claudia McCue was sitting next to me during all the DTP issues I've ever had-- and answered all my questions. And, she's not application-isolated in her approach... the author writes separate chapters for each major DTP app and intertwines hints when necessary. If you're not learning lots of new things from this book, you're not from this planet. I love this resource, and I'll be referring to it often!

I'm an old pro. Every paragraph either taught me something I didn't know, or clarified something I was sure I did know.

Claudia, somehow, gets into the reader's head, the user's hands, and asks the questions you didn't know were actually questions. Then she answers them.

You know everything? Buy this book. You'll know more. You're a beginner. Keep it on your desk as ready ref.

Also she has a droll, dry sense of humor. And writes with the kind of simplicity and clarity that makes the book fun to read and easy to read. Inferior writers try to write fancy to impress people. Good writers know how to write simply and are not afraid to do so. Claudia is one of the latter.

The book title says it all. Excellent book! I wish it had been published a year earlier - as it would have answered many questions. I bought this book without seeing any reviews since it was hot off the press. This is the best book I have found that really explained printing with software programs. I do not know of any other books on the market that fill this niche. It is a real gem. It explains many things that could only be learned from years of experience only the author has graciously provided her knowledge in book form. Topics discussed are: life cycle of a print job, fundamentals of printing, binding and finishing, preparing raster images, vector graphics, fonts, cross-platform issues (MAC vs PC), job submission, Photoshop production tips, Illustrator Production Tips, Freehand Production tips, InDesign Production Tips, QuarkXpress Production Tips, Acrobat Production tips, and print production resouces (14 chapters plus appendix). Great for a beginner to graphics arts like me ( 1 year self trained)to advanced user. I rate this book 10 stars!!!!!

I have been a designer with an Ad Agency for 6 years. Where was this book when I was just getting started?

In today's design schools we are taught how do run the programs and how to make a good looking design but nobody teaches you how to build a proper file that won't drive your prepress guys in to screaming fits... until now. Learning how to do 1001 tricks in Photoshop/Illlustrator/Quark/InDesign/Freehand will do you no good unless the files you send to the printer will actually print. This is the book I wish I had read when I first started and I highly recommend it. This is money well spent. I use it to teach our newer employees on what to do and what not to do when sending files to the printer. It explains problems in an easy to understand manner.

The only flaw in this book... some things seemed to be repeated constantly.

This was a great book and a tremendous resource for a designer. Author has engaging and straightforward writing style - didn't take long to read and will save numerous headaches at the printer.

I highly recommend this for anyone who produces digital media for print!

I've been in graphic art business for 30 years and I still learned a few things from this book. Its a must have for the new digital world. If you want to make your life easier and avoid costly mistakes you must read this book. A lot of helpful tips inside that are actually current to the latest technology, it even explains such stuff as font issues in Mac OSX. Highly recommended

I'm using this book as the text book for an Electronic Publishing course I'm teaching. Claudia's style is dry and humorous, which makes the complex material easier to digest. Lots of wonderful tips and insights. I highly recommend it for anyone trying to comprehend how design goes from computer to print.

I am a trainer in the graphic arts field and I recently read this book for a group of students I am working with that needed to have more of a printing understanding. It was such a great read and very informative that I had to buy it for my students. The information has proved very valuable to them. Anyone who wants to get their jobs on Press with the least amount of problems should read this book.

If you are new to the desktop publishing business, this book has lots of answers and even brings up questions I didn't know to ask. Ms. McCue is to be commended on her writing style, as well. Buy this book!