FINAL BLOG!!!

Although Digital File Prep was one of the most time consuming classes I have ever taken, I gained a lot of knowledge that will be very useful to me in the future.  My favorite project was the final project because I had more of a say in what the project would look like and the sizes I had to make the document.  Having complete control over the project and then getting to see the final outcome was awesome.  I also learned how to package a file which will definitely come in handy in the future when I am passing Indesign files back and forth in my profession.  The basic paragraph style has to be my favorite new skill that I gained from this class because it makes it SO much easier to make changes to multiple text boxes.

The thing I really didn't like about the class was how much work it involved.  I know that sounds cliche but honestly, there were so many things we had to worry about.  Blogs every day, test once a week at the beginning, new projects every few weeks, all the requirements we had to meet on the projects, the master image list, printing our own grade sheets, using things we could only get from the server in that classroom, etc.  I think the class should definitely be offered without the writing to learn option because as a senior, I have definitely already taken my two WL classes and the extra work load the blog added was crazy because I was trying to balance it with all my 700-800 level classes as well.

Adobe Tutorial 4

Layers for Beginners

1. Open a new document.
2. Place photo on it, make sure the layer is unlocked.
3. Decide what addition you want to make to the photo.
4. Don't draw new pixels over the image.
5. Add a new layer to your document.
6. Name it what you want to that connects with the image that will be on the layer.
7. Make sure layer is selected.
8. Add addition to your document (speech bubble in this tutorial).
9. Move speech bubble wherever you want it on the document.
10. Stack layers in order of how they appear on the document.

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4EooYoYYTQ

Lawsuit Summary

In early 2011, Levi's, the brand name most associated with jeans and other articles of clothing filed a lawsuit of infringement against multiple companies in Belgium, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Japan and other countries.  The brand sign known as the "Arcuate" is a double arch stitching which people all over the world recognize as the Levi's brand.  In order to protect their name and their merchandise, Levi Strauss and Co. decided to do something about all the copy cats throughout the world.  Levi recently won four of the lawsuits they insinuated against the companies.  The four defendants the won against included Hangzhou Hongye Clothing Company, Jianchiwode Clothing Company, Zhongshan Renxin Clothing Factory, and Shanghai Xinning Shopping Center Company.  Levi's demanded that all four companies stop using the arcuate design in their clothing products and that any infringing products were deleted or destroyed.  Each lawsuit provided millions of dollars for Levi's from the infringing companies.   The court made its decisions due to the fact that the plaintiff and the defendants designs on the back pockets of their jeans were almost identical and the trademarks could possible mislead potential customers for Levi's.  

Example of the "Arcuate"

Levi's Brand

Source:
http://english.people.com.cn/90778/7627461.html

Job Analysis 3

Graphic Designer

Franklin, TN Medical Supply/Technology Firm is looking for a Junior Graphic Designer to produce graphics art work for the firm for any projects they may be working on.

Applicants must have at least a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Computer Science or a related field as well as 2 years experience as a Graphic Designer, Webmaster or other similar job types.  

Applicants must all have experience computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office, Quark, Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator as well as experience with CSS, Javascript, HTML and Flash.  

Beginning salary ranges from $40,000 - $44, 000.

Applicants must be detail oriented and extremely creative.  It is preferred that applicants have strong interpersonal skills, be able to multitask, stay organized, and prioritize tasks at hand.

growing Franklin TN medical supply/​technology firm has a current need for a Junior Graphic Designer to join their team.​  The ideal candidate will be creative and detail oriented.​ 

Source: 
http://jobview.monster.com/Graphic-Designer-Job-Franklin-TN-108725703.aspx
 

Job Analysis 2

 Senior Graphic Designer

The role of the Senior Graphic Designer at Aerospace Group has multiple responsibilities including but not limited to:
1. Manages and directs the creative process for design / layout of brochures, newsletters, logos, corporate identity, print ads, product launches, photo direction, visual displays, presentations, etc.
2. Interact with management, marketing community, clients and vendors (printers, photographers, creative houses, etc.) when necessary.
3. Provide creative concepts, art direction, problem solving, and research for marketing communication projects and campaigns that will assist in building Product Line and company awareness both externally as well as internally.
4. Manages print production on a project to project basis.
5. Monitors overall performance during all phases of the program and develops and implements corrective action and recovery plans as required.
6. Advises in customer program-related supplier design reviews, as required, to ensure the contractual requirements of the program are being met.
7. Manages the customer relationship, maintaining customer satisfaction, yet assuring that scope is managed appropriately and contract changes are secured where appropriate.
8. Provides creative direction in the design of trade show displays with the support of in house creative staff and outside vendors.
9. Mentor junior designers as needed.

In order to apply for the Senior Graphic Design position, applicants must have at least a Bachelors degree from a University and three years of Graphic Design experience and they must legally be able to obtain a job in the United States.

Applicants should be familar with  Adobe Creative Suite 5 on a PC platform.  They should also have experience implementing and maintaining brand design standards, familiarity with trade show graphics, planning skills, experience in the production of displays, communication skills, and knowledge of Flash software.

The starting salary range is between $44,000 and $51,000.

Source:
http://jobview.monster.com/Senior-Graphic-Designer-Job-Fort-Worth-TX-109083026.aspx

Adobe Tutorial 3

Text Logos

1. Open Illustrator
2. Create new document
3. Decide on logo name.
4. Bold font and increase size.
5. Make back up copy and place on the side of the page.
6. Expand object.
7. Attach letters with the square tool to make it look connected.
8. Make logo look appealing to you.
9. Possibly add colors, expand font, increase or decrease sizes of letters, etc.
10.  After you have achieved the desired look of your logo, select all characters.
11. Use path tool to combine all characters together.
12. Add colors or gradients as desired.

Before Image.

After Image

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1DY1uBrSZA

Job Analysis Search 1

Job Description:  Graphic Designer, Web Developer Emphasis in the Washington, DC metropolitan area at the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence.  The job opening is for an artistically and technically skilled web designer.  They ware looking for a person with experience in project management and web site developer.  The new employee will be responsible for the production of web sites and different online applications that would be used to present intelligence analysis to senior policymakers which could potentially include the President of the Untied States. 

Education Requirement:  The minimum requirements for this job position is a bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related field with a strong emphasis in web programing.  Applicants must also have a 3.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale.

Program Knowledge Requirement:  Applicants must be familiar with Adobe Dreamweaver, ColdFusion, Java, SQL, Java Script, PHP, CSS, XML, HTML, and OOP. 

Salary Range:  Beginning  salary for this full time position would be $49,861 - $97,333.

Years of Experience:  Years of experience are not required to apply for this job.  However, applicants must complete a through medical and psychological exam, a polygraph interview, and a background investigation before they will be offered a job.  Applicants are also required to to be citizens of the United States.

Source:https://www.cia.gov/careers/opportunities/support-professional/graphic-designer-imme.html

Final Project

Final project

The purpose of my final project was to invite family and friends to my graduation ceremony on May 12th.  My project actually started out as a gatefold project but definitely didn't stay that way as you can tell by comparing my thumbnails and roughs to my actual final project.  My roommates received a wedding invitation in the mail and I took the layout of that design and created my own.  My folding dummy came in really handy because it gave me the exact measurements so when I created my Indesign document, the size was perfect from the get go.  My target audience was the family and friends that I was inviting to my graduation.  The call to action was the list of dates and times that were on the card which told the people I was inviting what time they needed to be at the graduation.  It also contained the address of the gym so that everyone could find the ceremony.  The document had the normal bleed size at .125 inches, it was three colors because of the PSU colors that I used and I printed it on the size 80 coated paper so that the paper was thicker and it would hold up when it was folded.  

Adobe Indesign Tutorial

Indesign Basics: Making a Booklet

1. Organize information you are going to use.
2. Seperate text and images.
3. Create new document.
4. Make sure document settings (number of pages) are divisible by 4.
5. Make 12 pages.
6. Choose letter half style pages.
7. Set orientation to portrait.
8. Unlink margins.
9.  Outside, 3p3, Inside, 3p3.
10. Mark facing pages.
11. Click ok.
12. Save document inside your organized folder of text and images.
13. Add desired images, text and titles to booklet design.
14. After designing the booklet, select export pdf.
15. View your pdf in full screen mode to make sure you like the way your design is made.
16. After you are sure you like the way your design looks, print a copy to view it.

Images will be added when I have access to a Mac computer.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY16m7QcFj4&feature=related

National Logo Redesign

Nike is a name brand that can be found in almost every house throughout the United States and even internationally in more prominent cities. Because the Nike swoosh has become so popular because of its placement in the lives of celebrities, many people don't even remember the original Nike logo.  The original Nike brand was created in 1971 by a college student who was doing freelance work for his company that happened to be employed by the Nike company.  The Nike Swoosh was designed to represent the wing of the Greek goddess, Nike.  "Just Do It" and the Nike Swoosh took over America as it became a household name. 
In the early 2000's, Nike made the best decision of its career.  The "Just Do It" and Nike Swoosh campaign were dropped and Nike became a simple swoosh.  Faces such as Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, etc. became the face of the wing of Nike.  The logo became even more simple and the company made it cheaper to produce by its simplification.
Dropping the Nike and the "Just Do I" from the company logo was a brilliant move on Nike's part.  They created a trademark that everyone in the world recognizes it, regardless of the language they speak and understand.  They also managed to make their logo extremely cheap to produce because it is black, or white without any special things added to it.  

Sources:
http://www.dinesh.com/history_of_logos/miscellaneous_logos_-_design_and_history/nike_logo_-_design_and_history.html
 http://www.logoblog.org/nike_logo.php

Magazine and Billboard Layout

The full color ad I am designing for the BBC Music Magazine would run in one of the monthly additions.  The magazine readers break down as 65% men and 35% women so I chose to focus my ad more towards the men.  The cost of a full color ad in this magazine would be $4,060 with a bleed at 222mm x 292mm, a trim size of 216mm x 286mm and a type size of 196mm x 264mm.

Source: http://www.immediatemedia.co.uk/advertising/magazines/bbc_music_magazine.html

Billboard Designs

Jones has a very good idea with this design.  Mixing the apple flavor with the apple computer is genius but I wold have made the other computer icons even smaller than they already are so that the Jones bottle steals the show completely.

This is a very cool billboard design.  It makes you think it is see through but the PSP is implemented with the star wars game character flying through the corner.  Everyone driving by will know exactly what it is.

The wording and design of the board is done well.  Personally I would have switched the "follow ashton kutcher" with the actual link that he can followed on twitter so that people know exactly where to go to find him.

Very cool design.  It has a specific design and the point of the ad is delivered well.  The contact information can be seen at the bottom and you know which airline the ad is representing.

Very simple and straight forward design.  The mocha is featured and the saying goes well with the product.  The only thing I would have added would be maybe the location of the closest McDonald's.

We all know that Abercrombie and Fitch is known for its hot male models with nice abs, but that isn't what the store is selling.  Not only is this billboard missing product information or examples, it doesn't have any contact information or an address at which the store can be visited.

Adobe tutorial

How to create an Indesign layout from scratch.
1. Open Indesign
2. Create new doc
3. Go off of default size, facing pages, two pages, add bleed, half inch margins.
4. Turn off allow document pages to shuffle.
5. Put pages side by side.
6. Create frame, fill it with a color from swatches.
7. Lock frame
8. Grab image from mini bridge and drag into page.
9. Position image correctly.
10. Check to make sure all fonts needed are installed correctly or replace font with one you have.
11.  Place text into page.
12.  Enlarge text to desired size.
13.  Create new frame for title.
14. Add title, change to desired style, size and color.
15. Move to right hand size of the spread.
16. Create new frame.
17. Place letter that starts the paragraph in a frame to make it larger to add emphasis.  In this tutorial, I was used.
18. Discover desired size.
19. Add desired text that goes with large I.
20. Add text wrap onto image so that the text winds around it if needed.
21.  Make sure text wrap goes around only the image by selecting the choice, detect the edge of image.
22. Add any last desired text or images in any white spots.
23.  Figure out correct sizes for images and text.
24.  After completion, press command w to clear all background details and lines to view final project.

Beginning shot.

Final shot.

Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4I809YXmZ4


 

Newspaper Ad

The purpose of this project is to increase revenue for Kasey's Kreamery  by placing a newspaper ad in the Pittsburg State University Collegio.  Because I am offering a 50% off coupon for the PSU students when they present this coupon and their student ID, my target audience is PSU college students.  My call to action is the idea that I want them to bring in the coupon to the address listed at the bottom of the ad to receive 50% off of their order.  The specifications of the project are a $97 budget limit which we were required to use to find an ad that would run in the Collegio.  The ad had to be completely black and white and needs to attract someone to your business. 

Master Image List Descriptions

Bitmaps are also known as line art images.  When you use a bitmap image, you are only using black and white pixels.  Bitmaps are scans but can still be found in high resolution files.  When you are working with vector art, you are using illustrator images that have been exported as EPS files.  Illustrator also offers Raster formats which include grayscale rasters.  Grayscale rasters are the easiest to work with because they only contain values of up to 255.  They can be saved as illustrator file or they can be manipulated in photoshop and then can be implemented into inDesign files.  Duotone rasters can be made in photoshop files.  They can be saved in multiple formats which makes opening the files in other programs easier.  The duotones can be made of two, three or four different colors but the two color duotone is the cheapest to print.  A silhouette raster should be used when a cheaper print is necessary because it is the outline or just the black and white silhouette of the object you want to appear in your design.  A full bleed raster means the images in the project should stretch the complete length of the available space.  The average bleed of a design should be 0.125 of an inch.  Four color rasters are CMYK images.  They are made up of cyan, magenta, yellow and key and each layer of the color is printed over the first so that the colors can add up to the desired look of an image.  Screen tint is used when shading and tinting are used in the process of line reproduction.  Generally speaking, the majority of theses files are printed in CMYK form because the printing process is much cheaper.  When the cost is a big influence on how the project is produced, CMYK is usually the color mode that is used.  A reverse file is used when the opposite colors are used in the production process.  The reversed image shows where opposite colors and usually makes the image more interesting.

Source: 
McCue, C.  Printing Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications. 2009. Berkeley, Ca.

Chapter 11& 12

When you place and image in InD, you can choose and image by using command + d on the keyboard or selecting place from the options menu.  When you place an image, you are putting it in your InD file at its original size, but using the tools in InD, you can scale the image to the size that works in your design.  When you drag and drop an image or file into an InD, you can pull a file from the desktop, internet or even a USB or other outside device.  By dragging and dropping a file, it is placed directly into InD and is just a quicker way to place a file.  When there is a missing or modified link in a file, a picture, font or other some other part of the file is missing.  You can avoid this situation by packaging a file so that all the parts of the design are included.  When you transform an image in InD, you are scaling the size of an image.  This is not always a good thing because when you scale an image, you risk loosing or distorting pixels in the image.  When you use a drop shadow in a design, you are adding a shadow being an image, font or other part of your layout.  Drop shadows add emphasis on something in the design and help the viewers attention switch to whatever element has the drop shadow.  You should always produce your own swatches in your designs so that you know you are getting the exact color you want.  Swatches are in the directory panel of InD and a design can hold as many swatches as necessary for the design.  The main purpose of ink manager is to correct spot colors so that the desired color is reached.  When you get a PDF from a InD file, you export the file.  By exporting the file, you make it to where nothing in your design can be change and generally the PDF can be opened on all computers.  Any computer that holds a seat on Adobe software can open a PDF file.  When you choose the features of the settings you decide what kind of PDF file you are creating.  For example, you can develop a High Quality PDF or a Print Quality PDF depending on what you intend to do with the file.  A PDFX - 1a is the best file type if you are not completely sure of what you plan on doing with your file.  It is the easiest file to manipulate and can be opened by most computers.  When you use Acrobat Distiller you are generating a PostScript file to an PDF file.  You are required to use distiller on a file if you have a file that can  not be exported.  Once a PDF file is exported, you can not edit it.  You can place the PDF file in Illustrator and pull parts out of the file that can be incorporated into a new design, but, once a file is saved as a PDF, changes can not be made to that particular file.  The changes have to be made through the InD file.

Microsoft Tag

Microsoft tags can be compared very closely with QR codes.  The difference is that Microsoft tags use four colors in a 5 by 10 grid and the code works in monochrome.  Like QR codes, they have to be large enough in size for a phone to be able to read the code and distance varies depending on the type of ad that the tag is produced on.  Generating a Microsoft tag is simply because there are multiple web sites that can generate tags.  When you track a Microsoft tag, you follow the same basic process as that of a QR code.  You can use the generator to count how many people scan the tag and how many people actually proceed to click around the web site the tag takes them too. 

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Tag#Microsoft_Tag
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=755&tbm=isch&tbnid=pxYvEa7VF1MwgM:&imgrefurl=http://notixtech.com/blog/microsoft-tag-jagtag-and-qr-codes-compared&docid=LUEpzuSiXo-_oM&imgurl=http://notixtech.com/sites/default/files/microsoft-tag.jpg&w=400&h=396&ei=Mz88T-2kK9OItwfj8eDYCg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=214&sig=114503846987772872142&page=1&tbnh=160&tbnw=162&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&tx=102&ty=63

Direct Mail

Multiple ideas were generated as I drew out my thumbnails.  I wanted to stick to the PSU theme throughout the entire time.

As my final two roughs, I decided to go with the change in department theme.

The purpose of this project is to generate more consumers for my mom's horseback riding business.  Version one is to attract new or experienced riders interested in expanding their riding skills and version two should be used to attract owners who are seeking help to train their horse.  The project specifications for the file size are 5"x7", the bleed is 0.125", and the margins are 0.25".  The price to produce my project for one print is $0.2987 and to produce 100 prints of my project, it would cost $29.87.  There were only two links to my project, the MJ logo and the horse and rider image.  There is no copyright on the project because I produced all the images used in the project in illustrator. 

Chapter 8,9 & 10

The role of a CSR, or Customer Service Representative is to help you print your project.  When you go to a print shop or converse with any person about ordering prints from them, the CSR should be an experienced print professional who can give you some insight into your job's special needs.  When you talk with the printer, you should make sure all the specifics and special instructions the job may need are addressed so that there won't be any confusion once the printing begins.  Specific colors, paper types, size and many other things should be addressed when you talk with the printer.  When you plan for a print, you should make sure that anything that requires special attention or something that could possibly create problems during the print should be planned for.  Things such as unusual stock, special mixed inks, varnishes or other coatings, custom finishing, or unusual content should all be addressed so appropriate planning can be made.
When you check a raster or vector image for a print you should focus on resolution, color spacing, retouching, rotations and scaling and file names.    The correct color, images, fonts, text and bleeds should also be addressed so that nothing is missing or destroyed when the file reaches the printers.
When you send proofs to the printers, generally you will be asked to provide multi page documents in readers spreads which allows the printer to view the entire document.  A PDF file can also be provide for the printer to view the proof because PDF's can usually be opened on computers that house Adobe software.  Once your file is excepted, a proof will be sent to the consumer so that they can check the file one final time before the work is produced in bulk.
Scaling and rotating images in PS should be kept to a minimum.  If you scan in an image to work on in PS, you should take care to place the image correctly so that it won't be necessary to flip the image.  By flipping and rotating the image you are risking destroying the resolution and details of the image.  When considering image resolution, you always want to begin with as much information in the image as you can because you can always take information out.
When you change the color spacing in PS and AI, you should make sure it ends in RGB as you preform color correction, retouching and composting.  Because RGB has wider color gamut you have more to work with as you make corrections.  Once an image is converted into CMYK, some of the ability to make changes disappears.  Layers are very handy to work with when you are in any design program.  By using layers, you can lock certain things you want to keep in the same space, work on certain areas at different times and even make a background image so you can build something like it on the top layer.  When you change the transparency on an image, you are making it less noticeable. You make the layers lighter so that it can be placed in the background and other text or images can be placed on top of it.
When you create a path in the design world, you would be using Illustrator programs or Photoshop.  When you make a clipping path in Photoshop you are basically removing the main part of the photo, or the part you want to use in your design, and making the background or unwanted part of the photo disappear.  Duotones are a great design technique when you have a limited amount of color you can use in a design.  When you use a duotone, you are changing the colors of a photo to only two tones so that when the photo is printed in a design it only requires two different colors of ink.  AI Artboards are very covenant.  You can change an artboard to match the size of whatever area you need to cover so that when you transfer your design into inDesign it would be at a size of 100%.  Bleed settings in a document are established so that you have designs or colors that go to the edges of the page instead of just stopping with white lines in between them.  A bleed setting should generally be set to .25 inch so that it allows all the colors to travel  across the edge of the page.  When you use a clipping mask in AI, you are allowing the part of an image or photo you want to be in your design to show through while keeping the part you don't want to see invisible.  Transparency is a great tool to use in the design process.  By making an image less transparent, you can use the image in the background as a compliment to your design without making the layout to busy.  Linked and embedded images can be transferred into any design program.  They are linked into the file so that the folder can be opened on any computer and the images are still available even if they don't have the original on their computer.  When complex art is placed in any design it is important simplify it.  Complex art creates large file sizes and they are harder to manipulate in the programs.  Generally, if complex art is required in a design, it is initiated into the design last so the file is easier to handle throughout the design process.  Cleaning up a AI file means that you let the program tell you of any stray points in the design you may have meant to delete but forgot throughout the design process.  By cleaning up the file you ensure that no parts of the file that weren't intended show up when you print the file.   

Copyrights

Copyrights are extremely important for Graphic Designers.  By establishing a copyright mark for a project you have worked on, you can ensure that your work is protected and other parties aren't able to copy your work and claim it for their own.  To establish a copyright law, a designer must contact the government and pay for a circle r or a trade mark.  If an image, logo, picture, etc. is found online, it isn't up for grabs.  To use anything that is copyrighted that you find on line, the owner must be contacted and you would have to receive permission to use the copyrighted image. 

Source:
McCue, C. Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications. 2009, Peachpit
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1280&bih=755&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=trademark+symbol&btnG=Search

Chapter 6&7

PostScript means that the component on onscreen display and a printer component look the same.  By using PostScript, a designer can ensure that what they see on the screen, as far as writing is concerned, will look exactly the same as it does when they have a hard copy.
TrueType fonts were designed as a collaboration between Apple Computer and Microsoft and consists of a single file whicch means that no separate screen and printer font components is not necessary.
Like TrueType fonts, OpenType fonts consist of a single file as well.  The difference between True and Ope Type fonts is is that OpenType fonts are cross platform which means that the same font file can be used on a Mac or on a PC with no special handling.
Font families consists of groups of fonts that are the same style and they consist of the same characters.  In font families the letters and characters are the same but they can consists of bold, italic, condensed, etc. types of strokes.
Glyphs consists of any distinct letterform that isn't normal.  For example, numbers, lowercase p, or an ampersand are glyphs.
Multiple Master fonts generally begin with a PostScrpt font and then give the designer multiple choices including weights, angles and widths of the same font.
When licensing fonts, each style and character come with specific instructions about how they are supposed to appear.  Because so much work goes into each and every font typeface by the creator, the licensing rules protect the fonts from being copied or stolen.  Font licensing is a lot like copy right laws.
File naming should be simple and should make a file easier to find in a cluttered hard drive.  Some computer types allow 225 characters in a name but generally under 30 is desired.  The longer the name of a file is the more information your computer system has to attach to the file.
File extensions go in hand with file naming.  When a designer uses a file extension, they make it much easier for humans to recognize the individual files and are crucial for cross-platform compatibility.  When using a Mac and PC computer you can hide the extensions but they are still there.
Multiple types of formats can cross platforms if the technology on both devices is updated.  EPS, BMP, PCT, GIF, JPG, TIF, PNG, and PDF can all cross platforms.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Font_style#Font_style 
McCue, C. Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications.2009, Peachpit

Chapter 4&5

In terms of printing photos, the best file type for printing would be jpeg.  If you are planning on printing a word document or designed page, pdfs would work the best because when the files are sent to the printers, they can't damage or change around your designs.  When considering a file that you shouldn't try to print, designers should stay away from indd, ai, etc.  When a designer sends file types that are still open without packaging them multiple errors can come forward.  Font styles, pictures, and other images could potentially be lost in the transfer of files. 
A pixel is a minute area of illumination on a display screen, one of many from which an image is composed.  A Jpg is a file type that helps keep pixels from being compressed or destroyed and keeps the pictures in good quality.  When dealing with RAW files the data has been minimally processed from whatever recieved the image such as a digital camera, image scanner or motion picture film scanner.  RAW files are very large in size and can not be printed until they are processed.
PPI resolution stands for pixels per inch.  In every square inch of an image there is a count of pixels in the area.  The more pixels that make up a square inch, the larger the file size is.
Bitmaps, or pixmap, are a type of memory organization in computer graphics.  They can also be image file formats that are used to store digital images.  
When you crop an image in a graphics program, the image is being manipulated to frame the parts of the image that the artist thinks are important or relevant to the design.  By cropping an image, you can eliminate parts of an image that is unwanted or unnecessary.
When rotating an image, the design artist manipulates an image so that it faces a different angle.  Images can be rotated 90, 180, or 360 degrees in a design.
When changing the transparency of an object in a design program, the artist is changing how much of the image is seen in the image.  By making something transparent, you can make an overlay that is more see through, or create a background that isn't as bright.
Vector graphics is the use of points, lines, curves, shapes and polygons or other geometrical primitives based on mathematical expressions to represent images in computer graphics.  Working with raster tools in the vector format is the best way to approach vector graphics.
When a file is embedded with fonts, the fonts are available for viewing even if the computer used to open the file doesn't have the fonts present.  Generally, the type of file a font can be embedded in is a pdf file.
When text is converted to outlines it can be manipulated as an image.  It is no longer surrounded by a text box and can be stretched and conformed by the direct selection tool.  When text is conformed to outlines, every letter can be changed to a different color with a different color or size stroke.
When you simplify paths in a design file, you make the file size smaller and the the project cleaner.  When a path is simplified, excess points are removed from the file.


Source:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/180228-best-file-extension-print-web.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/JPEG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAW_file

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitmap_Image

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics

Personal Pad

5 thumbnail ideas before I started drawing with a ruler.  I'm obviously not very artistically blessed so I used X to represent the QR code and the PSU Split Face I was considering using.

Rough hopeful.  My general idea is to leave the k-h in lighter color and hopefully people can still use it to write on.

When I took this project to Print & Design Services at Pittsburg State University, I asked them to quote me on a total count of 100.  If I printed 100 copies of a fifty page, 5x7 black and white personal pad with a bleed and a chipboard back, the total cost would be $118.47.  If I wanted to obtain a personal copy of the pad without printing it in bulk it would cost me $3.39.  The turn around time they would need to produce my project is at least twenty-four hours.
The purpose of this project is to generate attention for my work in the Public Relations and Graphic Design field and hopefully bring forth potential customers.  The target audience would be anyone in search of a public relations specialist or graphic design artist.

Final Product

Blog Post 3 - Chapter 1, 2 & 3

The finishing process happens after the printing, when the substrate runs through a number of operations to be "finished" and ready for shipment to the customer. Finishing may include operations such as coating, cutting, folding and binding.

RIP which stands for raster image processor is used in printing systems to produce bitmaps and the bitmap is then sent to the printer.  The bitmaps help the document generate better resolution so the outcome of the print is better overall.

An image setter is a high resolution, large format device for producing film from electronically generated page layouts.

A Pica is a standard of measurement and every pica equals 1/6 inch.  A point is a measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch.  Every pica equals 12 points and every 72 points equals one inch.

A Die Cut is a method of using sharp steel ruled stamps or rollers to cut various shapes in post press or in line.  Die cutting is the process of cutting paper in a shape or design by the use of a wooden die or block in which steel rules are positioned in the shape of the desired pattern.  Pressure is applied and the ruler cuts out the desired pattern.

CMYK is a color model used in color printing.  The CMYK stands for the four inks used in most of color printing such as cyan, magenta, yellow and key which is black.  Spot colors on the other hand, are specially mixed inks that come in a rainbow of colors, including some speciality inks such as metallic and flourescent. Unlike CMYK or process color which creates colors by laying down layer of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in varying amounts on the printed page, spot colors are pre-mixed and applied individually to the printed page.

A folding dummy is used to describe the preliminary image of the copy and art elements which will be reproducted into the desired finished product.  Dummies are used to view the actually product before multiple amounts of them are printed or in this case folded.  The folded dummy allows consumers to make sure their product is exactly how they would like it before they generate the desired amount.

The registration of designs, logos and other projects is important because it protects a brand name and image.  By registering your logo or other icon for your company, you protect yourself from other people claiming to sell your product to consumers or calming their work was done by your company.  A registration mark can be faint so that only people who know its whereabouts can find it or it can be front and center and the first thing people see.

VDP, or variable data printing,  is a form of digital printing.  VDP includes on demand printing in which elements such as text, graphics, and images may be changed from one printed piece to the next without stopping or slowing down the printing process.  And example would be personalized mail that is addressed to a different person on every print.

In printing, PPI stands for pixels per inch.  By magnifying an image several hundred percent on a monitor, each square will present in a checkerboard grid in which you can see a single pixel.  PPI stands for how many pixels are in each square.  LPI stands for lines per inch.  LPI forms a grid of equidistant dots of varying size on the printing plates.  Each dot attracts ink which is then transfered onto the printing surface and becomes a halftone.  DPI isn't the usual specification for resolution output devices, such as desktop printers, film recorders, RIPs and computer monitors.  When using DPI to print a project, much more ink used to produce the correct color variation and textures.

Sources:
http://www.movadcorp.com/resources/glossary.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMYK
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_data_printing
http://digitalprintingtips.com/printing-tips/t--540/folding-digital-print-projects.asp

QR codes are designed to make accessing more information about a particular product or advertisement easier by sending the consumer directly to the source of the information.  For example, an advertisement about in-state tuition could have a QR code on the print ad or television screen where people could scan the code with their phones.  After scanning the code, their phone would be directed to the web page  about PSU's enrollment information.

QR codes can be generated at a variety of different websites.  By entering the internet address into the QR code generate for the page you want consumers to see starts the process.  The QR code generator then produces a QR code that will send people to your desired page after they scan the code.

QR codes track how many people use the code from where you generate them.  They code can record how many people scan the code and then how many people travel around the page and where they go after their introduction to the page.

Using a QR code has become an important part of today's advertising industry.  By using a QR code you enable consumers to gain more information about a product within seconds of their initial interest.  Consumers are able to go directly to the information the producer wants them to see rather than the consumer having to search for more information on their own.

Source:
http://kimtag.com/s/create_a_qr_code?gclid=CJukqPqb260CFYMEQAod-Cuaow

Preflight in the printing process basically means to check a document or any print project for technical errors to make sure the project is ready to be printed.  The preflight process involves multiple steps including running the file through preflight software.  The software checks for font conflicts, misused colors, missing or broken pictures and graphics, or any other things in the document that might cause problems or the printer.  Indesign has a built in Preflight application to make the production of files easier but when using Photoshop or Illustrator, Preflight must be done manually.


 Preflight Checklist:

• Extend bleed artwork to bleed lines
• Check that important content is within safety margins
• Check and edit colors
• Check that process colors are CMYK (not RGB)
• Check that spot colors are converted to CMYK or, if desired, carefully defined and applied as spot
• Trash unused color swatches
• Check and edit fonts (with the help of Quark's "Usage" menu item or Adobe's "Find Font" menu item)
• Make sure there are no missing or inactive fonts
• Check that fonts are styled in their "true" form (in other words, unaltered by artificial "bold" or "italics" options in the application)
• Check that linked graphics are up to date
• Tidy by deleting unused elements, elements on the pasteboard, and empty boxes
• Check layers
• Make sure that the template layer only contains template elements
• Template layer is set to non-printing or turned off
• Artwork layer only contains artwork
• Create a color proof to check your document for color quality, spelling and layout.
• For an InDesign layout, simply open the document and select "Preflight" from the File menu.
• Quark lets you "Collect for Output" from the Quark menu but not preflight. To preflight a Quark document you must use separate preflight software such as Markzware's FlightCheck.
• Preflighting will result in a report listing conflicts and errors with your files. This is normal. Part of preflighting is fixing errors and running it through again until you get a clean report.

A Prepress Technician formats and proofs text and images submitted by designers and clients into finished pages before they are printed.  On average, a Prepress Technician makes $37,970 annually or $18.26 hourly.  

Sources:
http://inkd.com/earn/prepress
http://www.universalprinting.com/preflight.aspx
http://inkd.com/earn/prepress
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes515111.htm

TEST - 1/17/2012