Lessons learned from design to print, crucial factors you need to know!

Although design is usually taken on face value, taking a look at the process itself can be very interesting. A designers journey is more often than not about far more than just design. Projects seem simple but they become more complex, and this is the same for most projects.

Design itself is the easy part, its what people know exactly how to do, but its the actual project topic or subject matter that you need to get to grips with. The more you learn, the more you understand, the more efficiently you can design. This can be said for an in depth brief but that’s not just it, you need to learn more, so learn who the company is and what it does, these two aren’t necessarily linked to the design process but they DEFINITELY HELP to create the end product. The design process is not always a standard technique you have to follow, its more about learning that different types of people respond differently and have different needs. Once you have learned these lessons you can truly start to design something amazingly bespoke, and what comes out is guaranteed to be more successful.

To add an extra dimension to the process, the print is another element a designer might have to pitch or think about when they design.

Below are FIVE PRO TIPS, for essential insights for print:

1. Get a selection of printers to work with. Their quotes are usually based around the size of their press, so depending on the size and amount of colour’s, they may come up trumps for one job and then be far too expensive for another.

2. Any spare time offers the perfect opportunity to catch up on what your fellow designers and what they have been working on with a printer. It’s great to get away from your computer and have a look at some of your peers work.

3. If you spot a real howler then it’s definitely best to get new plates made at this point rather than know that the projects gone wrong.

4. Listen to what your printer has to say when discussing stocks and finishes - they do this every day. But the ultimate decisions are down to you - don’t let them dictate the job!

5. Think about the combined finished effects: source as many as possible for reference so you know how they’ll turn out. But also try to take educated ricks, and be adventurous.


If you want more information and helpful tips please visit our website at www.tridentdesign.co.uk