Mechanical PreparationIntroductionThe printing process largely determines the quality of reproduction; however,the best machinery available cannot hide the flaws in a poorly constructedmechanical. It is through the mechanical that the DM exerts a directinfluence on the resulting print, both in quality and cost.PreparationBefore you begin creating artwork for reproduction, you must gather yourmaterials and information. Determine the press operation involved and thematerials to do the job. Settle on a format, finished stock, and type style. Ifthe originator provides artwork, it may require cropping, retouching,eliminating background clutter, or halftone screening. If you must copyfit orscale artwork, do so before you commit yourself to paper.CroppingSometimes you use only a specific portion of the original artwork in afinished product. Cropping is the procedure of defining the desiredreproduction image area within a larger piece of work. A simple method ofcropping uses two right angles cut from opaque paper or board.Bymaneuvering the two pieces of angled paper, you can frame the desiredsubject in many different ways. You indicate crop marks on a drawing orphotograph by lightly marking the borders of the artwork or print, bymarking an overlay attached to the artwork or print, or by cutting a windowin an opaque masking paper, such as goldenrod, to expose the desired portionof the artwork or print. Use a grease pencil if you mark on the borders oforiginal artwork so it can be easily removed. Do not mark more than one setof crop marks on the same artwork.Figure 1-31 illustrates the use of cropping arms.Figure 1-31. —Cropping arms.Continued on next page1-42
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