Real World Print Production

Chapter Two. Ink On Paper

The craft of printing is a combination of art and science that has been developed and refined over hundreds of years. Because printing is a complicated mechanical undertaking, numerous variables affect the printing process. Such factors include the type of press, the direction of the grain in the paper as it goes through the press, the kind of ink being used, and the prevailing temperature and humidity during the press run. Stand by a thundering press that is running at full speed, watch the paper race through the printing units, and consider the tons of machinery churning out your job. You’ll wonder how it ever works at all—it’s an impressive feat. A skilled pressman is an artisan who can work miracles, but there are ...