Black's a Problem

[gordo]

 

[keith1]

True enough. For slightly different reasons. When I was still working I'd get the occasional; 'What would the cost difference be if I just want black print'.
The same. (sometimes I'd throw them a couple bucks difference).
So much print is tossed onto gang runs that it matters little what colours might be involved. It still takes up space on the same plate, on the same sheet. Not like it used to be.

 

[keith1]

Heh; I recall it taking a couple weeks just to get colour separation film. Those asking for a 'black only' deal are dating themselves.
Sadly; so am I

 

[Possumgal]

Then there was the customer who wanted a two-color flyer. Black and white.

 

[Possumgal]

Customers who give me files with six different blacks must think it's a color.

 

[keith1]

Customers who give me files with six different blacks must think it's a color.

I believe there were about 6 blacks in the Pantone colour guide, so who can blame them
I continually get files from a customer with various versions of what's supposed to be the same purple. Some CMYK, some RGB. I gave up. I just correct it & move on. Now that I'm retired, her online source isn't likely to do that.
As many of us move on, and online pre-press is more prevalent, I suspect we'll see more incidences.

 

[Possumgal]

Reminds me of a black and red letterhead file I got once with five different reds that were supposed to be the same color. All RGB, of course.

 

[keith1]

Reminds me of a black and red letterhead file I got once with five different reds that were supposed to be the same color. All RGB, of course.

Yeah, you get that. Those that send files to Vista Print get a rude awakening. But in all. It's a good thing for people buying print. Just be cautious. I'm glad I'm out of it.

 

[claude72]

Reminds me of a black and red letterhead file I got once with five different reds that were supposed to be the same color. All RGB, of course.

Worse, I got a two-colors job PDF, black and red, with a JPEG logotype in RVB, made by a professionnal designer with 10 or 12 years of experience in a com agency…
And when I phoned her to ask for a correct file, I realized that this moron had absolutely no idea of what I was talking about and asking: she said that on her screen the doc is black and red, when printed with her ink-jet printer the printing is black and red, so the file is perfect, and that is my job as a printer to make whatever is necessary to print it. And she added that if I'm not able to print her file, she'll give the job to another printer who will be able to print it. Period.

Those that send files to Vista Print get a rude awakening.

That's a problem: there is not awakening, cause VistaPrint (and other "printers" like them) prints everything in CMYK… so whatever colors are used in the doc: pantone/multiple pantones/rvb/lab or any else exotic colors, even a RVB JPEG logotype in a black and red letterhead file, are automatically separated in CMYK by the RIP, whithout any extra actions of the pre-press… and the moron who butchered his file receives a printed job that is looking exactly (enough) like the display on his computer screen, making him think that he did a perfect designer job!

No awakening, no lesson, no training… just people being satisfied with their own poorness and incompetence.