How to Produce a Contract Proof ? - I need Some Pointers.

[Benk]

Hi Everybody,

Can anyone shed some light on the quickest way to produce accurate proofs for our offset print operator to use. We have a Xerox 7800 printer for proofing. We close PDF's from InDesign and preflight them in Acrobat Pro. I need somehow to print a relatively accurate colour proof. Whenever I delve into the realms of colour management I get so confused.

I would really appreciate some wisdom and guidance

Ben

 

[prepressdork]

Hi Benk, are you printing to a color standard such as Swop or GRACoL?

 

[Benk]

Yes. US Swop Coated.

 

[prepressdork]

Ok, how do you print your proofs? Via RIP?

If so, make sure you have the specified Swop color profile selected as your destination/output/press profile in your RIP. In InDesign, select the specified Swop color profile for Destination when exporting the file to PDF (see attached).

 

[Benk]

That seems straightforward enough. When printing should I also select a colour profile or will the printer (xerox 7800) know this information from the PDF.

 

[prepressdork]

Before we get to much more into this, can you describe your workflow and the process of how you make your color proofs?

 

[Benk]

I am fully aware of the complexities of colour management....down the rabbit hole....so basically this is how I work. The graphics are soft proofed by the client, we preflight the PDF in Acrobat, plates are produced from the Prinergy ripped PDF (we do not have a licence for the proofing software) and I print the PDF on our Xerox 7800. I basically need to know how to get this proof close to the expected destination device. I also realise that it is important to use paper close to that which will be used in final printing.

thanks