Saturday, October 15, 2016

OUGD504 - Studio Brief 01 - Print Production

Considering the printing method for tabloid newspapers, on a commercial scale Offset printing is used in combination with Lithography to produce very large runs. Offset printing is a relatively simple process where images or text are separated into different colour layers (CMYK) and then printed one at a time over the top of each other using a series of 'master' plates.

For a smaller run such as this publication, Offset printing is a very expensive process and is not economically viable. However, one way to closely replicate the Offset process is to use a Risograph. In a similar fashion to Offset printing, Risograph printing requires the images and text to be separated into different colour layers, which are printed in series from a master using different ink drums within the machine. Risograph printing is very environmentally friendly as the inks are soy-based, and it is also a very efficient print process as the machine can process 130 pages a minute and is therefore more economically effective to print a larger run.

If this newspaper were to be produced on a larger scale for commercial purposes, Offset printing would be the most appropriate. However, because this publication will only be produced in a small run, Risograph printing is both the closest representation of a commercial newspaper and the most efficient method for production.


An example of offset printing showing the master plates and the printed pages


A two colour risograph machine, showing a black and blue ink drum with masters attached