Soft proofing

The use of all-digital workflows in print design and production has great potential for profit. However, the hard copy proofs of the output file hinder the transfer of information in the process and greatly reduce the speed of the entire process. Soft proofing - using computer screens to proof individual pages, signatures or all tasks - is another alternative to proofing on paper. For several years, designers have used monitors to check the sophistication and accuracy of design drafts. Producers need to be able to perform the same checks at different stages of the production cycle. It is not difficult to check the sophistication and accuracy of a single page using soft proofing. It is more difficult to check the processed signatures on the screen before sending them to the CTP machine. Checking the accuracy of color reproduction and overprinting on the screen is the hardest thing to solve in soft proofing applications. Remote proofing also requires an extra layer for each script. Soft proofing greatly speeds up the speed of digital processing by eliminating the time spent on proofing and previewing proofs. However, it is difficult to install and maintain a high-precision soft proofing system, especially for very important color accuracy. You need the right equipment, software, and experts who work in a specific environment. Before using the soft proofing method in a workflow, you must make some decisions. Some of them are simple and clear, while others must be dazzled with a lot of time to consider. The most important thing is that you must decide from the very beginning that you want to do content proofing or proofing. As with the proofing on paper, there are two types of soft proofing: content proofing and color proofing. Content proofing is to ensure that the content on the layout must be available and in a suitable location. You may only check one page or a series of books. No matter how complex the content is, it cannot match the color proofing. You will rely on the colors you see on the screen to predict the colors that will be printed on paper in the future. The color on the screen consists of the three primary colors red, green, and blue, and the color on the paper is printed using four-color inks yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. No matter how they are approximated, they are very difficult to achieve complete agreement. Another difficult decision is how soft proofing is in the corresponding workflow. The general principle is that the less important the position of the soft proofing system, the less money and time spent on it. Better accuracy If the accuracy of color reproduction is paramount, then you have to spend a lot of time thinking about configuring higher-precision workflows, including soft proofing systems. It also takes thousands of dollars to purchase, install, and maintain a color management system. You also have to decide whether to use remote proofing as part of a soft proofing program. Remote proofing involves the installation of a communications system and the installation of hardware and software compatible with each location. Remote proofing works well when you use the same monitor to view images with people from other locations. Remote soft proofing between the design office and the client can really save a lot of time. It makes it possible for you and your distant clients to view images at the same time, communicate over the telephone, and then view the changes directly from the screen and record them. Technical Considerations Regardless of the type of proofing you perform, there are technical issues that must be considered before choosing soft proofing software or hardware. For example, you will need a monitor with a large enough screen and high enough accuracy to be able to proof single pages or signatures in the simplest way. What you see on the screen must be exactly the same that you have enough confidence in the final product. Scott Broderick, product manager for Apple's ColorSync, recommends not using displays less than 17” with a resolution lower than 1024 x 768. He said larger displays would be more suitable for work, such as a resolution of 1152*870 for 20” Or 21" display. For machines used for soft proofing, it seems that the bigger the screen, the better. Note how the surrounding environment affects the image on the screen. For color proofing, the best observation condition is that control falls on the monitor and The light around the room, which Radius strongly recommends, also made fundamental suggestions on this issue, such as allowing the staff operating the computer to wear black clothes (to reduce the light reflected on the display). Check out Radius's website at http:// If you do color proofing, the soft proofing system also needs to match the color management system you are using, and the systems should work together or be produced by the same company. The product, or a standard color management system, Apple's ColorSync is a set of standard color management The system is worth considering For the case of remote proofing, you have to install a telecommunications system and you need to install a color management system.There must be some telecommunication connections between working points.Unless the company has a telecommunications wizard or a working group, your The best solution is to find a supplier or an expert supplier, or partner with the company that does the work.Product Evaluation Once you have decided what the final scale of your soft proofing system is, you can Valuation of products Fortunately, the scope of the principle of the soft-proofing system is very wide, you can choose the most suitable configuration according to your situation.You can choose a soft proofing system that can be easily integrated into the product workflow, you can also choose The soft proofing system has been integrated into the digital printing product system.The Monaco system becomes a component of the soft proofing system and becomes a complete color management system.If you have to do is to ensure that the monitor can accurately display colors, then a monitor calibration The package, like MonacoView, is enough. MonacoPr The oof includes software that can generate a description file describing the features of the display and the scanner.If you are looking for a wider range of content, MonacoMatch is an option, it is a set of calibration of the display, scanner calibration, color correction, and printing presses Document Description Consistent and complete system If you try out this monitor calibration software and feel unsuitable for use, try Apple's new version of ColorSync.The monitor will automatically check and calibrate themselves without the need for operator intervention. Calibrators: The monitors used in the ColorSync system are 17” or 21”, each with a maximum resolution of 1500*1200. WillowSix's Surperoof system can work under Windows and Macintosh, making it a hybrid device. The company's best choice. Superproof is accepted by Adobe Photoshop users through a monitor calibration process. The system includes a reflective version that controls ambient light, as well as screens and printed color tables to help adjust the colors of the screen and printouts. If you are only interested in content proofing, you don't have to worry about the calibration of your monitor. However, you must have a system that can be used to check the finished page, especially when you are working in a data-changing application. In order to be able to quickly check a single page, you may need to use a large version of the software. For processed files or PDF files, additional solutions may be required. Technographics recently released Flight Simulator, a software designed to generate files for QuarkXPress. For finding and pointing out the wrong software, there are various software packages from Enfocus Software. CheckUp, an Acrobat Exchange and Acrobat Reader plug-in, is used to check PDF files, including checking the size of multiple pages - a very useful feature for some direct-to-plate (CTP) users. Enfocus does the same thing for Postscript and PDF files in another product. For Chromapress digital printing, Agfa's IntelliPrep offline RIP workstation is an example of integrating a soft proofing system into a product printing system. The system generates low resolution printed documents suitable for printing and viewing on screen merchants. The documents can also be compressed for transmission to remote working sites, browsed and printed by staff there. Agfa also developed the Personalizer-X product, a QuarkXTension that helps Chromapress generate files for changing data. After adding the changed data to the still file, we can see the change of the file on the screen. Imation and Digital Art Exchange are remote proofing systems that have remote annotation capabilities. Both companies provide the telecom experts, hardware, and software needed to implement the system. They can provide customers with a variety of solutions that rely primarily on the customer's needs and budget. If you prefer to use the Internet, rather than telecommunications equipment, to send proofs and sample files, then you need a system solution provided by RT IMAGE. If you include real-time remote comments/editing on the Web in your budget, you should include software that can be compressed and decompressed on the Internet and quickly display the changed image on the screen. You can see the complete image directly without downloading the image from the web. More Information The following vendors provide solutions for soft proofing. AGFA, APPLE COMPUTER, INC., DIGITAL ART EXCHANGE (DAX), ENFOCUS SOFTWARE, IMATION, MonACA SYSTEMS, RADIUS INC., RT IMAGE, ULTIMATE TECHNOGRAPHICS, WILLOWSIX INC.