Educational Programs

Print Buyers Guide

What to Look for on a Prepress Proof

The prepress proof, whether blueline, overlay or laminated color, provides an approximation of what the final piece will look like. A color proof is particularly important in four-color (process) printing. The review of this proof will be the last opportunity to catch errors before the job goes on press.

Go through the proof, check page numbers, and make sure all pages back up each other in proper sequence.
Check borders and rules for proper alignment and review all crossovers for accuracy.
Re-examine headlines and other display type for typos and placement.
Study areas of critical registration. Look carefully at each page to be sure no elements have been erroneously deleted or trimmed off.
Check every photo to be sure it is positioned, scaled, and cropped correctly.
Clearly circle every blemish, flaw, broken letter, and anything else that seems wrong.
Make certain that all corrections noted on previous proofs have been made.
When proofing multi-color jobs, verify that all copy will be printing in the appropriate color. Determine that all color breaks are clearly indicated.
For process color proofs, be sure to consistently review and judge color under the same lighting conditions. (FYI: Industry standard is 5000 degrees K).
Are neutral colors in proper balance? Look at whites, grays, and blacks (gray balance). If they show a significant color cast, the color is probably out of balance in general.
Check the overall reproduction of color. Focus on "memory" colors such as blue skies, green grass, and red tomatoes as they can be the toughest to match. How does the rest of the color look?
If spot varnish or coating is being applied, is it indicated?
Do screen percentages appear correctly? Are the margins consistent?
Don't forget to confirm paper stock, quantity, and the type of binding.
Verify that the place, date and time, contact name and phone number are included in the delivery instructions.
Check if the job is trimmed to the correct size and properly folded.
Verify that all perfs, scores, glue spots, etc. are correctly indicated.

Are there any last minute corrections to the copy? If so, now is the time to make them.

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