Insight
Accidents can happen any time anyone works with film or file. Don't just check for your corrections—check everything. But don't change anything unless absolutely necessary. The process is costly and requires equally careful checking every time.
The proof is accepted, dated, initialed, and marked "OK for printing" or "OK as corrected." (Note the difference!)1 It becomes the guide against which the project is checked while it is actually being printed. In reviewing proofs, be mindful that "what you see is what you get." Do not give your approval until you are satisfied with what you see!
Of course you will let your print production and art departments take the lead in proof checking and approvals. If such departments are not available, use your design source. It is their area of expertise. It is your area of responsibility.
*Typical "as corrected" notations will indicate that a color is to be slightly darker or lighter, that something has been removed, that a number or letter has been changed, and so forth.
Single-Color Proofs and Folding Dummies
Where only one color will be used in printing, the color chosen and the sophistication of design will determine how closely the proofing must match the printed piece. An exact proofing match of a specific color (or something as close as the prepress service can provide) is more costly than a routine monotone, but like multicolor proofing, it is the only way to know what you will see when you print.
The folding proof is produced in one color on the actual stock or on paper that is thin enough to fold easily. The proof is folded or formed into the exact shape and format of the final printed product. It is this folded proof that lets you see how facing pages actually look when all the elements are present and that lets you check whether all those elements are the way they were specified.
Always check the following elements on folding proofs:
I | Are all pages present and in consecutive order?
I | Do elements that run across the center of facing pages (across the gutter) line up?
I | Does the index or table of contents reflect where the elements are? If not, which one is wrong?
I Do all the elements work together? (Do the materials fit into envelopes? Are items that bind together the proper size and shape? Etc.)
I | Are comparable elements positioned properly?
I | Are all page numbers (called "folios") in the same spot?
I Is the use of page or section headings consistent? If not, was this deliberate?
I | Do all cross-references check out?
I Do the captions match the pictures? Are both in the right place?
I Is all mailing information present and accurate?
I | Is all ordering information present and accurate? Phone, fax, E-mail, Internet? Addresses? Legal and self-protection requirements (e.g., "Printed in USA," "Prices subject to change," etc.)?
This is your final chance to see the job as a whole before printing. Take the opportunity to check everything.
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