About proofing your job

All film jobs should include a proof acceptable to the printer.

There are two types of proofs available at Lyno':

• Digital proofs
• Traditional (film based) proofs.

Traditional Proofs

These proofs are made from the final films used by the printer to make printing plates. The proof is made by placing the proofing material, bromide, dyeline paper or chemical proofing foil under the film and then exposing it in an exposure frame with a Ultraviolet lightsource. This is very reliable since the proof shows all the characteristics of the film, including screening, registration, moire patterns (if any) and any other film problems. Of course it shows any problems with images, text or graphics. Unfortunately colour proofs (chemical proofs) made this way are quite expensive. And all proofs made this way can only be made after the film is imaged. Mistakes found at this stage usually mean the job has to be re-output.

Traditional proofs are good for proofing basic mono or spot colour work.

Dyelines are inexpensive and are a good way to check that all the elements are on the job and since they can be double sided and use special paper, they are a good way to check the imposing and to make what is called a "folding dummy" of a job.

Contact bromides are good for checking black and white jobs. The bromide paper has some dot gain and gives a really good idea of how the job will print. Bromide proofs are quick to do and quite cheap.

BlackMagic Digital Proofs

Digital proofs are made from the final RIPped rasterised data that is fed to the imagesetter to make film. They show any font, graphics, image, scanning or trapping problems. They do not show screening, moire or film registration problems. Colour accuracy is not quite as good as chemical proofs. The big advantage is that they are much cheaper than chemical proofs and they are done before the film is output. Errors can be fixed and just the problem page re-proofed, then the film can be run. No paying for re-outputting jobs.

The BlackMagic can also proof spot colour jobs, but only by using CMYK (process colour) equivalents, rather than solid pantone colour.

Customers are currently finding that digital proofs are satisfactory for approximately 80% of jobs.

Chemical proofs are still a good idea where the printer is being asked to achieve an extremely close match to the proof.

E-Print Digital Press Proofs

Our newly installed Indigo E-Print digital offset press offers a new level of digital proofing accuracy within its limited A3+ (437x308mm) format. The press images directly from Postscript and (soon) from RIPped Scitex data and provides a level of accuracy that could previously only be attained with genuine press proofing, where the film is used to make plates and printed on a special proofing press. The E-Print incorporates a genuine offset press with a digitally imaged plate, a blanket and ElectroInk, a special offset printing ink, with colour characteristics identical to conventional printing inks. The press has the ability to print onto a very wide range of substrates, including gloss, matt and uncoated printing stocks up to 320gsm weight.

E-Print proofs are also screened with a conventional 150 line screen, providing the opportunity to inspect the job for on-press problems with images, graphics and vignettes.

5th and 6th colours
A range of special colours are available and special colours can be made up, although this is quite costly. White is available as a standard colour and is useful in making proofs for packaging.

The E-Print is also ideal for making fully finished double sided mockups in quantities of 5 or more. This is quoted separately as a normal E-Print job.