Type & Design
In addition to typesetting by experts in typography, Premier has several designers on staff. We routinely lay out data sheets, brochures, catalogs, and business cards to match corporate graphic standards. We can handle revisions to existing pieces quickly and inexpensively. You might also turn to us for creative, quick-turn, “outside the box” projects that won’t break the bank.
Color Scanning
Recognizing early-on that great color begins with great scans, Premier was among the first printers in the Northwest to elevate scanning to an art form. We built a scanning department staffed by color-correction and Photoshop experts as well as a full-time color specialist. We can tweak and manipulate your files to make them clean and perfect, ready to look their best on press.
Color Proofs
Our standard workflow in pre-press is digital from the time we receive files via FTP or on disk until the laser in our platesetter puts dots on plates. We provide four different kinds of proofs. Your job will probably require one or more of these.
•Design Jet - single-sided or double-sided ink jet for content, position, backups, color breaks, bindery. This proof is functionally similar to a blueline back in the days of film. These low-res ink jet proofs are generally trimmed and collated to act as rough bindery proofs.
•Sherpa - hi-res ink jet. One side only. This is Agfa’s calibrated iteration of the amazing 36" six-ink Epson printer. The color is gorgeous, but it’s not quite up to the standard of a contract proof. The Sherpa simulates spot inks pretty well so it’s excellent for helping clients visualize a spot color piece.
•Fuji Proof - contract proof for process color. Our high resolution Fuji proofing system uses the same file that goes to the platesetter for color accuracy and to ensure that every dot is the same as it will be on press. Spot colors will be represented by generic red, blue, green, orange, or silver. Changes at this stage are expensive (but nothing compared to changes on press).
•Indigo - a press proof of your digital printing job. Because our digital press doesn’t use plates (it images each impression on the fly), we make your proof by running a single copy of your job on the correct stock, even if it’s a 32-page saddle stitched book. What you see is what you get — literally in this case.
Digital Workflow
Our standard workflow in pre-press is digital from the time we receive files until the laser in our platesetter puts dots on plates. Smoothing this flow is a full-time preflight technician, checking submitted jobs to see that all of the necessary files are included. You might hear his voice on the phone asking for fonts. He is also available to answer technical questions and to sit down with designers for a short File Preparation class. An hour spent with him will save you time and money in the long run.
Agfa Apogee
We primarily use the Agfa Apogee system in pre-press. This rock-solid digital workflow is used in print shops around the world and Premier Press has been a showplace for Agfa for years. As the company and our reputation have grown, we have assembled a superlative pre-press team. Over the years we made the transition from cameras to digital film output and finally, in early 2005, we retired our last imagesetter and moved entirely to computer-to-plate. We make better plates faster, and nobody misses the smell of the film chemistry.
From preflight to plating, our pre-press professionals work closely with you so there are no surprise “gotchas” on press.