This week at Killer Creative found us getting a self-mailing brochure printed under a short deadline for a client. This is always a time in the lifespan of a job that is very satisfying, seeing the previous weeks of graphic design work finally coming to production on the printing press. The smell of ink on paper, seeing the vibrant colors laid down– it always looks better, warmer and richer on paper than the electronic version that you’ve been staring at for days on end putting the finishing touches on the page layouts. The tactile feel of the final assembled piece, as you turn the pages, makes every minute worth it. Perhaps it ‘s a flashback to elementary school, when our teachers would pass out freshly mimeographed pages to the class and everyone would immediately smell the sweet blue ink that hinted of artificial banana. I got hooked.
Recently with a newborn in our household, dad’s been splitting time between working mornings at home and working afternoons at the office. This week’s press check fell in the morning, so dad and 4-month old North went to the Raleigh printing plant to wait for the plates to be set up and our job to go on press. When it was time to check the proof, North was only too eager to check out all the action, the humming machinery, the trucks and all the buzz of activity. He handled it well for his first time, made sure all the registration was properly aligned, the trapping looked good, and even had a solid grip on the loupe.
I swear the fresh designers are just getting younger every year.
Dave, North and Karl with an approved press sheet