Profession prepress operator

Prepress operators create a prepress proof, or sample of what the finished product will look like. In many printing contracts, the client at this stage decides whether the print can go through as planned. Since the printing processes for proofs are different from those used in the final process, proofs are always an approximation.

Personality Type

• Artistic / Investigative
• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• GIMP (graphics editor software)

  The computer program GIMP is a graphical ICT tool which enables digital editing and composition of graphics to generate both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics. It is developed by The GIMP Development Team.

• SketchBook Pro

  The computer program SketchBook Pro is a graphical ICT tool which enables digital editing and composition of graphics to generate both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics. It is developed by the software company Autodesk.

• Microsoft Visio

  The computer program Microsoft Visio is a graphical ICT tool which enables digital editing and composition of graphics to generate both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics. It is developed by the software company Microsoft.

• Types of paper

  The different criteria used to determine differences in paper types such as coarseness and thickness, and the different fabrication methods and wood types from which the types of paper stem.

• Synfig

  The computer program Synfig is a graphical ICT tool which enables digital editing and composition of graphics to generate both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics. It is developed by Robert Quattlebaum.

• Printing techniques

  The techniques and processes to reproduce text and images using a master form or template such as letterpress printing, gravure, and laser printing.

• Adobe Photoshop

  The computer program Adobe Photoshop is a graphical ICT tool which enables digital editing and composition of graphics to generate both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics. It is developed by the software company Adobe.

• Proofing methods

  Various proofing methods are needed for certain kinds of products. They range from soft proofing, which presents the result on a monitor, to hard proofing, where an actual printed sample of the product is obtained.

• Prepress processes

  The processes that occur between the creation of a print layout and the final printing, such as copyediting, proofing, proofreading and others.

• Graphics editor software

  The field of graphical ICT tools which enable digital editing and composition of graphics, such as GIMP, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, to develop both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics.

• Adobe Illustrator

  The computer program Adobe Illustrator CC is a graphical ICT tool which enables digital editing and composition of graphics to generate both 2D raster or 2D vector graphics. It is developed by the software company Adobe.

• Quality standards

  The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

Skills

• Perform image editing

  Edit various types of images such as analogue and digital photographs or illustrations.

• Follow a brief

  Interpret and meet requirements and expectations, as discussed and agreed upon with the customers.

• Follow safety precautions in printing

  Apply safety and health principles, policies and institutional regulations of working in printing production. Protect oneself and others against such hazards as chemicals used in printing, invasive allergens, heat, and disease causing agents.

• Produce prepress proof

  Make single or multi-coloured test prints to ensure that the product meets the arranged standards. Compare the sample with the template or discuss the result with the customer in order to make the last adjustments before mass production.

• Interpret illustration needs

  Communicate with clients, editors and authors in order to interpret and fully understand their professional needs.

• Use microsoft office

  Possess the ability to work with the standard programs contained in Microsoft Office at a capable level. Create a document and do basic formatting, insert page breaks, create headers or footers, and insert graphics, create automatically generated tables of contents and merge form letters from a database of addresses (usually in Excel). Create auto-calculating spreadsheets, create images, and sort and filter data tables.

• Operate printing machinery

  Operate machinery for various types of printed documents, adjusting the font, paper size, and weight. This allows ascenders and descenders to be correctly placed.

• Lay out digital written content

  Lay out pages by selecting sizes, styles and entering text and graphics into computer systems.

• Arrange printer sheets

  Fully arrange or separate a printed product's pages on a printer sheet in order to reduce paper waste and printing time by using an imposition proof.

• Provide customised products

  Make and develop custom-made products and solutions for customer's specific needs.

• Inspect printing output

  Verify that the printing output is satisfactory using various methods such as visual verification, use of spectrophotometers or densitometers. The problems that might occur include misregisters or colour variation.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB