what’s a printing press?

by Art Chantry:

this here is what you call yer “album cover.” back before 12″ LP’s, those 10″ 78rpm records would only hold a partial symphony or only one song per side. it took several actual disks (heavy but brittle) to actually record a whole ‘set’. so, a sturdy cardboard “album” was created along the lines of a PHOTO album. since people were already familiar with photo albums (photos had been around a few years by then – but ONLY a few), they knew what an ‘album’ of something looked like. photos, records, what’s the diff?

the result were these small heavy thick packages. they were originally printed only with some embossed lettering on the cover (like a book spine). but, soon, they were putting more graphics on them and then eventually illustrations, photographs and graphics (as the technology progressed.)

inside the albums were simple envelope-like pages die-cut with holes to show the labels so you could find the titles easily (side one, side 3, etc.) eventually, they began to place advertising on the liners (inside the front and back covers). soon, they were putting information and track listings and background essays about the music and performers. these are now called “liner’ notes. obviously.

this is wonderful example of what these things could look like with a little inventive thinking and know-how. i don’t know what year this was made (in the 1940’s, i guess). this is all line-art and hand-rendered lettering. it’s printed in three solid ink colors (not process or screened). the reason it’s a little hard to read is because the blue color (and that light ‘rose’ color) both have metallic inks mixed in, so it’s sort of reflective of the light and hard to scan.

the third color is that red you see in that weirdly angled (and hand-drawn) ‘decca’ label in the lower left corner. the dark rose color that denotes the disk itself is the metallic rose color printed ON TOP of the red ink color.

this is an extremely sophisticated piece of graphic design production art. i doubt many ‘graphic designers’ alive today could actually have created this. it really can’t be duplicated on computers without extreme smarts and clever manipulation of existing programs (along with a lot of actually hand drawing).

so, when we look at “old school” graphics and sniff at them derisively (like i see so many youngster do). keep in mind, that these old school guys knew printing. they knew exactly what a printing press can do and how to speak to it in it’s own mechanical language to get anything they wanted. you computer kids sure can’t make that claim.

years ago i figured out that most working graphic designers today have never even seen a printing press. that’s like pretending to be a painter when you’ve never seen a brush or canvas.
————————-
AC:…well, we’ve also tossed out the printer (along with the photographer, illustrator, typesetter, copywriter, editor, designer, etc. etc. etc.) most printers i meet today are half my age and only started printing in the last two years. most of them have never done anything except slap the program onto the plate and then print it as fast as possible of No. 2 white coated….

…fact is, i can still do artwork exactly like this record cover. i do all the time. it’s easy. but, nobody can reproduce it any more. it all goes through a digital interface, now or it can’t be printed. and to top it all off, you can’t scan in mechanical layered artwork and hold registration. been trying to find somebody who could set a program for me to do just that, and nobody can figure it out (or even figure out my complaint).

“non-printing” stupid, i guess. try it, you’ll see what i mean….

…most printers employ a tech whose sole job it is to take your files and tear them apart and re-build them so they can actually get printed. check around and see what i mean. printer’s think ‘graphic design’ is a synonym for “stupid incompetent hubris”. they laugh at us behind our backs. then they curse. and spit on the floor….

…the end user can’t figure it out. lately i’ve been experimenting with using a cardboard masque on the scanner glass itself, to restrict image area and that have something more than a reg mark for the end user to link up. basically like a screen printer or a stat camera guy might use. most printers don’t even know what a registration mark is for any more. so sad….

…ever try to print a logo backwards intentionally? nearly impossible. everybody down the line will fix it for you and think you fucked up (even tho i put a note on each case stating it was intentional and to leave it be). so, the finished printed piece will have it ‘right’ reading every time. it tried that only once and it was impossible….