Book Review – Every Designer Should Have This Book!
As a designer, I’m always looking for good books and tutorials so I can keep up with all the latest software changes and design trends. I started out when print design was the only kind of design–when designers were just toying with the idea of computers. I actually remember a group of designers at a party laughing at the idea of computer design taking over–ouch. I hope they survived the transition. I think print production is a weak area for a lot of newer designers who are more accustomed to designing for the web. The other day I found the solution to this problem: Real World Print Production by Claudia McCue. This is a terrific book! It covers the print production basics and has some excellent software specific tips. The author really knows her subject and writes about it in an easy-to-read style. It’s infused with humor too–in the preface, she writes:
You know you’ve been in printing a long time if:
- Your grocery list has hanging indents
- Your driver’s license lists your eye color as PMS 5757
- Your shoe size is 6 1/2 plus 1/8-inch bleed
- You refer to painting your house as a two-color job
- You decide to write a book called Real World Print Production
Love it! If you can only afford one book on print production, this is it!
I’ve been a designer for 20 years. I started in the days of waxers and transfer letters, transitioned to the computer in the late eighties, and tackled web design in the early nineties. I’ve tried to keep up with all of the software and technologies of the trade, from HTML to CSS and JS, Pagemaker to InDesign. I’ve worked in both worlds–freelance and corporate, finding that they both have their upsides and drawbacks. It’s a challenge to stay current, but it’s my passion and the perfect profession for someone who never wants to be bored! I hope that I have something valuable to offer other designers.