Color Basics for Print Designers

Have you ever been surprised by how a different color looks when printed on paper, compared to how it looks displayed on screen? Do you get frustrated by endless discussions with clients about why a printed piece looks different than the pdf they approved? This 35-minute course will explain why the colors that you see is much different from that which your monitor can display, and what your printer can output. By the end, you’ll have scientific proof that you simply cannot reproduce all the colors of nature.

Who Should Take This Course

• Print designers and producers who want to learn the essentials of working in color.
  
• Print designers who aren’t familiar with production techniques, and who want to gain a foundation for understanding the 4-color printing process, and how spot colors, such as Pantone® inks, can supplement it. 
  
• Beginner print, web, and mobile, designers who want to understand color theory.
  
• Writers and editors who want to gain insight into the design process. These students should please note: this course is technical in content, and color theory will not be covered.
  
• Users of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, who want to understand the pre-press process as it relates to color separations, and the use of spot colors, such as Pantone® inks.

What’s Required

• A desire to explore the covered topics.

Suggested Resources 

• Notebook & something to write with, or equivalent tools.