Printing Press
Graphic designing has tied me down to my worktable even before the computer graphic applications were invented. I practically work, breathe, eat, walk, sleep, think and live advertising and graphic design. And I really enjoy doing this job, every minute of it.
In this business, the deadline is always yesterday. Let’s say there’s a job that’s supposed to be done in a month’s time, but your client met with you and briefed you only two weeks to dead end. Translated to real time, it spells: YOU DONOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SLEEP! But I guess that’s the part that we designers learned to live with and actually it spices up our loooong days. The challenge of coming up with a creative concept and the fun of beating ourselves from the last time we did a design. It is life in the fast lane. But of course it is hardly a smooth sail job since time is a bit cramped. There’re loopholes that are to be expected and fixed even before it happens. It calls for tedious production supervision. Most trouble happen during the actual production of the design like during printing. I remember I have this job before for a multinational bank, and the reason why I really love doing this is because they commissioned me to do six paintings and to have it incorporated in the design and have it printed. All in one! Design a marketing material, paint and to have it printed. I became doubly careful of this delicate project since it involves not only advertising art but also fine arts. I can say I really had a grand time conceptualizing and painting these six art pieces. And designing the material capped my excitement and enthused me into seeing my babies printed.
Then it came to printing time. There I was checking on the printed proof of the press. The printer seemed to have some trouble in their machines, as they cannot fix the right tone and calibration of the printer. I was told that it would take them awhile to have the thing fixed. But I have no choice but to sit on it ‘cause the time is a bit cramped and the client needed the material printed and ready for distribution. I have to make sure that the printer will get the right colors and specifications for the job. What happened was, they tried to fix the machine and tried to run a few sheets. Nope, I cannot approve of the quality of the output every time they show me a sheet for approval. Neither can they. So they tried another one and another one and another one. But I am one that wouldn’t settle for mediocrity. It has to be how it was designed to become. Tedious but it’s always worth the hardship.
It was already 10 o’clock in the evening when they finally made the whole system run good. Alas, the sound of the running printer and the rhythm of the rollers churning out great printed materials. It was harmonious! Then I felt that everything is working out really good. I had goose bumps seeing my paintings being printed, sheet-by-sheet the machine spilled out the right colors, the right tones. Aaahh, magnifico! It’s a beautiful sight to see and all the hard time of waiting and fixing and checking the print outs paid off. So much like life. I just do what I have to do with gusto and the rest I live for God’s approval. And once He does approve of it, everything will come out beautiful and pleasing. A masterpiece!
In this business, the deadline is always yesterday. Let’s say there’s a job that’s supposed to be done in a month’s time, but your client met with you and briefed you only two weeks to dead end. Translated to real time, it spells: YOU DONOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SLEEP! But I guess that’s the part that we designers learned to live with and actually it spices up our loooong days. The challenge of coming up with a creative concept and the fun of beating ourselves from the last time we did a design. It is life in the fast lane. But of course it is hardly a smooth sail job since time is a bit cramped. There’re loopholes that are to be expected and fixed even before it happens. It calls for tedious production supervision. Most trouble happen during the actual production of the design like during printing. I remember I have this job before for a multinational bank, and the reason why I really love doing this is because they commissioned me to do six paintings and to have it incorporated in the design and have it printed. All in one! Design a marketing material, paint and to have it printed. I became doubly careful of this delicate project since it involves not only advertising art but also fine arts. I can say I really had a grand time conceptualizing and painting these six art pieces. And designing the material capped my excitement and enthused me into seeing my babies printed.
Then it came to printing time. There I was checking on the printed proof of the press. The printer seemed to have some trouble in their machines, as they cannot fix the right tone and calibration of the printer. I was told that it would take them awhile to have the thing fixed. But I have no choice but to sit on it ‘cause the time is a bit cramped and the client needed the material printed and ready for distribution. I have to make sure that the printer will get the right colors and specifications for the job. What happened was, they tried to fix the machine and tried to run a few sheets. Nope, I cannot approve of the quality of the output every time they show me a sheet for approval. Neither can they. So they tried another one and another one and another one. But I am one that wouldn’t settle for mediocrity. It has to be how it was designed to become. Tedious but it’s always worth the hardship.
It was already 10 o’clock in the evening when they finally made the whole system run good. Alas, the sound of the running printer and the rhythm of the rollers churning out great printed materials. It was harmonious! Then I felt that everything is working out really good. I had goose bumps seeing my paintings being printed, sheet-by-sheet the machine spilled out the right colors, the right tones. Aaahh, magnifico! It’s a beautiful sight to see and all the hard time of waiting and fixing and checking the print outs paid off. So much like life. I just do what I have to do with gusto and the rest I live for God’s approval. And once He does approve of it, everything will come out beautiful and pleasing. A masterpiece!
