This blog post was submitted by Color 2016 sponsor, GTI. Soft proofing allows the user to view an accurate representation of what a final print will look like on their monitor. This visual representation (soft proof) replaces a traditional hard copy proof and serves as a contract between supplier and buyer. A contract soft proofing system will enhance a digital workflow by providing proofs that are accurate, repeatable, and supported by industry standards. A contract soft proofing system requires software, a light booth, and monitor. The soft proofing software provides tools for sharing digital proofs. The reviewer will have the capability to view, zoom, and navigate high resolution files without having to download the entire file. The software enables multiple users to simultaneously review the same file and offers markup and annotation tools to communicate edits, digital sign-off to indicate approval or rejection, and automated email notifications sent between stakeholders. To ensure accuracy when selecting soft proofing software look for a program that will assign color profiles to the digital files and prompt the viewer to calibrate their display using an external color sensor and pre-set color viewing parameters. Remote Director’s soft proofing software offers this capability. A soft proofing workflow also requires a light booth with dimming capabilities to be used near the monitor. This will allow the illuminance level of the monitor and viewing area to match. A GTI iQ viewing system is equipped to automatically match the luminance level of the monitor. In a soft proofing workflow the monitor is acting like an output device. To ensure accuracy the monitor needs to be a high quality, color calibrated monitor such as those offered by BenQ, Eizo, and NEC. GTI Graphic Technology, Inc. and Remote Director LLC have combined to offer a series of complete soft proofing solutions that include a two year subscription for two concurrent seats to Remote Director Software, a USB instrument to calibrate the monitor, and a GTI iQ enabled ISO 3664:2009 compliant viewing system. GTI light booths are available in desktop and floor stand models. Soft proofing allows for many people in many locations to review a single proof at the same time, as opposed to creating and sending multiple copies of the proof to many people. This allows project stakeholders to automatically consolidate all feedback and approvals in a single file instead of manually gathering and sorting through comments provided by reviewers. Soft proofing also shortens the production cycle by eliminating the need to print and deliver hard copy proofs. By eliminating the cost of the printer, paper, ink, and shipping/delivery soft proofing will also save significant money. Soft proofing will benefit all stakeholders not only by reducing cost and tightening...

This blog post was submitted by Color 2016 sponsor, GTI. Soft proofing allows the user to view an accurate representation of what a final print will look like on their monitor. This visual representation (soft proof) replaces a traditional hard copy proof and serves as a contract between supplier and buyer. A contract soft proofing system will enhance a digital workflow by providing proofs that are accurate, repeatable, and supported by industry standards. A contract soft proofing system requires software, a light booth, and monitor. The soft proofing software provides tools for sharing digital proofs. The reviewer will have the capability to view, zoom, and navigate high resolution files without having to download the entire file. The software enables multiple users to simultaneously review the same file and offers markup and annotation tools to communicate edits, digital sign-off to indicate approval or rejection, and automated email notifications sent between stakeholders. To ensure accuracy when selecting soft proofing software look for a program that will assign color profiles to the digital files and prompt the viewer to calibrate their display using an external color sensor and pre-set color viewing parameters. Remote Director’s soft proofing software offers this capability. A soft proofing workflow also requires a light booth with dimming capabilities to be used near the monitor. This will allow the illuminance level of the monitor and viewing area to match. A GTI iQ viewing system is equipped to automatically match the luminance level of the monitor. In a soft proofing workflow the monitor is acting like an output device. To ensure accuracy the monitor needs to be a high quality, color calibrated monitor such as those offered by BenQ, Eizo, and NEC. GTI Graphic Technology, Inc. and Remote Director LLC have combined to offer a series of complete soft proofing solutions that include a two year subscription for two concurrent seats to Remote Director Software, a USB instrument to calibrate the monitor, and a GTI iQ enabled ISO 3664:2009 compliant viewing system. GTI light booths are available in desktop and floor stand models. Soft proofing allows for many people in many locations to review a single proof at the same time, as opposed to creating and sending multiple copies of the proof to many people. This allows project stakeholders to automatically consolidate all feedback and approvals in a single file instead of manually gathering and sorting through comments provided by reviewers. Soft proofing also shortens the production cycle by eliminating the need to print and deliver hard copy proofs. By eliminating the cost of the printer, paper, ink, and shipping/delivery soft proofing will also save significant money. Soft proofing will benefit all stakeholders not only by reducing cost and tightening...

College expenses can be a nightmare, as most college students would agree. The average cost of tuition and fees in the United States for 2015 exceeded $32,000 according to CollegeData.com. And the cost can reach as high as $120,000 for graduate school, according to FinAid.org. So it makes sense the first thing a student would (and absolutely should) do after being accepted to college is start looking for any means possible to cut the cost of higher education. For individuals interested in graphic communications, the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) offers the tuition and fellowship assistance young students need to help them attend school comfortably. PGSF dedicates itself not only to the financial assistance of students, but also functions to strengthen the graphic communications industry and reassure students that the multi-faceted industry is indeed growing. When former PGSF recipient Matthew Busch decided to return to school to become a graphic arts teacher, PGSF’s assistance helped him achieve his dream of sharing his enthusiasm for graphic communications with younger generations. Matthew’s interest in the world of graphic communications was kick-started by a “kooky” high school graphics teacher whose classroom inspired him to pursue graphic communications professionally. After learning all he could about printing and graphics and experiencing processes firsthand, his interest became a passion. Not long after, Matthew’s attendance at graphics summer camps and trade shows transformed that passion into a hobby. As a result, he later earned his bachelor’s degree in graphic design. However, as fate would have it, Matthew never fit in with the various industry jobs he tried. Finding himself constantly drawn back to education, he went into teaching. Still suffering from the debt accumulated from his undergraduate years, he discovered PGSF while searching for financial assistance for his master’s degree. After applying, he received several PGSF scholarship awards that made his journey possible. “I still have graduate loans I’m paying off … but it’s nowhere near as much had PGSF not been there for me,” he said. Now working at Enloe High School in North Carolina, Matthew’s dream of teaching graphics is now a reality thanks, in part, to PGSF. Channeling his admiration and respect for his high school graphics instructor, Matthew encourages students to get into graphic communications by creating a “project-based” classroom that puts most aspects of a project in the hands of the student, giving them a lot of creative freedom. The success of his program—dubbed “Enloe Graphics”—is partly due to Enloe High School’s administration. The school has a “go for it” attitude and sees a graphics department as an important program worth supporting. Matthew emulated that mentality by building a strong printing and graphics program furnished with all the resources it...

College expenses can be a nightmare, as most college students would agree. The average cost of tuition and fees in the United States for 2015 exceeded $32,000 according to CollegeData.com. And the cost can reach as high as $120,000 for graduate school, according to FinAid.org. So it makes sense the first thing a student would (and absolutely should) do after being accepted to college is start looking for any means possible to cut the cost of higher education. For individuals interested in graphic communications, the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) offers the tuition and fellowship assistance young students need to help them attend school comfortably. PGSF dedicates itself not only to the financial assistance of students, but also functions to strengthen the graphic communications industry and reassure students that the multi-faceted industry is indeed growing. When former PGSF recipient Matthew Busch decided to return to school to become a graphic arts teacher, PGSF’s assistance helped him achieve his dream of sharing his enthusiasm for graphic communications with younger generations. Matthew’s interest in the world of graphic communications was kick-started by a “kooky” high school graphics teacher whose classroom inspired him to pursue graphic communications professionally. After learning all he could about printing and graphics and experiencing processes firsthand, his interest became a passion. Not long after, Matthew’s attendance at graphics summer camps and trade shows transformed that passion into a hobby. As a result, he later earned his bachelor’s degree in graphic design. However, as fate would have it, Matthew never fit in with the various industry jobs he tried. Finding himself constantly drawn back to education, he went into teaching. Still suffering from the debt accumulated from his undergraduate years, he discovered PGSF while searching for financial assistance for his master’s degree. After applying, he received several PGSF scholarship awards that made his journey possible. “I still have graduate loans I’m paying off … but it’s nowhere near as much had PGSF not been there for me,” he said. Now working at Enloe High School in North Carolina, Matthew’s dream of teaching graphics is now a reality thanks, in part, to PGSF. Channeling his admiration and respect for his high school graphics instructor, Matthew encourages students to get into graphic communications by creating a “project-based” classroom that puts most aspects of a project in the hands of the student, giving them a lot of creative freedom. The success of his program—dubbed “Enloe Graphics”—is partly due to Enloe High School’s administration. The school has a “go for it” attitude and sees a graphics department as an important program worth supporting. Matthew emulated that mentality by building a strong printing and graphics program furnished with all the resources it...

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updated two of its required employee postings.  For the Fair Labor Standards Act poster (commonly called “minimum wage poster”), significant changes include the following:  The poster includes new language from the federal health care law passed in 2009 that advises non-exempt nursing mothers of their right to be provided with a reasonable break time to express breast milk. It states that employers must provide a place that is not a bathroom, shielded from view, and free from intrusion by co-workers as well.  Officials revised the poster to include mention of additional penalties for violations of the FLSA. Lastly, there is mention that some employers are classifying workers incorrectly as independent contractors thus depriving actual non-exempt workers from their entitlement to minimum wage and overtime pay protection. Federal and state agencies, including the DOL, have been focused on this area as a source of missed tax revenue. The second required employee posting, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act poster, contains very few changes. The most important is the deletion of a reference to $10,000 in the enforcement section of the poster. The bottom right side of the new poster notes “rev 07/16”. Employers must post these revised posters immediately in areas where employees and applicants can view them.   Download the new posters at https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppa.htm or https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/flsa.htm PIA members can learn more and download the federal and state posters at www.printing.org/page/3767....