X-Rite Incorporated and its South African distributor DigitalView have partnered to deliver a series of colour workshops entitled How To Print The eXpected. The workshops are designed for print and packaging professionals seeking to build their knowledge of colour management through hands-on training and practical applications.
The first four workshops will be held in May in Johannesburg and Cape Town with additional dates and locations planned in 2018.
DigitalView piloted the How To Print The eXpected workshops in September 2017 to rave reviews. ‘In South Africa, our Printing College dissolved a few years ago,’ stated Laura Minter, co-owner of DigitalView. ‘While Printing SA is now helping to educate new entrants to the industry, there is a significant gap in knowledge when it comes to colour management and implementing colour quality standards. We want to address this gap with the How To Print The eXpected workshops and educate a new generation of colour management professionals.’
Douw Hurter, pre-press manager, CTP Newspapers, attended the recent workshops. ‘I’ve spent most of my life in printing,’ he said. ‘But I knew I still had more to learn, especially about colour management. These workshops delivered more than I expected and will help me in my work as part of our colour management team. The information is presented in a very understandable manner, and the practical, hands-on portions were especially valuable. Not only do we plan to send other team members to these workshops, but I will likely go through them again next year to absorb even more colour management knowledge.’
CTP Newspapers is part of the Caxton Group, printing both newspapers and commercial work across a number of plants. Hurter works in the Cape Town operation. He also reported that the information presented will help him in speaking with customers, who can often have somewhat limited colour knowledge. ‘It’s actually amazing to see the lack of knowledge about colour out in the field,’ Hurter concluded. ‘The How to Print the eXpected workshops are providing a huge service by bringing advanced colour skills to operators across the country. I am thrilled to be able to attend these workshops and keep my colour knowledge up to date.’
The How To Print The eXpected programme hosted by DigitalView begins in May 2018 and includes X-Rite’s popular Fundamentals of Colour and Appearance (FOCA) training as well as sessions on How to Print the eXpected for offset and packaging. DigitalView is also working with Printing SA and other graphic arts programmes to have these programmes accredited.
• Fundamentals of Colour and Appearance (FOCA). This one-day workshop teaches attendees how to analyse and implement a reliable colour quality programme. It is designed for anyone who evaluates or approves colour. From the physics of colour to lighting, spectrophotometers and colour data, attendees learn how to measure, view and understand colour data.
• How to Print The eXpected: Offset. This two-day workshop focuses on achieving colour expectations in offset printing, both in prepress and in the press room. It helps attendees understand the importance of standardised processes to achieve consistency and gives them specific guidance on implementation using the latest tools, techniques and technologies.
• How To Print The eXpected: Packaging. This two-day workshop guides attendees who want to enhance their knowledge of industry standards such as ISO standards used for packaging production; and certification programs including G7, PSO, PSD, and the PANTONE Certified Printer programme.
• How to Print The eXpected: Flexo. This two-day workshop guides attendees who want to enhance their knowledge of industry standards such as ISO standards used for flexo production. It covers ink conformity, factors influencing print characteristics on Flexo as well as quality assurance for flexo print workflow.
21-22 May: Printing The eXpected Offset – Dorin Pitigoi – Printing SA Offices Cape Town.
23-24 May: Printing The eXpected Packaging – Dorin Pitigoi – Printing SA Offices Cape Town.
25 May: Fundamentals of Colour and Appearance – Laura Minter – Printing SA Offices Cape Town.
28-29 May: Printing the eXpected Flexo – Dorin Pitigoi – Printing SA Offices Johannesburg.
