Basic skills required
It is truly frightening how unprepared some "experienced" designers and Mac artists are when it comes to doing their jobs well. Some people are under the impression that having the knowledge to place text and images on a page magically makes them ready to create pre-press files. Right.
Whether you're a beginner jumping into the wild world of print production, or an operator with years of experience, you should be aware of the basic skills required to be a good Mac operator/designer:
- In depth knowledge of the programs (QuarkXpress, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and once the bugs are ironed out, Adobe Indesign). This includes knowing how they work together, and what program should be used for what purpose.
- In depth knowledge of the operating system used by your work station. The Macintosh operating system is ridiculously easy to work with, and yet many operators are clueless of what to do when they can't print, when their programs keep crashing, or they can't find the file they were just working on. (This site only provides information on working with the Macintosh operating system.)
- Good organizational skills and habits. Know how to manage your files, folders, fonts, and client data. Know how to manage the paper trails associated with your jobs.
- A strong understanding of typography is essential.
- A working knowledge of press technology is always useful. Knowing things like the different kinds of printing (for example, Off-set, Web, and Litho), the relationship of inks to different kinds of paper, the differences in process versus spot inks, etc., can be invaluable in averting disaster before it strikes.
- An inherent love of craftsmanship is what separates a good operator from the rest.
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