Why Not to Model Your Website on Your Brochures
To understand why you should not model your website on your brochures, and be very cautious about using a firm that specialises in graphics design to do the website, you need to know something about modern printing methods. This is because an experienced graphic designer will base his design on the printing methods he uses.
There has been a big change in the way that short-run brochures are printed following the advent of digital printing over the past 20 years. Now, there are two main methods: web offset, based on the production of film that is used to project the image to the paper, and digital printing. The requirements are different.
The big difference with digital printing is that printing is performed using information straight from the computer. This removes a lot of manual work, and time taken in producing the film. Other approaches in use are engraving, laser printing, screen, thermography and flex printing.
Colour is the most important thing these days in printing and in websites. The important point about website design is that the designer should use what are called ‘web-safe’ colours as they come out well on almost any computer. If other colours are used, they may appear different in different browsers. In one case, a light brown was being used as a background, and it came out correctly in one browser, but was invisible in another popular browser.
Because the design process appears similar at first site for a website, people imagine that the same skills are needed. This is not so. For business website design you need different skills, and to understand the codes used in websites as well. This is why it helps if you understand the principles of modern printing and web design.
In printing, the colours of ink in offset printing are applied separately, one colour in each and every pass. The data are separated into various files, one for every colour. In digital printing the style is sent on the printer along while using colour details embedded within plus the whole thing is printed together.
When brochures are being produced for offset printing, the designer needs to be more precise as the style can’t be changed at will once the film has been produced. In the case of digital files you get to see complete and accurate proofs showing the actual design and colours.