2nd Edition
Mastering Digital Printing
2nd Edition
By Harald Johnson
Published by Thomson Course Technology, 2005
ISBN 1-59200-431-8
This book is, at the present time, the definitive book on digital
printing. In around 400 pages the author manages to pack in a huge
amount of information that can guide people through purchasing
decisions, outsourcing decisions and help with getting the best out of
either doing it yourself or dealing with print professionals.
Chapters include:
- Navigating the Digital Landscape
- Understanding Digital Printing
- Creating and Processing the Image
- Understanding and Managing Color
- Determining Print Permanence
- Selecting an Inkjet Printer
- Choosing your Consumables
- Making a Great Inkjet Print
- Finishing and Displaying Your Prints
- Using a Print Service
- Special Printing Techniques
The book is profusely illustrated with well-chosen and designed illustrations and photographs.
The book starts off by briefly discussing the history of digital
printing and then gets into covering the printing spectrum. A good
section describes digital image terms and does a effective job of
explaining things like resolution. There is then a useful discussion of
conventional lithographic printing and other print technologies. A
chapter then follows on preparing your source image, whether scanned,
digitally photographed or created. A chapter on color management
follows, which does a good job, if a little briefly, of covering this
critical area. The author does an excellent job of covering image
permanence, a difficult topic, which he handles perfectly. The middle
section of the book covers inkjet printing, from how it works to media
choice, making a good print to how to display it. All well done. The
last section covers things like using a print service rather than doing
it yourself, special printing techniques and unconventional media.
Who should get this book? Basically it needs to be on the bookshelf of
educators, photographers, illustrators, designers, digital artists,
scrapbookers and anyone working with digital prints. It is a core
reference book and a great learning tool. Obviously in one book
covering such a huge area some sections are a bit light compared to a
specialist book on just that area, but it covers all areas well.
Can it be improved? Frankly the only thing I would like to see added is
a reference section at the back, with things like dimensions for US and
international standard paper sizes, conversion tables of common US and
international paper weights, guides to approximate corresponding paper
thicknesses, etc. That would make it a great day-to-day reference
source for an even wider range of people.