Ask a Semi-Professional!

Postby **Haibane Shadsie** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 9:02 pm

Well, since this new forum is here, I thought I'd offer my assistance to those in need, perhaps.

I happen to be a graphic designer. I have an Assoicate's Degree in it. (I'd like to get a Bachelor's, eventually, but I'm too poor to go back to college right now). I work part time for a small town newspaper, and I do freelance work. I've *almost* got the required two-year's experience under my belt to get a better paying and more reliable job, but... eh, I'm only struggling right now because I'm frequently late to work, don't have a lot of personal self-confidence, and my work ethic stinks.

But, yeah... I do graphic design and get paid for it... it is my job title, so I am a "professional". I work for print-media, which is what I studied for. I do know some basic html, but I did not major in web design. I like print, and I wanted to work for print.

I can answer questions related to graphic design for print, if anyone needs me. I can tell you all about file types (my Photo-Digital Imaging class teacher made us do file-formatting to death, so... knowing the properties and qualities of diffrent file types is one of my strong points), resolutions, color-modes, and color separations. Do you have something (perhaps a comic you've done?) that you wish to take to a print-house, but are confused as to how to handle C M Y K seperations? Ask me! Are you confused as to what resolutions your files should be in to make a good print as opposed to screen-resolution for viewing on the web? Ask me!

I don't think I can answer all questions, though... just offering my help for those that I can answer, for anyone who might wish to ask.

Postby **LorentzForce** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 10:20 pm

i wanna ask something! but nothing n00bish, since i do some graphic work too...

let's say i have an image that is way too small for printing in high quality (with size right now it's going to be like 2cm and 4cm when printed with 150dpi). do you have any techniques when increasing image sizes that eliminates those jaggy edges often found when an image's size is increased too much?

Postby **Haibane Shadsie** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 10:31 pm

That is a tough call, especially since it's only 150 ppi. If it were something like... 600, or even 300, it could probably be helped... but 150 is low end print resolution as it is.

Hmmm... you could try sizing it up little by little and running test-prints until you get it close to the size you want it. Also, at least on some printers, putting it in eps format helps. (sometimes, it makes it worse... inkjet printers seem to not like eps in my experience, yet the fancy postscript laserjet printer at my work LOVES eps - eps files almost always turn out more crisp on that thing than any other file format), but, as I said, beware of eps with inkjet printers... they like to print them all scraggily - but if you can get access to a laserjet printer, it might be something you'd want to try.

Postby **shooraijin** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 2:54 am

Of course, if you size it up, it just gets posterized.

Usually when I'm in a position like that, the median tool in Photoshop can be useful for smoothing jaggies out of line art, but it doesn't usually do much good for continuous tone images.

Postby **LorentzForce** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 6:42 am

hmm, that could work. increasing it little by little...

some images i was getting desperate to the point of just 'copying' the image by drawing vector paths all over it to make it look like the previous one. heck of a job, but it worked. at least i wouldn't try it for more complex images, but small images aren't complex

i guess there was another way. thanks

Postby **glitch1501** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 8:36 am

i was wondering if you have a web portfolio or something like that

Postby **Heaven's Cloud** » Sun Dec 21, 2003 9:51 am

Do all the programs cost money? Could i get a good graphic designing program besides The GIMP for free?

Postby **Haibane Shadsie** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 12:17 am

Yep, programs, buying in stores, are expensive. I actually have lucked out with getting my programs cheap, but those instances were due to special situations I was in.

I do have a web portfolio. I haven't updated it in a long time, though. I did it as a web design class project, and eventually put it up on Tripod.

http://xaion_city.tripod.com/

My more "fine art" stuff is over on "Higher Rhlem" in my signiture, too. The above address is for my graphic design stuff... logo designs, letterheads I've done, that kind of thing.

Postby **redkorn** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 6:02 pm

well semi-pro is pushing it.

Postby **Haibane Shadsie** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:10 pm

What?

Postby **Ashley** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:48 pm

Easy there, RedKorn. No need to get rude now.

Postby **Haibane Shadsie** » Mon Dec 22, 2003 9:15 pm

Even if my work is not very good, I am actually a professional. The definition of the word in art circles is someone who actually sells their art or who makes money off of it in some way... I do have a part time job as a graphic designer - so, I am, technically a professional, despite what people's opinions of my work are.

Postby **shooraijin** » Tue Dec 23, 2003 3:27 am

Okay, now we're getting back on topic

Any other graphic design inquiries to discuss?

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