Design Students These days SUCK

Working where I work, I deal with a lot of customer types. From those that just need a copy, to those that need a complete design and business plan package. The problem I find most comes from design students. Any year really. Part of it is either they aren’t paying attention in class, aren’t being taught how to do things, or are just plain stupid. I don’t know or care which answer is right. But when you want to be a designer there are basic things you need to know beyond “LOLMAKEIT LOOKPRETTY!”. You need to know the logistics in printing.

Rule 1: Don’t design in RGB, you look like a moron to the printer.

This one is simple and obvious, when you start designing your file, change your settings to CMYK. On screen you may not see a difference, but when you go to print, it can make a WORLD of difference. If you’re anal about your colour, save yourself a headache, as switching midway through your design could really mess up your colours.

Rule 2: Design your file with bleeds.

I can count on my one hand how many design students have actually properly set up their bleeds. Its simple, if you want colour to bleed off the page, include a .25” border, if you don’t, don’t expect your file to be print/cut properly. It’s not hard, if you want full bleed 8.5x11” paper. Make the file 8.75x11.25”. For the record, this will cost more as the file needs to be printed on larger size (usually 11x17) and then cut down (additional cost usually).

Rule 3: Remember to embed fonts, convert to outlines/curves, or simply, PDF your file.

Any time you print from a machine that isn’t your own, there are a lot of variables. If you used a font that isn’t on the system that is printing the file, then it won’t show up, unless you take the above steps. If your document is final (and assuming you’re dealing with a printer, it is), then this shouldn’t be an issue, any text you need to edit can be done on an earlier version of your work.

Rule 4: You’re not clever, and anything “unique” you’re doing for a project has been done before. We know what works and what doesn’t.

This is a little vague, but I get dozens of students coming through, every time one comes and says “Oh I want to cut it this way and that way, and have it bound this way, but the printing is this way.” I get a headache. The worst part of this is that the student doesn’t understand the logistics behind the “unique” twist on the project that has been done by every student ever since it became a program at a school. I can do all of the above, most of the time, but I can’t do it right now, this instant, and it’s going to cost a fair amount of money to do it since it’s all custom. “How much?” well, going off the last example (a week or so ago). $340 for a 18x24 Full bleed, Bound book, on photogloss paper, cut at odd angles and bound along the “short” edge (it’s a weird file). “THAT’S RIDICULOUS” hey baby, you’re the one with the retarded demands, Now I’d like my 20 minutes back that I spent trying to explain to you why you should just do what the rest of your class did. I know most of these profs to, they don’t give two shits about “Unique” designs, because the truth is, in the very near future, you will be in competition for the same jobs they are, and that means money from their pockets. They grade you based on several factors, one of which SHOULD BE, “will the client like it”. One of my instructors had the best method of teaching. He acted like an asshole client who was never happy with what you gave in. Very instructional, because, especially when you work freelance, that’s almost every experience I’ve had. If you handled that kind of pressure well, you got a good mark, if you had your mom call up the Dean of the program, you usually got poor marks. Sadly the truth of the matter is, design grades are meant to ensure you understand the fundamentals, and those aren’t very hard to grasp, you’ll have plenty of time to be unique after school, but schools aren’t concerned with it. The classmate who handed in a bland poster, as long as the fundamentals were right, will get the exact grade as this crazy 18x24 monstrosity with the same fundamentals.

Rule 5: Printing isn’t an exact science.

Every printer has a different personality. There are 8 printers in our store. Each one has minor differences in its color, coverage, and speed. Paper choice makes a huge difference too. So when something prints, and it didn’t come out like you expect, before you freak out and yell at me, check your fucking file, and make sure it wasn’t some oversight on your part. I’ll try several printers to get the right colours, hell, I’ll mess with some post script settings if it makes you feel better, but the fact of the matter is, if you’re doing your printing with us, you need it quickly, which means Laser printing, which means toner, which means pantone simulation, and if you don’t know what pantone means, go back to arts fundamentals because serious, wtf dude?

 Rule 6: Listen to your Print Expert.

You can be a veteran designer of 20 years, know all about different printers, print styles etc. But you know who knows just as much, if not more? Your Print Expert. We see more print jobs than you do in a year in a week. We handle every odd problem that occurs. We know more than you most of the time, and in the rare case that we don’t, our experience can inform us enough to give you advice. If you want to bull charge your way through the print experience, ignoring warnings and advice, that’s your prerogative. Don’t expect us to have sympathy when the bill comes and you owe far more than you would have had you just listened to us in the first place. Now I’m fortunate, I work overnights and deal mostly with jobs already in production. My colleagues all have had experience where we told a client what would be best, got ignored, and then had to pay out in one way or another because the customer got mad at the bill. That’s the issue with customer service, 9/10 times, once a manager is involved, some revenue will be lost, despite the fact we warned the customer, and that effects our earnings.

I’m sure I have more but that covers basically all my feelings on the matter. I’ve been in this “industry” for 7 years and been on both sides, so I know the issues on both ends. Design students seem to have gotten worse, as I said earlier, they just don’t seem to be getting taught the basics. They know how to throw together a file in inDesign, but have no clue how to output it when it’s ready for print. What’s even worse is when they expect my expertise for free. And I’m a moron because I can’t help but want to help these idiots. I should petition the schools in the area to pay me a small fee every time I have to teach their student something the instructors didn’t. Or maybe I should teach a “Printing for Absolute Complete Fucking Morons” course as part of the program. Either way…

If you’re a design student, or hell, a designer, and you’re reading this, the next time you see your Printer, give him or her a hug, we really do hate most of you, but some of you make this job fun. Be one of those.