How to explain trapping...

[alexfugazi]

Hey guys, this has come up quite a bit over the years- every once in a while, I do print jobs for artists out of my shop, and sometimes an artist has absolutely no idea what trapping is.

Sometimes, these artists have done a bunch of other screenprints, which is surprising. I can only assume that the shops that they normally work with do the trapping for them.

I usually try to explain what trapping is, and how you do it, but I normally get blank stares (virtually speaking). How do you guys communicate this essential part of screenprinting to people?

[Zach Hobbs]

"unless you want a bunch of ugly white spaces showing the darker inks have to trap the lighter"

[ZELIG]

Send them a perfect example of layerd trapped files and use it as an aid to explain the process to them. I use Florian's from his Star Wars Greedo art print as it helps explain trapping, underprinting, and color on color trapping.

[ken taylor]

i spent a fair bit of time on the phone with todd slater and rob jones getting schooled in the wonderous ways of trapping - it confused the bejesus out of me - i get it now but unless i am literally running through a very simple version literally in front of their eyes i find it hard to explain to people. mind you i do it in illustrator - most people seem to do it in photoshop. i think todd sent me a broken down version of his jack johnson poster and the penny finally dropped - something that i will forever be indebted for

[Steve Chanks]

Hey Andy, you wanna field this one?

[crosshair]

After years of trying to explain trapping to non-printers, including visual aids, I now explain it as $50/hr, and leave it at that.

[mikeage]

Maybe this is wrong or over-simplifying...screenprinting is a hand process even when done on an auto-press. Trapping gives help and allows for a margin of error in the placement of the sheet of paper each time. the actual trapping is done by extendin one color under another in order to avoid gaps between colors.

[squeegeethree]

I just make all the traps needed and don't bother explaining. I charge for this but it doesn't take so long.

[RichieGoodtimes]

Print what they give you.

Fuck'em if they can't trap.

[Andymac]

What? Don't they teach this in design school?

Oh yeah, I forgot. Nobody learns production for print in school, cause (a) print is dead, (b) the teacher doesn't know, (c) the average designer thinks someone else does that. Digitally reproduced media doesn't use trapping, computer based graphics don't use trapping. As these are essentially what anyone is trained for these days, nobody spends time on it.

Luther, Dan and the rest of the printers know unless the designer/artist takes an active interest in the media (screenprinting) their design is being used for, it's like talking to a 4 year old with their crayons. They don't want to know shit, they just want to color. an explanation is in one ear and out the other.