9 Tips for the field!

So production is not my strong point just yet, there was never really any practical experience while in college so I make multiple mistakes while out in the field. Hopefully one day I will have drilled all this into my own head enough that I will make these mistakes anymore. Here are just a few I have picked up!

#1. Do not use the picker.
When printing using the picker to choose your color can give you the desired look but use WAY too much ink. Which when doing work for magazine and newspapers can weigh down the substrate and make it look ew. Instead choose a color from a process pantone book or another color book. This not only ensure you (the designer) knows what the color is actually going to look like but it will never use more than 200% of ink (the highest amount you would like to have on a substrate)

#2. Make sure things are correctly aligned
If you want it centered make sure it is absolutely centered. Not off by even a slight inch. It is harder to do in illustrator so use transform to figure out where you really are.

#3. Use the Pen tool for clipping paths.
Much cleaner clipping paths. Also quicker.

#4. Don't be afraid to increase the percentage of the the character to try and fit it into a line *This is only to be used in some situations* not for regualar reading fonts, or for a lot of type, try to keep it only to fun situations, i.e. Daves Goody Barn

#5. Another typesetting tip, increasing/decreasing the kearning by 1 or 2 is not very noticable but often times will help fit stuff into a page.

#6. Getting type right or left.
When your text is aligned to the left or right your goal is to not just leave (9 times outta 10 its not okay) you kinda want to have a wave pattern. Think flow!

#7. You can never do enough post production checks.
Designing is a tough and can get really repetative, with the kearning, leading, and checking over and over and over. BUT doing post production checks is good, it saves money in the long run.

#8. When editing images don't forget to use your levels.
It can make you picture to appear clearer, yeah I was shocked too!

#9. Spellcheck everything.
We are all human and we make mistakes, the more eyes you have checking a document to more likely you are to catch a mistake.
Here is my quick list of things people miss.
-Word spellings
-Em dash, En dash, & Hyphens (go to wikipedia or mentalfloss smart punctuation in illustrator also is a quick fix, don't rely on it too much though.
-commas
-ellipses

So there you have it 9 tips I have picked up in the Graphic Design field...so far.