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Requirements September 1987 until April 1999

1. Tell about the process for producing printed communications: offset lithography, gravure, flexography, letterpress (relief), screen printing, and electronic processes. Show samples of each or make sketches that explain how these processes work.

2. Design a printed piece such as a poster or advertising flier. Make an accurate layout and be sure to specify the type to be used. Explain the difference between typefaces and explain their purposes.  Explain how type is arranged and the skills needed to proceed to print.

3. Explain the difference between a line and a halftone and how each is made.

4. With your counselor, choose ONE of these printing processes to print the piece you designed.

(a) Offset lithographic printing

(1) Using the layout you made, set the type, keyline or pasteup, and prepare a suitable negative.
(2) Properly strip the negative for exposure onto an offset plate.  Expose and process this plate.
(3) Using this plate, print at least 50 copies.

(b) Screen process printing

(1) Using the layout you made, hand letter or set the type, keyline or pasteup, and prepare a photographic or hand-cut stencil.
(2) Adhere this stencil to a screen frame and prepare the screen for printing.
(3) Using a screen printing base with clamps, print at least 25 copies.

(c) Letterpress printing

(1) Using the layout you made, set the type either by hand or machine and select an appropriate engraving to illustrate your project.
(2) Lockup your type and engraving in a chase for printing.
(3) Using this form, print at least 50 copies.

5. Do the following:

(a) Review with your counselor a brief background on the history of bookbinding.
(b) Explain the differences between perfect, spiral, plastic comb, and case binding.
(c) Explain saddle stitching, perfect binding, and four side trim.
(d) Make a scrapbook and bind it using one of the methods.
(e) Explain the pagination process.

6. Identify three career opportunities in graphic arts and tell how you can prepare for each of them.

7.Do ONE of the following:

(a) Visit a newspaper printing plant.  Follow a story from the editor's desk through composition and printing.  Tell about your visit, including careers you observed and the equipment used in the production of the newspaper.
(b) Visit a commercial printing plant.  Follow a job through production.  Tell about your visit, including careers you observed and the equipment used in the production of the job

Requirements April 1999 until January 2010

1. Review with your counselor the processes for producing printed communications: offset lithography, screen process printing, electronic/digital, relief, and gravure. You may show samples or draw diagrams to help with your description.

2. Explain the difference between continuous-tone, line, and halftone artwork. Describe how it can be created and/or stored in a computer.

3. Design a printed piece (flier, T-shirt, program, form, etc.) and produce it. Explain your decisions for the typeface or typefaces you use and the way you arrange the elements in your design. Explain which printing process is best suited for printing your design. If desktop publishing hardware and software are available, identify what hardware and software would be appropriate for outputting your design.

4. Produce the design you created for requirement 3 using one of the following printing processes:

(a) Offset lithography

Make a layout and then produce a plate using a process approved by your counselor. Run the plate and print 50 copies.

(b) Screen process printing

Make a hand-cut or photographic stencil and attach it to a screen that you have prepared. Make the screen and print at least 20 copies.

(c)  Electronic/digital printing

Make a layout in electronic form, download it to the press or printer, and run 50 copies. If no electronic interface to the press or printer is available, you may print and scan a paper copy of the layout.

(d) Relief printing

Prepare a layout or set the necessary type. Male a plate or lock-up the form. Use this to print 50 copies.

5. Review the following postpress operations with your counselor:

(a) Discuss the finishing operations of padding, drilling, cutting, and trimming.
(b) Collect, describe, or identify examples of the following types of binding: perfect, spiral, plastic comb, saddle stitched, and case

6. Identify three career opportunities in graphic arts and tell how you can prepare for them.

7. Do one of the following and then describe the highlights of your visit:

(a) Visit a newspaper printing plant: Follow a story from the editor to the press.
(b) Visit a commercial or in-plant printing facility: Follow a job from beginning to end.
(c) Visit a school’s graphic arts program: Find out what courses are available and what the prerequisites are.
(d) Visit three Web sites on the internet that belong to graphic arts professional organizations and/or printing-related companies (suppliers, manufactures, printers): Download product or service information from two of the sites.