The Professional Repeat
A Surface Designer's Guide to Print Production
The Professional Repeat: A Surface Designer’s Guide to Print Production takes the worry out of print production with clear steps, practical tips, and expert insights for creating flawless, print-ready files in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. It’s a must-have for every surface designer.
Creating surface designs is fun — but setting up production files? Not so much. With all the file formats, printing jargon, and technical specs, the excitement of seeing your art on a product can quickly turn into worry about setting up production files correctly. Is it supposed to be in CMYK or RGB colors? What about Pantone? How do you prepare files for digital printing versus rotary printing—and what is rotary printing anyway?
I get it! I've been there. It’s intimidating when clients start throwing around terms you've never heard of or assume you know exactly what they need.
The Professional Repeat is your ticket to easing print production anxiety with:
• Step-by-step instructions for making your art files print-ready
• Introductions to common printing methods used in surface design
• Clear explanations of CMYK, RGB, Hex, and Pantone color systems
• Straightforward tips for working with clients and printers
Navigate Print Production Like a Pro
What’s Inside
This 58-page fully-illustrated digital guide puts everything from The Professional Repeat Skillshare class right at your fingertips — in a handy, easy-to-navigate format. A clickable table of content, means you can quickly jump to just the right info — even when you’re in a hurry.
Topics Include:
Printing Methods: Learn the differences between Offset, Digital, Screen, Rotary, and Pad Printing
Color Systems: Understand when to use CMYK, Pantone, RGB, Hex Color, and Index Color
Illustrator Production Files:
- Checking for Pattern Flaws and Technical Errors
- Exporting JPG and PNG Files
- Setting Up Vector Production Files
- Working with Pantone Colors
- Scaling Repeats in Illustrator
Photoshop Production Files:
- Setting Up Layered Photoshop Files
- Scaling Repeats in Photoshop
- Color Indexing
Glossary & Index: Over 100 definitions of printing terms, plus a detailed index
And more!
From the Author
Hi, I’m Kris Ruff. I have a Fine Arts degree and a background as a graphic designer, surface designer, and business owner, as well as a Skillshare Top Teacher. I’ve created hundreds (maybe thousands!) of production files for apparel, bedding, wallpaper, rugs, ceramics, and lots and lots of traditional print jobs on paper.
With each project, I’ve gained a better understanding of print production processes, learned how to navigate their limitations, and refined my production files to help projects go as smoothly as possible.
I know firsthand how difficult it can be to find reliable production information, and that's why I created The Professional Repeat — it’s the comprehensive resource I wish I'd had years ago.
Get immediate access to a wealth of production knowledge, ready to help with every project that comes your way.
“Kris’s superpower is breaking down technical information into simple, easy-to-understand terms. Highly recommend for all designers.” — Kali
“The Professional Repeat made my file prep much better. We just got the samples back from the factory, and everything printed correctly on the first try, and looks fantastic.” — Miriam
“Kris is a teacher whose information I trust wholeheartedly.” — Delores
Why Print Production Matters
The whole point of surface design is getting art printed on products — which makes print production a super important part of what we do as surface designers. Knowing how to make your art print-ready not only makes projects go more smoothly — it also shows clients you’re a trusted professional. Plus, setting things up correctly means your art will look as good on finished products as it does on screen.
Who Is This Guide For?
The Professional Repeat digital guide is for all surface designers wanting to confidently prepare their artwork for print. Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced designer, The Professional Repeat will give a better understanding of print production to make it easier to communicate with clients and successfully create print-ready files in Illustrator and Photoshop — whether you're working with repeat patterns or standalone illustrations.
The Professional Repeat Class
The Professional Repeat digital guide is based on the well-respected Professional Repeat Skillshare class. You can used the digital guide as a stand-alone reference or as a companion to The Professional Repeat Skillshare class. Each page in the guide includes a sidebar link to the corresponding video lesson, so you can easily go back and forth between the class and the guide. (Skillshare membership required. Use this link for a free trial membership.)