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"The glory days? From a media standpoint, it would have to be ww2... while radio was big, TV was still in the labs, and people needed the newspaper. Many cities had morning papers and evening papers, and everyone "had" to read them. Reading the paper became a necessary habit, and ww2 was the culmination of a multi-decade march of newspapers.

"As far as non-digital print processes go, the glory days of printing would have to be the early 80s, when we made the transition from dull b&w documents to process color for the masses, in every publication, the ripples we see to this day with color printing at the desktop and people expecting that color be in even the most mundane documents.

"In terms of strict technological golden era, Ottmar Mergenthaler's linotype was, in my mind, a more important invention than Gutenberg's, because it democratized print and put print in the hands of almost everyone, and was a major step in the provision of instantaneous information.

"We won't see those kinds of eras again. The new eras for printing will be based on users creating their own content and printing it themselves... or deciding never to print it and just distribute it electronically.

Dr. Joe Webb

I have been selling print since 1984. I'm not sure there were ever any glory days.

"Sure, there were times when there were different obstacles. Customers would let you drop by, and would take time to chat. You got to know them and their families as friends. You weren't separated from personal interaction by voice mail, email and ubiquitous lobby security guards. But those good-buddy days also meant it was hard to break in as a new salesperson when entrenched buyers had their favorite salespeople.

"When you did have a relationship with a buyer, you needed to have a good deal of experience and technical knowledge to advise them on them the correct preparation of art boards, and later on their art files. Now, other than following up to get the occasional missing font, most artwork interaction has to do with uploading the file to the ftp site.

"Once you had a job in the print shop, you had to make sure that it went to the stripper who was talented enough to make sure all the reverses were dropped in, and the traps fit, and that the platemaker wasn't having a bad day - any one of which could make for a really bad day for the salesperson. Now, with digital files and direct to plate press registration, many customers are satisfied with an emailed PDF proof. No more driving 100 or more miles round-trip to get the client to sign off.

"Seven to ten working days used to be a standard, and sometimes a quick turnaround. If something got delayed along the way, there was time built in to catch up. The expectation today is that the schedule will be half that time, with no cushion for a delay.

"Successful print salespeople have always had to be smart about using their time, understand their clients' needs, and be able to focus on the details when necessary. I don't see that changing any time soon. Everybody has good days and bad, and a best and worst client ever. It's all in a day's work.

Jamie Bradley
Director of Marketing & Print Management
Fusion, LLC

I just think like every other industry, print is evolving into something different. Nothing stands still in this world - look at the automobile industry - people still need transportation. Those that have the courage to peer around the technology curve will be able to lead it, if not create it. Followers are everywhere; leaders are few.

"It's hard to say if the glory days have passed, since papers and inks seem better than ever - more choices. "Maybe it's just survival of the fittest at work as print shops close. Mass printing like Modern Postcard is definitely on the rise.

"What we all need to do is get away from the mantra that cheapest is best. That is going to be our economy's downfall, only most people don't know it yet.

"Many of us want something for nothing, and there's no statement more true than you get what you pay for.

Julianne Nardone
Creative Director
Designing Words

Since I came into this business in the early 80's I would have to say somewhere around '85-'86, because as a Production Manager, I was on the cutting edge of seeing mechanicals go computer. Designers were allowed to design, and the PM had the "fun" of researching vendors, to help the designer's vision come to life!

Margaret Pelton-Pope

Late 1990s. Price wasn't an issue. You could get high quality printing on specialty stocks and not worry about cost. Sure, you'd still get three estimates and maybe choose the least expensive one, but you could still have fun. Bump plates, double hits, press proofs for testing metallic duotones, double offline varnish--what fun!

"Oh, now I'm feeling a little depressed . . . .

Anonymous

I don't know if I would consider any particular time as the Golden Age of Printing, but if I were to, I'd say just before the invention of the Macintosh computer. Once the Mac helped define the future of how the printing process would evolve, the digital workflow started to form. Prior to that, designers, type houses, paste up artists, strippers, and pressmen really had to be skilled to produce a high-quality piece. Not to say that craftsmanship has disappeared, but the range of quality has been reduced with the advancements in digital workflow.

Daniel Rollins
John Hancock

I personally think that the late '70s through early '80s were the glory days for design and printing. Photo type was in its heyday, lots of typefaces to chose from in lots of styles. Paper manufacturers abounded, and every one of them had an original idea for stock and produced intricate brochures demonstrating all sorts of uses of their products. The graphic arts as a craft had been developed to its pinnacle: fine workmanship in stripping, dot etching, graphic arts camera shots and embossing. All sorts of awards and recognition for having these skills. Directing all of the work at the print shop was the designer's pasteup of mechanicals. Designers were the equivalent of top Hollywood filmmakers and were recognized for their individual style which was apparent in their work.

"If you could lay it out on a ruled up board, attach a tissue overlay with specific instructions, you knew it would print. Making changes was either very easy: cut out a letter or a line in a type galley to be revised, pop in a new one with the tip of your Xacto knife as a spatula, or so difficult that you had to start from scratch: revise a hand drawn complex graph or illustration. There was a rhythm to the work of layout, a work flow that was physical. You ruled up the boards, put the labels on the back, attached the tissue with white tape to the back of the board and hinged it to fold over the front of the board as a cover and instruction sheet. Then you pasted down type galleys, and copies of photos. Instructions were on the tissue overlays for the camera people, strippers and other craftspeople to guide them in their work.

"The tools of the designer were all physical and had certain sensate characteristics: toothy matte board, smooth Rubylith or Amberlith masking, smelly rubber cement and thinner, the burnt-candle smell of the waxer, the erasers made of yellow gum, kneadable grey plastic or pink rubber. There were drafting pens which had to be cared for precisely so that they wouldn't clog and special sharpeners for the perfect non-repro pencil tip and that wonderful set of PMS markers for thumbnail sketches that were actually sketched. A drafting table with sliding rule was a must.

"At the end of the day, you had a pile of boards which could be shot, stripped, proofed, corrected, reshot and printed. The printer had a clear, concise idea of what it was that you wanted as an end print product from the instant you handed over the boards. There was no guessing as to what was to print and what wasn't, page numbers lined up perfectly, sized stats were in the photo windows or marked transparencies accompanied the job, dot etching instructions to remove undesired elements or colors were marked on the tissue.

"Of course, today, we can work twice or three times faster. The only tools left are the computer and software, no more than a glorified typewriter. You don't have to have any sort of drawing ability or knowledge of typefaces, the ability and knowledge are stored in the computer. The printer gets files transmitted electronically or on a shiny DVD. I know that this is a faster, more efficient workflow, but I still keep my pens, Pink Pearl eraser, Xacto knives and a roll of Rubylith, just in case a niche for this sort of work redevelops.

Diane Dragoff, Purchasing Manager
United Way of Massachusetts Bay

When were the glory days of printing? I think the 1980s was a very good era for printers. I left the print industry in the late 1980s to travel overseas for several years. Prior to that time, printers generally offered a complete service from design to dispatch. The printer controlled the entire operation, outsourcing only specialist processes such as scanning and film setting. It was during this time many larger organizations who had in-house print departments were starting to outsource to commercial printers.

"Print brokers were starting to emerge and designers were yet to discover the Mac. Upon my return to the industry I was surprised to discover that the control of print had been removed almost entirely from the printer and had been transferred to the design and brokerage industries. Many in the design industry had embraced desktop publishing and had become the first contact with the customer. The relationships that printers used to enjoy with the customer no longer seemed to exist. Rather than enjoying the benefits of being in a service industry, the printer had become something of a commodity. The industry had become price driven and even the higher quality printers often had to compete with the print-shops that offered the lowest prices.

"Today, printers are forced to invest heavily in new plant and staff to remain competitive, yet designers invest a fraction of this amount and brokers invest even less, yet margins for print are shared evenly between the parties. Those glory days of print have gone. However, by taking the initiative and finding new ways to form relationships with the customer, the printer can claw that control back. Many printers today have the equipment and expertise to offer a complete in-house service. They shouldn't be afraid to use it.

Anonymous

If by glory days, you mean the days when someone needed multiple copies, they would take it to a traditional offset printer, well, those days ended in the late 80's with the influx of desk top printers, digital duplicators, color copiers and more inexpensive black/white copiers. Much of the work traditionally done with an offset press was done with these new technologies. Press shops had to expand their product offering such as adding copying service in addition to their offset printing. And those press shops that stuck with only offset printing had to focus on higher end offset printing such as more process color work; they could no longer rely on just black/white or spot color work. However, many press shops that could not adapt to the new market died off. Unfortunately, that is still happening today.

"The market for traditional offset printing is certainly not what it was but this is not to say it is dead. Like everything in business (or for that matter, life in general), there is always change. Those in this industry just have to change with it. As the marketing of consumer products continues to get more sophisticated with companies trying to catch the buyer's attention with print ads, so does offset printing.

"As a provider of essential products to offset printers, I hear from printers everyday about the new print jobs they are competing for. Their applications these days involve a lot more than just black ink and 50 Lb offset paper. So the glory days may come again for those printers who are willing and able to compete for this new business.

Thank you.

James Moy
Dealer Sales Rep.
Spinks Printing Inks

These are the Glory Days of Printing! At least from my perspective with The Stinehour Press. The company has a great new energy, we are printing beautiful photography and art books, and I am working with the most passionate clients in the world.

"I realize that we are in a unique niche as a printer of high quality books, and we don't compete in the commercial printing arena. Our customers are creative, demanding and fully participate in their projects. Together with the Stinehour team, we come up with creative solutions to manage budgets and produce high quality books and posters.

"I believe we are living in the "glory days of printing" and create a new one with each beautiful book every day.

Dan Craven
The Stinehour Press

It depends on the definition of Glory Days! If you are referring to the most profitable times for printers it would be different than the times with the most exciting changes to improve the industry.

"The first would probably be the mid-late nineties when printers were making money without performing best practices. It was probably a time when a printer could make money despite themselves.

"However, the most exciting times were when the PC finally started making an impact on the industry and typesetting and prepress services started to merge. New equipment was introduced annually that made last year's miracle machines dull in comparison. Although it also led to migration of the work upstream to customers in some cases, which was troublesome at times, the result 10-15 years later is a more efficient and economical process, allowing more people to utilize quality print than ever before.

"Although my experience only spans the past 25 years, I don't think anything prior to these current times could compare. I can't say how the people of their respective time periods felt about the invention of movable type or the automation of type with lead and linotypes, or even the introduction of photo offset technology. But I do know that these technologies lived together side by side for many more years than the life of a camera after the invention of the imagesetter and platesetter.

"Just my opinion for what its worth (maybe two cents).

Kevin

In some ways the glory days have come (much of what I see that is filmless, plateless, digital printing is inferior to litho), and in some ways glory days are still to come. Some printers provide wonderful quality digital printing even now, some inferior. This will improve.

"I am wary of online printers because their "digital" printing varies so much in quality. I still trust my printers I have a face to face working relationship with (and who have a human being who answers their phone!) whether they print litho and/or digital.

"As technology speeds up the process from concept through delivery of printed work to clients, turn-around expectations also increase, so that the advantage is often lost. "Incubation" time for the creative process is shortened and we all suffer. Remember when Fed Ex was FAST? Now it's usually too slow and I have to upload to ftp sites. Trade journals now want PDF files and accept them without hard copy proofs so that I always sigh with relief when I see the ad printed OK - I felt more secure providing film seps and matchprint proofs I could see.

Lianne Dunn
Lianne Dunn Design & Illustration