What is soft proofing?
What is soft proofing?
I have been doing demos of ProofHQ over the last few weeks and quite a few people have asked me to explain what soft proofing actually is. Good question. Here’s my definition.
Soft proofing is a catch-all phrase for proofing files on your monitor rather than using a good old-fashioned paper proof. There are broadly two types of soft proofing:
- Content and layout proofing
- Contract proofing
Content and layout proofing is used for a wide variety of media, whereas contract proofing tends to be for print only.
Content and layout proofing
Content and layout proofing does what it says on the tin. Is the content correct? Are there any typos? How does the layout look? Have the correct images been used? Is everything on-brand? And so on.
Content proofing is (or should be) used by agencies of all types, marketing departments, designers, web site developers, in fact anyone who produces a graphical image or text for approval by someone else.
Tools for this type of soft proofing include:
- PDF files sent via e-mail
- FTP sites for upload and download of larger files
- Desk based proofing software
- Web based proofing systems (ProofHQ falls in this category and we think it’s the only way to go, but that’s not the point of this post!)
Content and layout proofing takes place earlier in the design and production cycle. It should be highly collaborative, so that the creator works closely with reviewers to make sure that the brief has been met.
Content and layout proofing often requires a large amount of project management to make sure that reviewers have received their proofs, that they respond on time and that their comments are acted on. Version control also becomes important to ensure that changes are tracked through the various iterations of a piece of work.
Contract proofing
The second type of soft proofing is contract proofing. This uses more complex color-management systems that try and replicate the exactness of hard-copy proofs on the monitor. Contract proofs are called that because from a legal perspective, an approved proof is a binding contract. By signing a contract proof printers and customers are agreeing that they accept the quality of the reproduction on the specified paper using the specified ink. They are saying that a print run will be acceptable if it matches the quality of the contract proof.
Common features of both types of soft proofing
Common features of both types of soft proofing include:
- Viewing a proof it for content and colour
- Letting several people view the proof simultaneously or consecutively
- Marking up a proof to show changes
- Viewing old versions and new versions together
- Providing electronic sign-off
- Archiving the proof for later viewing.