Written by Jake Dahill, Class of 2020
The COLOR20 Conference in San Diego provided insight into the new ways the printing and visual communications industry is implementing color management and reproduction into our everyday lives. This may sound hard to believe when you commonly hear that “print is dying”, but in reality it is just evolving and situating itself within an ever-diversifying array of communications channels. Even as our society transitions from more traditional means of communication via print media to more modern digital outlets such as online forums, personal websites, the need to control color accuracy within these production processes is a moving target—one which necessitates understanding of color theory and practical application.
In between keynotes, networking sessions, and vendor product showcases, the COLOR20 conference program featured three main tracks of educational sessions: print and production, brand and design; and standards, research, and case studies. Event organizers, Printing Industries of America (PIA), and Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) did well to bring together an all-star cast of technically-minded color experts and product specialists to deliver a vital update to the state of the art in color control and management techniques and trends.
Thankfully with the large number of sessions, the conference ran for three days during which students and faculty were able to hit a little bit of everything. This allowed for an appreciation and understanding of how research and case studies lead to the foundation of what constitutes printing and production standards. It also allowed for an insight into how to leverage these standards to help better understand how a responsible graphic designer should be designing. A deep understanding of these process variables, requirements, and limitations ultimately helps eliminate mistakes before they even happen and saves time and money.
This was a totally worthwhile event, but it isn’t the only opportunity like this that’s out there available to Clemson students. Every year the Graphic Communications department sends students all over the U.S. to locations like San Diego (COLOR20), Dallas (Printing United), Chicago (Print19), Los Angeles (AdobeMAX), and more. Students should remember to talk to their professors and figure out what all is available out in the conference circuit. Maybe one day you, the student, might find yourself with that “golden ticket” to take you where you want to go.
