True Colours : Colour profiles keep it real from screen to press, by Bob Atkinson © Published in the August 2004 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

Look Like A Hero : The Art Directors’ Guide to Magazine Print Production. A special 84-page booklet published by Masthead and Magazines Canada, featuring real ink-on-paper examples, how-to information and tips for designers and production managers. (Outside link)

Pixel Perfect : Mid-range cameras for print-shop use, by Bob Atkinson ©. Good overview for publishers who need a digital camera for general-purpose work for art and production departments. Published in the December 2004 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

The Next Move : How to upgrade to Mac’s OS X system, by Bob Atkinson ©. Published in the February 2004 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

PrintCan : Canada’s graphic arts web centre. Offers breaking news about the printing industry and many printing industry resources. (Outside link)

Understanding PDF/X : Imagine files without guesswork or damage control, by Bob Atkinson ©. In-depth look at the file format adopted for digital transmission of advertising materials. Published in the June 2004 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

Troubleshooting your file problems : Stop being frustrated with corrupt files. Tame them with these preflighting solutions. A how-to on Adobe Acrobat, Enfocus Pitstop and Markzware FlightCheck. Article by Bob Atkinson (c). Published in the August 2005 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

Customized Covers : What you need to know about variable data printing for producing customized text, images and graphics to “personalize” your covers. (Masthead article, pdf)

Finishing options that “wow” : This feature articles spells out all the ways you can use modern print finishing techniques to add “wow” to your covers, media kits and other print products. Examines such things as UV glitter techniques, foil stamping, coatings and laminations, embossing and die-cutting. (Graphic Monthly Canada Feature, pdf)

FSC Certified Printing : A growing number of printers are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (www.fsccanada.org) for printing on paper from environmentally managed forests. This article, from Masthead’s sister publication Graphic Monthly (www.graphicmonthly.ca), explains the FSC process and includes useful statistics and resources. Among the FSC-certified publication printers in Canada are Dollco Printing, Quebecor World, St. Joseph Print, Transcontinental Printing, Warren’s Imaging and Web Offset Publications. As of Nov. 2005 there were 40 FSC printers in Canada. By Kate Calder. (Feature, PDF)

Let's make a printing deal : Try these tips from the pros before signing your next publication printing contract. By Vince DeFranco (c). First published in the June 2005 issue of Masthead. (Masthead Feature, pdf)

Secrets to soft-proofing : Does your monitor need a makeover? These simple colour management and soft-proofing pointers will cost you next to nothing. (Design Edge Canada article by Bob Atkinson, pdf)

Great Proofs on a Budget : Your best bets in a digital market, by Bob Atkinson (c). Published in the October 2004 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

It’s in the proof : Faster, better, cheaper. A look at the latest inkjet proofers: The role of digital proofing devices has become critical. Here’s a look at the best of the 2005 inkjet proofers from the top three manufacturers, Canon, Epson and HP. By Bob Atkinson(c). Published in the October 2005 issue of Graphic Monthly. (Feature, pdf)

Design by collaboration : Many publishers operate with virtual offices: art director in one office, editor in another, publisher somewhere else, and then of course advertising clients. This article reviews groupware software that allows teams in different locations to collaborate on design projects. (Design Edge Canada column by Bob Atkinson, pdf.)

Adobe CS3 Reviewed : Creative Suite 3 has been hailed as the largest software release in Adobe’s 25-year history. Design Edge Canada columnist Bob Atkinson asks whether CS3 is an evolution or a revolution, and examines how its new features in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Dreamweaver will improve the workday of print and web designers. (Design Edge Canada article, pdf)

Go with the [work] flow : If you have six or more design and/or production staff members, you may be a candidate for a production workflow system to streamline your production-to-print systems. In this article, Design Edge Canada columnist Bob Atkinson reviews several systems and how they work. (Design Edge Canada feature, published by permission, pdf)

Production Trends Survey 2006 : Results from our exclusive Magazine Production Trends Survey, measuring trends in publishing software, hardware, file formats, colour proofing, digital photography and other print production areas. Learn about industry standards and compare with 2003 results. Published in Masthead, January/February 2006. (Masthead Feature, pdf)

Production Survey 2003 : Results from our exclusive Production Survey, measuring trends in publishing software, hardware, file formats, colour proofing, digital photography and other print production areas. Published in Masthead, November/December 2003. (Masthead Feature, pdf)

Best practices for type on the web : Publish better-looking and more accessible web sites by following these specialized typographic tips. (Design Edge Canada article, pdf)