Automation in colour printing

The process of printing a colour reproduction from an original colour picture Is a sophisticated operation involving physics, chemistry and engineering, as well as photography, physiology and even psychology. The three main stages In the process - colour separation, plate production and printing - formerly involved considerable manual work or manual intervention, and part of the work was in fact carried out by craftsmen trained and referred to as artists. Modern electronic, photographic and other techniques have brought about changes in the process - changes which have resulted in better control and higher productivity.