A group of graphics students from Hornsby TAFE were treated to a tour of Chatswood printer Clark Murphy Print (CMP) this week, organised by print evangelist James Cryer and TAFE’s Jenny Young. Story by James Cryer.
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| Benn Murphy of Clarke Murphy Print addresses the Hornsby TAFE student group |
The group of graphic design students from Sydney's Hornsby TAFE college were introduced to the wonders of print as they were taken on a guided tour of an Aladdin's cave of delights at busy commercial printer Clarke Murphy Print, of Chatswood.
What made the visit so entertaining and informative was the ‘Sorcerer's Apprentice’ himself - CEO Benn Murphy - who personally conducted the tour. Leaping about and gesticulating with the athleticism of an Olympic gymnast, he waxed lyrical about such matters as how to make a pre-press file print-ready.
Benn led the group from pre-press to the offset pressroom to the digital area - where he miraculously produced a sheet from the HP Indigo, printed from a file he'd ‘borrowed’ from an unsuspecting student only moments before. Their looks of astonishment were priceless as the point was dramatically brought home that today's print world is all about ‘need it now.’
From there, the magical mystery tour continued through various other departments: bindery - finishing - die-cutting - wide-format printing - laser-cutting - until the students, together with TAFE teacher Jenny Young, were returned safe and sound to the office from which point we'd started an hour or so earlier.
Benn's approach de-mystified print and his passion was infectious as the students came away with a much deeper understanding of the exciting world of print, and where good design and file management comes into it.
The purpose of this tour, apart from being for the students, was to debunk three myths:
1) that print is dying
2) that print is boring
2) that print is only about ‘ink on paper.’
It was stressed that the more a graphic designer knows about the various print processes the more empowering that makes him or her.
Cryer explained that the broader print industry is really three mega-sectors: commercial, packaging/labels and signage/display - each offering its own unique career opportunities.
Profuse thanks go to Benn for his wonderful passion and explanatory powers, and he also made the point that his company, CMP, is a family-principled practical think-lab of the industry in that they have offset, digital, wide-format and POS all under the one roof - making it an ideal venue for such visits.
Note: Students - and others - are invited to view JDA's unique "What the Print Industry Looks Like'' on our website - www.jdaprintrecruit.com.au - available for use as a teaching aid to help explain the many sectors that go to make up our industry - but which most students may not be aware of.
