Most designers have no idea what happens to their files after hitting "export." Malia Ross works in pre-press, so she sees exactly where things go wrong—and right. This multi-job creative hustler works print production by day and cannabis motion graphics by night, giving her unique insight into both sides of the design process.

What starts as a conversation about surviving multiple job layoffs and company closures quickly evolves into a technical masterclass that most designers never get to see. Malia pulls back the curtain on the pre-press world, revealing why your RGB files make her job harder, how CMYK dots actually stack to create colors, and the intricate dance between designers and print production.

Key Topics Explored:

* The pre-press secrets every designer should know (41:53 - Why designers need to convert to CMYK)

* How offset printing actually works vs. the digital revolution (34:58)

* Surviving creative industry instability and pricing yourself right

* The therapeutic power of gardening when juggling multiple jobs

* Why After Effects became her favorite Adobe program

* The David Austin roses vs "overrated" red roses garden story

Technical Deep Dives:

* Complete pre-press workflow walkthrough (40:00)

* Pantone vs CMYK color matching explained (35:00)

* Dot gain and color stacking demonstration (44:56)

* Digital vs print campaign differences (23:29)

Going Behind the Curtain: This episode reveals the technical magic that happens between "send to print" and finished product. We witness Malia's passionate explanation of color matching, her honest work-life balance admission ("I don't"), and her recent Art Nouveau octopus t-shirt design reveal. The conversation takes delightful detours through mystery tomato thieves and the creative time warp that happens when you're truly immersed in your craft.

Whether you're a designer who's never understood print production or a creative managing multiple income streams, this episode offers insider knowledge you won't find in design school.

Perfect for: Designers wanting to understand print production, creatives juggling multiple jobs, anyone curious about the technical side of graphic design, and those who appreciate honest conversations about creative survival.

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