Old mentor at a print shop showed me something I still use

Back when I was 19, I worked at a tiny print shop in Portland for like 8 months. There was this older guy named Dave who ran the big commercial printer. One day I was messing up a client's booklet layout, and he just walked over and said "stop trying to guess where the fold goes, measure from the spine every time." He showed me how to use a simple ruler and a bone folder to test folds before cutting. I still do that trick today when I'm setting up any desk project or planner layout. Has anyone else picked up a weird habit from an old timer that actually works better than the fancy tools?

2 comments

2 Comments

robinl9013d ago

You still use a ruler for that? Honestly old school methods just hit different.

grant56913d ago

and honestly, a ruler just gives you that physical feedback you can't get from a screen. like when you're drawing or measuring something, the weight of the tool and the sound of the pencil on the edge is part of the process. digital tools are cool but they take away that tactile feel that makes old school methods stick with you. plus, you don't have to worry about batteries dying or software glitches in the middle of a project. i've been using the same wooden ruler for like 15 years and it still works perfect. there's just something satisfying about using something that simple and reliable.