Michael Edwards
Design, Prepress &
Production Specialist
ABOUT ME
I bridge the gap between creative vision and real-world execution.
Profile
My path into visual communication started when I was a child shooting
photos with my grandfather's Kodak Instamatic X-15. That curiosity led to a three-year Graphic Arts certificate in high school, then associate degrees in Graphic Design and Photography. Over the past two decades I've worked in newsrooms, book publishing, and commercial print, where I've been the last quality check before files reach the press. I'm looking for a role where my attention to detail and understanding of both design and press can help a
team deliver cleaner files and fewer reruns.
CAREER
CCL TUBE
Silkscreen & Offset Production Operator
MAY 2022 - PRESENT
WET PAINT
Graphic Designer
MARCH 2021 - DECEMBER 2021
I coordinate high-precision, multi-SKU printing operations using Isimat TS6 i screen printing and Polytype 8-color offset equipment, configuring tooling to ensure first-pass accuracy and minimal downtime. As the primary quality gate on the production floor, I perform real-time adjustments to maintain strict compliance with customer specifications and GMP standards while keeping audit-ready documentation to support quality assurance reviews.
Managed end-to-end design and production for 15+ weekly clients, creating signage, logos, and promotional layouts using Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. Led consultations to convert daily requests into accurate, screen-print-ready briefs with precise color separations and registration, significantly reducing shop-floor rework.
OFFSET PAPERBACK
Color Prep Operator
JULY 2017 - DECEMBER 2020
SCRANTON TIMES -TRIBUNE
Prepress Operator
MAY 2014 - MAY 2017
Served as the final pre-press quality gate for major publishers like HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette—verifying spine width, bleed, dimensions, and color specs on every cover file. Color-corrected over 200 book cover flats annually to match exact sample standards, reliably catching file errors before production to eliminate costly reprints across long print runs.
Retouched and color-corrected 200+ newsroom photos weekly under strict nightly press deadlines while paginating classified sections and reviewing editorial layouts for style and quality prior to press approval.
OFFICEMAX - IMPRESS
Print Center Associate
JUNE 2009 - MAY 2014
TIMES LEADER
Graphic Artist
JULY 2004 - JULY 2008
Coordinated custom quoting and end-to-end print production for over 50 business accounts, operating high-volume print and binding equipment to consistently deliver high-quality,
on-time projects across diverse formats and substrates.
Produced monthly automotive layouts for 5+ dealerships and weekly ad layouts for 40+ clients using InDesign while meeting strict specs and deadlines. Retouched 200+ newsroom photos weekly and pre-flight proofread pages to ensure error-free press approval.
SKILLS & TOOLS
Quality
Software
Equipment
Prepress & Production
GMP standards
Audit-ready documentation
First-pass accuracy
Real-time press
adjustments
proofreading
Adobe Creative Cloud
Illustrator
Photoshop
InDesign
Affinity Suite
Photo
Publisher
Designer
Adobe Acrobat
Isimat TS6 screen printing press
Polytype 8-color offset press
High- volume digital print
Binding Equipment
DSLR Camera
Alien Bee Studio Strobe Lighting
Cover file verification
(spine, bleed, dimensions, color specs)
Color correction
Photo retouching
Color separations and registration
Pagination
File correction
Press proofing
Large-Format
Education & Training
Vehicle wrap application
(Elite Wrappers training) Artwork preparation
for large-format output
Associate Degree, Photography - Luzerne County Community College
Associate Degree, Graphic Design - Luzerne County Community College
Graphic Arts Certificate (3-year program) - Wilkes-Barre Area Vo-Tech
Vehicle Wrap Production Training - Elite Wrappers
EXPERTISE
I bring 20+ years of production expertise
to every design.
Packaging & Design
Designing for the Press
Hands-on press experience means I know what a
file needs before it hits the plate or screen. I build files around real press conditions, which cuts
errors and reruns.
Color You Can Trust
Two decades of hands-on color work. I calibrate, profile, and proof so color holds across devices, substrates, and print processes.
Design Meets Production
Two associate degrees in graphic design and photography. I understand design intent and can work with creatives as well as production teams.
Two associate degrees in graphic design
and photography, plus packaging experience.
I understand design intent and can work with creatives as well as production teams.
PORTFOLIO
A selection of jobs, taking each idea from concept to final deliverable.
GET IN TOUCH
Hiring for a design
or production role?
Let's talk.
© 2004 - 2026 Michael Edwards