Teacher's Update | In the Trenches

Today was our "field trip" day! While one group went to Ditto Document Solutions, the other toured Brady Communications, a Marketing Communications firm.

Leah Osley, Brand Strategy Diretor, took excellent care of us.

Their awards.....

This clever self promo piece and snazzy note pad were waiting on us in the "board room"

Marilyn made signs directed you to the ladies room!

A few more awards!

The "work" room

Photo prop storage

Designer and Art Director giving us a demo of the iPad Wine and Dinner menu application they developed for a cruise line


The client specifically requested photos of food NOT be used so within 4 days they had to develop these clever icons to accompany the food selections.

Art Director's work space.....oozes creativity, don't you think!

This chart is an example of their work flow. It helps keeps the team on task for each of their many clients.

Production team giving an explanation of the latest Boy Scouts of America annual report. He was discussing how they used a recycled, uncoated sheet, and had to maintain close contact with the printer and watch the ink density to make sure the art work held it's nice black areas.

They have 7 designers on staff and 5 print production people. They like to have their files as close to perfect when they are sent off to print. Don't we all!

One production artist's super hero collection

We also got to chat with the primary photographer/designer for Del Monte

Artwork collage in the entry way

Nice photographic display advertising "on the way"

PIA book store

Along the hall of PIA and even in the restrooms there are award winning print industries framed



This just might be my single most favorite person at PIA....Kathy. She has organized the most amazing meals for us. We have been eating quiche, sandwich wraps, breaded pork chops, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, Caesar salad, and peach cobbler, and chocolate cupcakes… just to name a few! Thanks for the extra pounds, Kathy!

Tom came through for us! Yesterday while demonstrating the folder, he told us he would trim some of the pamphlets we were test folding. They are basic printing information pamphlets, perfect for our classrooms. He not only trimmed them, he packaged and wrapped them for us!


Chibaud and Dr. Mark, although Mark claims he is not a "geek" he is leaps and bounds beyond the rest of us when it comes to his knowledge of the "science" of printing. He also knows everything there is to know about JDF's.

Bill should be on staff at PIA. He's part of our class, but has served as a personal tour guide for the hotel group. Each night we've met in the lobby and said "Ok, Bill, where we going tonight?" He is very familiar with Pittsburgh, and has not failed us yet! Bill is from Ohio and is a hardcore rollerblader.

We got so many great things to take home from PIA, I had to make a pit stop at Fed Ex to ship a few things home. I snapped this lion on my walk back to the hotel.