Welcome to Under The Cone

Trust your flows, but remember, the strongest workflows are ones with contingency plans built in. Switch flows that only work when everything goes perfectly aren't production-ready. Real workflows account for the inevitable problems like files that don't match expected specifications, network hiccups that interrupt processing, missing fonts or profiles, and other edge cases nobody anticipated […]

The recent release of Fiery XF 9 caught our attention, not because of flashy marketing, but because of genuine performance improvements for wide format operations. Some of the key upgrades worth knowing about are the massive speed improvements in processing and RIP performance, enhanced color accuracy tools built specifically for large format challenges, and better […]

2026 is the year of warm, earthy tones, and that's a technical challenge. 🍂 Design trends are shifting back to warmth. Pantone and color trendsetters are highlighting nature-inspired palettes like warm mahogany depths and smoky jade greens like Behr's Hidden Gem. The aesthetic blends Scandinavian minimalism with Japanese earth tones, which are beautiful in design […]

Get out your crystal ball, because this year we’re moving from "fix it" to "predict it" 🔮  Industry data from early 2026 shows a significant shift: Virtual Service Visits and remote diagnostics now resolve nearly 30% of all printer issues without technician dispatch. This isn't just convenient—it's changing the economics of equipment uptime.  Predictive maintenance […]

We're thrilled to announce the launch of our new storefront, bringing you streamlined access to essential print consumables and supplies. After decades of serving our clients with expertise and quality service, we're making it easier than ever to get what you need, when you need it. Our initial storefront features our carefully curated selection of […]

Roses are red... but which Pantone are we talking about? At Rods and Cones, we don’t just see red, we see a world of precision, CMYK builds, and spot color perfection. This Valentine’s Day, we’re falling in love with our favorite shades of the season, because in the print world, the wrong red can mean […]

We don't often think of the post office and the military in the same breath, but maybe we should. Both are institutions that bind this country together – one through defense, the other through connection. For those of us in the printing industry, the United States Postal Service isn't just a convenience or a vendor […]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnEG5CN_kmo So we're gonna create a new flow and we're gonna have an incoming and an outgoing folder and we want to use the Illustrator element in here so that we can make a PDF from an Illustrator file. We don't have it because I have the new version of Switch and none of the […]

Softproofing is the natural transition from paper proofs to digital proofs. Today, we use a color-managed inkjet printer with a RIP to print contract proofs. The technology is mature and the proofs are close to perfect, not only for color but also in terms of what a specific press can do. Hardproofing is ideal and […]

This is an interesting article Kevin started to write for us at the time of his death in 2019. There’s affection and regret reading this but, as usual, pleased at finding so many interesting facts. I hope you enjoy this piece written by a wonderful friend. A frisson of awe ran down my neck as […]