December 31st, 2014
Posted in Printing | 2 Comments »
Writing the last PIE Blog article about print brokering work got me thinking. Since them I’ve come up with a few more benefits of working with a custom printing broker: the kinds of services I bring to my own commercial printing brokerage work and what I have seen in the work of other brokers. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Printing | 2 Comments »
December 29th, 2014
Posted in Printing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: Why You Might Need a Broker
An active print brokering client of mine recently contacted the printer directly regarding a new job. This was a printer we had been using for a number of recent jobs. The printer contacted me immediately. He said he had made it clear that my client needed to present all new jobs directly through me, her commercial printing broker. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Printing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: Why You Might Need a Broker
December 20th, 2014
Posted in Label Printing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: How CD Labels Are Printed
I just bought a CD at a thrift store, and I was struck by the beautiful artwork printed on the face of the disk. So I wondered how it had been printed. Then I pulled out a number of my CDs and noticed that some were printed differently from others. Unsure of what the options were, I went online and did some research. This is what I found. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Label Printing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: How CD Labels Are Printed
December 16th, 2014
Posted in Industrial Printing | Comments Off on Custom Printing: That’s Weird. How Do They Do That?
Have you ever picked up a mug or a golf ball with a particularly interesting graphic and wondered how the manufacturer could possibly have printed it? After all, if most presses print flat images on flat substrates, just how can a graphic be printed on an irregular surface? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Industrial Printing | Comments Off on Custom Printing: That’s Weird. How Do They Do That?
December 12th, 2014
Posted in Digital Printing | Comments Off on Custom Printing: Vetting Digital Print Samples
A print brokering client of mine wants to produce about 100 copies each of almost twenty color print books. I have mentioned this in past blogs, and I have noted that due to the variable-data nature of the job (different books with different colors), digital printing is the best way to approach the job. If you can envision a PMS swatch book, you’ve got a mental image of this product. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Digital Printing | Comments Off on Custom Printing: Vetting Digital Print Samples
December 9th, 2014
Posted in Printing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: A Flexography Primer for Labels
I’ve been excited about label printing recently, reading whatever I can get my hands on and looking closely at samples of products at home and in the grocery store. Label printing is a growing field, and I find this thrilling, since many other printing arenas are in decline. One thing that intrigues me the most is the use of digital custom printing in this venue, as well as the relatively new shrink sleeve package printing technology. In a digital world, it’s encouraging to find an area of commercial printing that’s growing and spurring technological advances. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Printing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: A Flexography Primer for Labels
December 6th, 2014
Posted in Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: Notes on Creating a Book Cover Art File
A print brokering client of mine recently had to upload to the book printer’s website two separate revised book cover art files (a total of three covers for each of two titles). This was to make sure all design elements had been placed properly, such that when printed and folded, everything would fall correctly on the front and back covers, the spine, and the two cover flaps (the print book has French Flaps). Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: Notes on Creating a Book Cover Art File
December 3rd, 2014
Posted in Industrial Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: How to Approach a Functional Print Job
I always prefer to work with people who are more knowledgeable than I in their particular field. I consider these to be my gurus, and in the field of custom printing I have a number of resources for whom I am grateful. They have been a huge help in the following job. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Industrial Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: How to Approach a Functional Print Job
November 27th, 2014
Posted in Catalog Printing | Comments Off on Catalog Printing: A Spectacular Clothing Magazine
I was out shopping in the mall yesterday with my fiancee. In one of the clothing stores I came upon a catalog. I was surprised and pleased with the quality of the printed piece. First and foremost, I was pleased to see print collateral in a digital age. I strongly believe in the efficacy of multichannel marketing. After all, something has to drive people to websites. I could see that in this clothing store there were catalogs to help visitors take with them a bit of the shopping experience, as a stepping off point to the Internet, to another visit to the mall, or as an introduction to the clothing brand. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Catalog Printing | Comments Off on Catalog Printing: A Spectacular Clothing Magazine
November 23rd, 2014
Posted in Office Printing | 2 Comments »
A close friend and associate sent me an article recently about Xerox’s work in minimizing needless printing. I had been so focused on commercial printing (offset lithography, digital printing, package printing, large-format printing, screen printing, and fabric printing) that I had missed the obvious. Office printing—all the printed materials produced across the world on office laser and inkjet equipment–is custom printing, too. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Office Printing | 2 Comments »