August 7th, 2014
Posted in Large-Format Printing | 2 Comments »
I’ve been working with a print brokering client recently to produce a large format print banner stand. When she asked me about specifications for producing the final artwork, I brought her question to the printer who will produce the job. However, I also did some outside reading on the subject. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Large-Format Printing | 2 Comments »
August 4th, 2014
Posted in Large-Format Printing | 4 Comments »
My print brokering client has branched out. She started with business cards and then a brochure. From there she has extended her order to retractable banner stands and table throws, and she may even need custom screen printing for t-shirts. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Large-Format Printing | 4 Comments »
July 31st, 2014
Posted in Business Cards | 4 Comments »
I received a business card to price a few days ago. My print brokering client wanted 500 copies of one version of a two sided card.
I had printed a business card for my client a few years prior, so I asked about the paper stock. I asked whether she had liked the last version of her card, and also whether the inks on this digitally printed card had been sufficiently rub resistant. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Business Cards | 4 Comments »
July 29th, 2014
Posted in Design | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: Open Source Graphic Design Apps
Throughout most of my 36-year career in graphic design, Apple Macintosh has been the gold standard for publication design. I have always been pleased with the software, from PageMaker to Quark to InDesign. But recent changes in pricing structure for Adobe applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign have potentially put these applications out of reach financially for a lot of people. They have gone from a one-time charge per application purchase (or for multiple applications in Creative Suite) to a subscription basis (per month/per year) of approximately $20 per month for one application or $50 per month for the entire design suite. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Design | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: Open Source Graphic Design Apps
July 26th, 2014
Posted in Design | Comments Off on Custom Printing: Two Ways to Emphasize Design Elements
I’ve written a number of PIE Blog articles referencing Design Basics Index, an easy to use print book written for designers by Jim Krause. I find it a useful guide in my own creative work.
One topic that I noticed recently is how to emphasize various design elements on a page, or how to lead the reader’s eye through the design, clarifying which items are more important and which are less. Although this sounds controlling, it actually eases the reader’s anxiety, since he or she will know exactly what to read, in what order, to grasp the meaning of the piece, without needing to think. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Design | Comments Off on Custom Printing: Two Ways to Emphasize Design Elements
July 24th, 2014
Posted in Large-Format Printing | Comments Off on Large Format Printing: See-Through Window Graphics
How do they do that? Have you ever seen a large format print graphic covering an entire bus, including the windows? How do the passengers see out of the bus?
Large format, perforated window media is the answer. This inkjet printing substrate, made of vinyl with small holes across its entire surface, is imaged on one side with inkjet equipment and left blank on the other. When applied across the surface of a bus, including the metal walls of the vehicle and the windows, this provides an awe inspiring view of the graphic image while only lowering visibility a little. It is also a significantly larger image than was previously possible to manufacture or apply to a vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »
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July 22nd, 2014
Posted in Large-Format Printing | Comments Off on Large Format Printing: Fine Art Printing Techniques
In the rush to produce posters, building wraps, brochures, and print books for either promotional or educational purposes, we may forget that one of the main uses for custom printing for centuries has been to reproduce copies of fine art. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Large-Format Printing | Comments Off on Large Format Printing: Fine Art Printing Techniques
July 20th, 2014
Posted in Pocket Folder Printing | Comments Off on Custom Pocket Folders: Multiple Copies on a Single Page
It is unusual for a printer to print only one copy of your brochure, poster, custom pocket folder, or print book signatures on a press sheet when he produces your job via sheetfed offset lithography. This would not be efficient. Nor would it be economical. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Pocket Folder Printing | Comments Off on Custom Pocket Folders: Multiple Copies on a Single Page
July 17th, 2014
Posted in Prepress | Comments Off on Custom Printing: Dot Gain and What to Do About It
About twenty years ago I designed a 6” x 9” 4-color print catalog. I was an art director at a local non-profit organization. I had just received the color proof of the catalog, which was about to be printed via web-offset lithography. I was horrified. Everything was too light: text, images, everything. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Prepress | Comments Off on Custom Printing: Dot Gain and What to Do About It
July 15th, 2014
Posted in Proofing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: What You Can and Can’t Proof?
In this day and age, one would expect to be able to accurately proof anything and everything. You can get an inkjet proof of a banner (perhaps in a smaller size than the final product), and it will be color faithful. You can request digital bluelines of a book that will be offset printed. In fact, you can even get a single copy of a digitally printed book (cover and text) that will be exactly the same as the final copies your printer will deliver. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Proofing | Comments Off on Commercial Printing: What You Can and Can’t Proof?