September 22nd, 2011
Posted in Brochure Printing, Digital Printing, Large-Format Printing, Poster Printing | 2 Comments »
Not that long ago, when your custom printing supplier delivered your job, you received 500, 1,000, or 10,000 copies that were all the same. This is called “static printing,” since the output is fixed, rather than variable. It has served us well since Gutenberg invented movable type. However, direct mail companies that have sent the same brochure to all prospects have historically received about a three percent return. Only a few prospects have turned into clients. Part of this has been due to the generic nature of the printed direct mail. There was nothing personal to distinguish the printed pieces recipients found in their mailboxes. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Brochure Printing, Digital Printing, Large-Format Printing, Poster Printing | 2 Comments »
September 16th, 2011
Posted in Brochure Printing, Digital Printing, Offset Printing, Printing | Comments Off on Brochure Printing: Is It Digital or Is It Offset?
A custom printing service I work with stepped up today and put quality above profit. Although I was not surprised, I was pleased. I had received samples of a single-page brochure printing job that would be a companion piece for a pocket-folder and step-down card package for a client. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Brochure Printing, Digital Printing, Offset Printing, Printing | Comments Off on Brochure Printing: Is It Digital or Is It Offset?
September 16th, 2011
Posted in Envelope Printing, Paper and finishing, Printing | Comments Off on Envelope Printing: Choose Standard Sizes to Save Money
I found about 75 beautifully printed fold-over cards on good quality cover stock at a discount store this weekend. Unfortunately all the flaps of the custom envelopes had stuck to the envelopes. So I had perfectly good cards and no way to send them to clients. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Envelope Printing, Paper and finishing, Printing | Comments Off on Envelope Printing: Choose Standard Sizes to Save Money
September 7th, 2011
Posted in Book Binding Options, Book Printing, Hardcover Book Printing, Paper and finishing, Printing, Soft Cover Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: Nothing Shows Printing Companies What You Want Better Than a Sample
I met a potential new client at an art opening this weekend. We discussed an upcoming book printing run. She wants to produce a 5” x 5” case-bound book of her photographs. I started thinking about how to approach this new job prior to our upcoming meeting to determine how I might be most helpful. First off, I asked her to start collecting book printing samples that she likes, with formats, sizes, and materials she thinks most closely reflect the nature of her photography. Nothing communicates a client’s goals for a new project like a physical printed sample. Printing companies can understand and reproduce what they can see. If you’re designing a book and are faced with a similar situation, consider these sources for sample books. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Book Binding Options, Book Printing, Hardcover Book Printing, Paper and finishing, Printing, Soft Cover Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: Nothing Shows Printing Companies What You Want Better Than a Sample
September 5th, 2011
Posted in Brochure Printing, Printing | Comments Off on Brochure Printing: Experimenting with Unique Inks
When you’re designing a brochure printing run for your custom printing service to produce (or any other kind of publication, for that matter), one of the first decisions you must make, along with format, size, and paper, is what ink colors you will use. First to mind often are the process colors and PMS colors. But you needn’t stop here. Be creative. Reach beyond the norm. Here are some options. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Brochure Printing, Printing | Comments Off on Brochure Printing: Experimenting with Unique Inks
September 1st, 2011
Posted in Book Printing, Brochure Printing, Paper and finishing, Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing and Brochure Printing: Ask for a Paper Dummy
If you ask him (or her), your paper merchant or custom printing vendor will give you what’s called a “paper dummy” of your job. It is an unprinted version of your project on the exact paper stock you plan to use. It has been folded, bound, and trimmed to the exact dimensions of your custom printing job. It will weigh exactly what an individual copy of your brochure, book, or flyer will weigh. Your business printing service or paper merchant will provide this as a free service. Here are some situations in which you might want to request one. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Book Printing, Brochure Printing, Paper and finishing, Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing and Brochure Printing: Ask for a Paper Dummy
August 27th, 2011
Posted in Book Printing, Negotiations, Paper and finishing, Printing, Soft Cover Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: Working with Your Printer to Correct Problems (Revisited)
I recently wrote a blog entry about a client who had produced a short, saddle-stitched booklet with an uncoated “Sand” (essentially beige) cover stock and white text stock. Things hadn’t gone as well as expected between the book printer and the client. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Book Printing, Negotiations, Paper and finishing, Printing, Soft Cover Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing: Working with Your Printer to Correct Problems (Revisited)
August 25th, 2011
Posted in Large-Format Printing, Paper and finishing, Poster Printing | 1 Comment »
Digital large format printing has taken an increasingly prominent role in the fine arts.
I was both pleased and a bit surprised to see at a recent art league show in Rehoboth, Delaware, just how much of a foothold inkjet printing has taken in the market for fine art prints. It is also becoming accepted as a valid artistic tool by the artists themselves. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Large-Format Printing, Paper and finishing, Poster Printing | 1 Comment »
August 22nd, 2011
Posted in Prepress, Printing, Proofing, Soft Cover Book Printing | 6 Comments »
A client recently contacted me regarding a book printing job, a perfect-bound textbook for high school students. The 312-page book has black-only ink for the text, while the cover is 4-color plus one PMS ink. The online printing company manufacturing this book for my client has recently installed a new virtual proofing system called Rampage Remote. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Prepress, Printing, Proofing, Soft Cover Book Printing | 6 Comments »
August 18th, 2011
Posted in Book Printing, InDesign Software, Prepress, Printing, Soft Cover Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing with Digital Printing Companies: Holding Detail in Highlights and Shadows
A client of mine is preparing a high school textbook for custom printing with an online printing company. The layout is complete, and she has turned her attention to adjusting the cover and text photos. Today she asked for the “dot range” the business printing provider could hold on press. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Book Printing, InDesign Software, Prepress, Printing, Soft Cover Book Printing | Comments Off on Book Printing with Digital Printing Companies: Holding Detail in Highlights and Shadows