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Printing Tips

1. Contact Us First
   If you're starting a job you know will need to be printed, it's a good idea to contact us before you even begin to design the artwork. We can help you make the best decisions on formatting, typestyles, colors and paper to fit your needs and budget. If you're not sure what you're in for ahead of time we can help you by providing samples or consultations which can save you time and money in the long run on costly redesigns or unexpected surprises. We can help prevent this by working to find creative solutions to your specific requirements.
2. Design Carefully and Follow Submission Guidelines
   Artwork needs to be Camera-Ready before it can be printed. A digital art file on disk is not necessarily camera-ready, so make sure when you're making your initial contact with us to ask what we need before we can print from your art. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that everything is included, such as fonts, graphics and type specifications. And you can always use our file submission page to send your work, which requires you to check off each requirement as a reminder before your work can be sent.
3. Make Use of Clip Art
   Photograph printing can yield unpredictable results depending on the quality of the source photo, and in the case of digital art the digitizing process can drastically alter a photo's ability to be properly reproduced. Clip art or library illustrations are abundant, cheap and print consistently so you can be assured of good quality.
4. Avoid Using Bleeds
   Bleeds can be very attractive to the eye, but hard on a budget. Designing a bleed can raise printing costs by requiring different papers and increasing production time requirements. Make sure if you're using a bleed it is strictly required and you allow room in your time schedule and budget to accommodate it.
5. Don't Underestimate Black and White Printing
   Many people overlook black and white printing as an option because they feel they can't achieve professional or elegant results without color. Nothing could be further from the truth! Many designs can be strikingly attractive when printed in high quality black and white, especially invitations for formal events (there's a reason formal wear is often black and white).
6. Consider Screens
   Additional colors can raise project costs and increase turnover times. Instead of a second or third color, applying a screen to just one or two colors can make your work look as though it had several more colors. As an example, a one-color flyer with a royal blue could have a title screened back to make it closer to a sky blue. Effects with this technique can be dramatic, but there are instances where screening can lead to illegible pieces. Typically bolder types take screening better, but be sure to contact us if you'd like to take advantage of screens.
7. Use Pre-Printed Shells
   Many jobs can benefit from creating shells. For example, a two-color letterhead could use a master to print a logo and address in one color. The press operator can then go back and imprint selected information such as names and phone numbers in another color. Shells may or may not save money, depending on the job size, but they can definitely help with hundreds of copies of business cards or letterheads. Shells are also useful when designing a base for companies using similar letterheads for multiple locations or employees.
8. Remember Postage Breaks
   Before you design your art, consider the method of delivery, and call us if you want help determining the best way to distribute through the mail. Self-mailers (pieces that don't require envelopes) require certain tabbing for ideal cost-effectiveness. Most of the requirements are related to machinability and readability, and you can get a complete listing of these from your local post office. Ask for the Direct Mail Manual.
9. Group Jobs and Order in Quantity
   Many companies order envelopes, business cards and letterheads using the same colors, paper types and similar artwork. But often these jobs are ordered separately or in small quantities. Printing similar jobs together saves money on ink washes. Likewise, press operators usually suggest printing more copies less often rather than the other way around. The reason is that printing has fixed costs, such as press wear, operator time, and ink changes. It's trivial to run a few hundred extra copies while the press is still set, but ordering again means resetting the press and charging for the setup again. Smart grouping and quantity printing can save money in the long run.