Resources & Support

1) Design your project to accomplish your goals within your budget. Designing your projects on a computer gives you many enticing options (color, format, graphics, screens and many more). Unfortunately many of these options impact cost and production time. If you are unsure of the effects of these options speak to us before you submit your files, preferably at the beginning of the design process. Give us a call or stop in when you begin the design process. We will be glad to give you guidance and help you design and produce documents and materials that meet or exceed your expectations. We can also guide you on staying within your budget and deadline. On a practical basis we can help with how to’s, and especially with please don't’s.

2) Use spell and grammar checks on your files before you submit them. We do not recheck customer files for these items, and even if an error is found, correcting it may cause changes as the text and graphics shift to accommodate the correction.

3) On all files submitted please make sure that you have included separate files for all fonts and graphics (photo’s, line art, logos etc.) used in the project. Missing items will cause delays and result in additional time charges from our graphics department. Even if graphics are embedded providing a separate file will enable us to edit or make changes to ensure proper printing.

4) Many design programs including the Microsoft office suite function on a single layer. That means that although you may use many colors in your design they can not be easily or inexpensively separated onto the different printing plates needed for multicolor offset printing. These files look good on your computer screen, however they can be like building the proverbial boat in your basement, you get something that looks great, but you can’t use it.

Please note these files can be digitally output in full color, however in many instances, particularly on long runs, that may significantly increase costs over offset printing.

5) Neither digital output devices or offset presses print off the edge of the paper. If you desire your art work to extend to the edge of the paper “called BLEED” it must be printed on a larger sheet and then cut to the desired size. This process requires the art to be larger than the final cut size, so we can cut through the color. Also remember that bleeds add both cost and time to your projects.

6) Try to use just a few fonts in your files. There may be specific fonts you utilize to emphasize certain headings or text, however too many fonts make a document harder to read, and tend to spread the readers focus, taking away from your key points. Also many elaborate or “fancy” fonts are attractive but difficult to read. These fonts if used at all should be in headers or bold captions, not as part of text groups.

7) Please make sure that your files are high (minimum of 400dpi) resolution. Low resolution items such as web graphics may look good on your screen, or even off your desktop printer, but they often do not print well from our high resolution equipment. Please see our FAQ section for resolution specifications and many other useful suggestions.