FAQs
Questions
Services
- Do you offer any design assistance?
- Do you have a standard price sheet?
- How can I get a quote on my project?
- How can I set up an account with you?
- How long will it take to complete my job?
- What kind of quantity should I order to get the lowest price?
Printing
- Can you match any color?
- What is a proof?
- Why do I need to look at a proof if I've already given you my print ready file?
- Do I still need to approve a proof if I bring my work in on disk?
- Do you proof read my files?
- How should I prepare the file for you?
- My image appears fuzzy or I can see the pixels. Will this print okay?
- What is the purpose of outlining a font?
- Should I use CMYK or RGB mode for Photoshop files?
- What is the flat size?
- What is the finished size?
File Preparation
- What is a crop mark?
- What is bleed?
- What is a PMS Pantone (spot) colour?
- What is the difference between Spot and Process Full Colour?
- What difference does coated and uncoated paper make to the ink colour?
- Why is my digital print order different in colour from the previous order?
- Can you Pantone match on a digital order?
Answers
Services
If you can picture it, we can probably help you design it. Our graphic designers can create anything from a simple direct mail piece or newsletter to product brochures. And we’ll continue to assist you during every phase of the project, helping you to select everything from paper stock, ink colors, graphics and fonts to help you create a piece that will make you stand out from your competition.
On simple work, yes, we can approximate what something will cost or provide a price list. However, most of our jobs are customized products requiring and we prefer to provide you with a customized quote. Usually quotes are returned with in 24 to 48 hours.
The best way for you to get a quick, accurate quote from us is to use our on-line quote request application. When we receive your request, we’ll take a look at your specifications and either e-mail or phone you with a quote. Or, if you prefer, you can call us (our phone number is listed on our contact page). We can work with you over the phone, you can stop in to our office, or one of our representatives will come to see you-whatever you prefer.
Download a PDF version of our Credit Application or call our customer service department to obtain a copy.
It really depends on the work involved in completing it. Once we receive the job, discuss the specifics such as whether or not design work is involved and you approve the artwork, we can give you a more accurate completion date. If you required your project or a specific date always be sure to let us know that and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.
We recommend that you simply order what you really need. Because more and more products have shorter life cycles, obsolescence and spoilage can be as much as 30 percent of what you’ve printed, so what may appear to be cost effective in the short run may prove to be costly in the long run. That’s why it’s important to consult with us. So we can learn more about you, your product, its life cycle, and the end user, to recommend more accurate and effective solutions.
Printing
We’ll do the best we can to match the color you need. If you’re using a PMS Pantone spot color, we can absolutely match it. Some things to consider that do affect color match include screen calibration, substrate (what it’s printed on), output device (where it’s been printed from) and the light source.
A proof is a way of ensuring that we have set your type/art accurately and that everything is positioned according to your requirements. Typically, we will produce a proof which will be sent to you online via email or printed on paper which can be viewed in our office. If you have specific colour matches please let us know so we can discuss the best proofing method for you. If you request to proceed with your project without a proof, we are not responsible for finished product that looks different than you expected. (Please remember that your monitor is not calibrated to match our equipment, so colour discrepancies are normal).
print ready file?
We are all human and despite our best intentions humans make errors. Your approval on the final proof is assurance that you have looked over every aspect of our work and approve it as accurate. It benefits everyone if errors are caught in the proofing process rather than after the job is completed and delivered.
It may seem like a proof wouldn't be needed in this case but it really is. Output devices process digital information using a variety of processing languages. Your approval of the proof which we will provide assures that the output device used has correctly interpreted and processed the information you have provided.
Files that are submitted for production are not proof read or touched-up before they are printed.
Please review our notes under File Preparation Information.
The DPI and overall quality of your graphics and source images will directly impact the quality of the final product. Images pulled from websites are not high enough resolution for printing. If you are worried about the quality of your image our prepress department can advise you.
Outlining a font turns it into a vector graphic and eliminates the need to supply fonts along with your files. Once outlined, a font can no longer be typeset.
Please always convert your Photoshop files to CMYK.
Flat size refers to the final cut size of the printed artwork before any additional bindery (ie. folding) has been applied.
Finished size refers to the size of a printed piece after all bindery processes have been applied, such as trimming, die-cutting, folding and binding.
File Preparation
A crop mark is a line printed outside the finished size of a piece that shows where the piece is to be cut to size.
Bleed is a term that refers to printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet after trimming. The image should be extended 1/8” outside of the print area to ensure no white is visible when trimmed. When saving to a pdf file the bleeds and trim marks must be added.
A PMS colour is a colour that is printed in an ink mixed according to the Pantone Matching System, which is a system of mixing colours by weight, using a standardized set of basic ink colours. Pantone colours are used in spot colour printing as opposed to four colour process.
Spot colours are custom mixed colours commonly used in one, two and three colour printing where reproduction of colour photos is not required. Four colour process refers to the process whereby all colours are broken down into four ink colours: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. These four colours combined in various intensities are capable of reproducing colours found in photos and other full colour images.
The same ink colour will appear differently to your eye depending on the type of paper it is printed on. Refer to a pantone swatch book to see how the same ink colour will appear on coated and uncoated paper. Even changing the type of paper will alter the appearance of the colour.
Due to the nature of digital printing, colours may range a shade or two from one project to the next. As well they will never be an exact match to your home printer or what you see on your monitor. Most clients find this to be acceptable, given the value offered by digital printing.
Digital printing equipment does not use PANTONE colours or inks. Although we can often get close, we are not able to offer colour matching.
