I want to include my photograph on my business card. How can I get the best result?

Begin by remembering that the size of the photograph, when printed on the business card, will be thumbnail size in order to fit pleasingly on the business card. A standard business card measures 2 x 3.5 inches, and by convention there is a 1/8th inch "border" of white space on all four sides. This means the live area of the card is 1 3/4 x 3 1/4 inches so the maximum height of the photograph is 1 3/4 inches.

For best results, give us a photograph that is as close to the final size as possible. If submitting the photograph as a digital file, use 300 dpi resolution, again in a size as close to the final size as possible. Acceptable file formats are Encapsulated Postcript (eps); Tagged Image File Format(.tif) or JPEG (.jpeg) if the resolution is high enough.

For a Multi page document such as a booklet or newsletter made up of more that two press sheets, you will need to adjust the outer margins on each page to account for shingling or page creep. To illustrate page creep, fold 10 sheets of paper in half. Gather them into a booklet and examine the booklet's outer, right hand edge. Notice that the pages are uneven (shingled). This is the result of page creep.

To make the booklet edges even, we trim off the excess as the final step in booklet making. If you have not adjusted the margins of your pages to account for this final trim, the outside margins on each page will vary and we may even trim away part of the copy.

Adjust for page creep by gradually increasing the outside margin of each page as signatures move toward the middle of the book.

When creating a brochure or booklet that will be folded and assembled after printing, it is use full to make a folding dummy to assist in correctly positioning individual pages on the panels. Here is how it's done;

1. Using a sheet of paper the same size and basis weight of the printed piece, fold the paper exactly as the brochure or booklet will be folded.

2. Number each page of the brochure or booklet, or write a short description of the page (i.e. front cover, inside front cover,etc.). Also note the top and bottom of the page.

3. Unfold the sheet of paper and notice where each page fits on its panel as well as how the page is oriented.

4. Use the folding dummy as a guide when you are creating the page layout.

If the printed piece is a booklet sufficiently long to require more that one sheet of paper, then the folding dummy, when flattened out will also serve as the imposition guide. It will show precisely where each page must be oriented.

The Term for this type of layout is a printer spread. If you submit your document to us laid out in reader spread, we will need to rearrange the pages into a printer spread prior to printing.

I was in your shop today to sign off on a color check for my brochure. Why do I need to wait two more days for the job to be complete?
One of the inviolate rules of bindery is not to handle wet press sheets. After your brochure was printed, we put it on a drying rack to allow the ink to dry thoroughly. The next day we were able to cut down the press sheets, fold and trim without risking the ink smearing or cracking. Then your brochures were packaged and considered ready for delivery, either via our courier or by having you come in to pick up the job.
Our policy is to have jobs completely finished, packaged, ready for presentation to you on the agreed-upon due date. That's why we needed two days after press to deliver your job---one day to complete bindery work and the second day to have your job ready for you when we open at 8:30AM.
Here at B.C. Printing we perform some bindery functions in-house; we also use the services of a trade bindery when we lack the proper equipment or if the job quantity makes it too time consuming to do here. In this case we may need even more time for bindery--we will factor that in when we commit to a delivery date. Call me at 303-320-4855 or email me at dan@bcprintinginc.com.

What is Bleed and how does it affect my printing costs?

A bleed is any printed element on the page that extends beyond the edge of the sheet. A full bleed means that printed elements extend beyond all four edges of the sheet.

Even though it looks like we have printed to the edge of the sheet, we actually have trimmed away the paper and an extra one-eigth of the image so it looks like we printed to the edge of the sheet. This process is called trimming to the bleed.

To include a bleed in the design, the image must be extended by one-eighth of an inch (0.125) past the trim line, and the press sheet must be larger than the finished size of the printed piece. Depending on the finished size of the piece, this may mean we get fewer finished pieces out of a standard press sheet. If you would like to include a bleed as a design element, let us know and we will advise you. Call me at 303-320-4855 or email me at dan@bcprintinginc.com

Just as with offset printing, the selection of paper for digital printing is crucial to the success of the project. Because of technical factors, the range of papers that can be used for digital printing is more limited than that for offset. Our equipment manufacturer has provided us with a list of recommended papers, and we'll offer these to you as a starting point. Here are some tips for selecting papers for digital printing;

1. Papers with a smooth finish and good formation (an even distribution of fibers) provide the best results in digital equipment. Bright white paper contrasts with toner, making colors look more brilliant.

2. Toner does not adhere well to uneven paper surfaces, so heavily textured or embossed papers are not recommended.

3. The paper's basis weight should fit within the equipment's specifications. Our machines must run stock no heavier than 110# cover. We are happy to show you samples.

4. We recommend using a paper with higher opacity and sufficient weight when printing on both sides of the page.

As always, we will assist you in selecting a stock that is within the specifications for our equipment and will produce an outstanding result for your project. Call me at 303-320-4855 or your can email me at dan@bcprintinginc.com if you have questions.

One way to get the benefits of both offset and digital printing is to use them in combination. A common application is business card shells printed on the offset press and imprints with personalized information done digitally. When combining offset and digital, here are a few things to keep in mind;
1. Select paper that works well for digital printing. Some coated stocks and stocks over a certain thickness may not feed well through the digital printer. Ask for recommendations.
2. Toner does not adhere well to heavy ink coverage, so have the digital image printe directly onto the paper. If you must overprint digitally, use a halftone screne to achieve the desired color.
3. For marketing material and brochures, the sheet we use for digital print needs to be 8.5x11, or 11x17 for best results.
For specific information about what works well in our digital printing equipment call me at 303-320-4855, or email me at dan@bcprintinginc.com