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Monthly Archives: February 2015

4 ways you can use print giveaways to enhance your branding

  The table was set-up a mere 20 feet away, and I could feel a rush of excitement as my eyes greedily scanned the spread: water bottles, sling backpacks, stickers, planners, brochures and the ever coveted volunteer tee shirt. I wanted it all!! My daughter has been participating with Girls on the Run, a local nonprofit, for three years now and each time I ‘run’ the 5K with her; I get excited about the registration giveaways. They usually consist of the above mentioned swag in addition to granola bars, healthy sports drinks and various other mom approved snacks. And, don’t forget the tee shirt, which I wear proudly all of the time. And, from time to time, while out and about, I will run into other moms or teachers who recognize the logo and instant conversation and bonding occurs as we chat about that year it rained and sleeted for…

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Vector Vs Raster

Which file format is best high resolution printing?

When choosing which file format to save your graphics in, you have many options such as tiff, .eps, jpeg, gif and so on. But, not all file formats are created equally, and it is best to know which ones translate best to print. From a design standpoint what makes these file options really stand apart from each other are the programs that they are created and edited in, in addition to how your computer reads the file. For example, .eps files are created in illustrator programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Coreldraw; whereas, bitmaps are created in Adobe Photoshop and Corel Photo Paint. Paint Programs- Adobe Photoshop and Corel Photo Take for instance, bitmap formats like jpeg, gif, and tif. These file formats, or rasters, compose the image from a collection of pixels. Consequently, when printing these file formats in high resolution, you need to have at least 300 dpi…

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How to Choose: Foam Core, Gator Board, or PVC Signs

Sometimes choosing what to have your super cool event design or logo printed on can be challenging. And often times you’ll need to juggle cost, durability, print style and practicality of use. Making these decisions can be overwhelming and more stressful than they need to be if you don’t have a firm grasp on what the differences in materials are. Here is a little bit on the differences between Foam Core, Gator Board and PVC signs to help you make a more knowledgeable decision next time. Foam Core Foam core is the least expensive of the three and is therefore the least durable. Foam core can be used as backing for art projects and photographs. In printing, images are printed on vinyl then adhered to the outer board with a spray adhesive. The drawback is that foam core absorbs moisture; as a result, it can warp easily and is best stored flat…

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Why Self Cover Booklets Cost Less

Why Self Cover Booklets Cost Less

When clients are looking to have a saddle stitch booklet printed, we offer the choices of having a self cover or a normal cover. Normally, a booklet will have different weights between the cover and the interior pages (referred to as the “text” pages). Another option is to have the same weight for all of the pages; this is referred to as a “self cover” booklet. Self cover booklets are a more cost effective way for you to produce your project for a few different reasons. Saddle-Stitch Booklets In order to understand the cost of bindery, it’s important to have an understanding of how a saddle stitch booklet is created. For a booklet with the final size of 8.5” x 11” size (the size of a standard sheet of paper), we’ll print four pages on a larger sheet (typically 12”x18” or 11”x17”). We’ll then staple (also known as stitch) those…

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Postcard Illustration

How to Make Sure your Postcard Mails

Postcard and flats (larger than 4x6, but still only one sheet) are the most common mailing we work with, and what can seem to be a pretty simple thing to design, can be more complicated than you’d expect. The Post Office used machinery to scan and sort mail. Here’s a link if you’d like to see a better idea of this process: (via)  It’s ideal for postcards to be laid out in a way that works in harmony with mailing technology. Planning your design in a way that makes it easier for the Post Office machinery and regulations will help your mailing get to its destination without an issue. Here are a 5 quick tips to help you design your postcard or flat effectively. 1. Leave Space for the Barcode During the mailing process, the Post Office prints a barcode 5/8ths of an inch from the bottom of each piece.…

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