The following information is presented for persons who may not be familiar with the printing industry and may come across some of these terms in the process.

Digital Printing
Traditional Offset Printing
Process Colors
Pantone Colors
Line Screen
Coated vs Uncoated Paper
Bleed
Stripping
Crop Marks / Trim Marks
Color Kicker
Thermography
Preferred File Formats

Digital Printing
This refers to when the electronic document is sent directly to the press digitally. In this process your files are sent to another computer acting as a server where the software RIP is located. This RIP software then processes the electronic information and passes it along to the press. At that point the information is etched by lasers unto vinyl plates that are wrapped around the cylinders. There are four cylinders, each represents one of the four process colors used (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) which is the basis for most 4 color printing. The advantages to this is the fact that we skip through the film processing and stripping stages, as well as the metal plates.

Traditional Offset Printing
This is the process by which film is generated from your electronic document. The film is then stripped onto vinyl flats and registered by hand. From this we then burn the image on the film onto metal plates. These plates are then processed and washed to become ready for mounting on the cylinders of a traditional press. This process should be considered when your intentions is to print a 1, 2 or 3 color project. What I mean here is that we would print your file using Pantone colors which you would specify to us in your order.

Process Colors
Process colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) are the 4 colors used. These 4 colors can combine to create virtually an unlimited array of tones and colors. Most of the magazines, brochures and direct mail pieces that you may have seen or received, would more than likely have been printed using this process, especially photographic images. In reality, offset inks are mostly translucent, reflecting off the paper they are printed on.

Pantone Colors
Pantone colors is the industry norm for selecting spot colors to be printed. These colors may come pre-mixed or can be easily mixed using the formulas provided. Pantone colors would normally be used in their purest form when printing 1, 2 or 3 color projects. These inks are also translucent and reflect off the paper they are printed on. However, many times you may select Pantone colors for your project and in the end print your document in the 4 color process. This ofcourse presents another issue, since Pantone colors are meant to print as is in their true form, when printed in the four color process, the color tone may shift, either lighted, brighted, deepen or even become dull. You should be aware of your selection of Pantone colors when printing them using the 4 color process. Pantone colors that are metallics or flourescent cannot be reproduced as 4 color process and must be printed in their purest form.

Line Screen
A line screen refers to the number of lines that encompass a linear inch. These lines are composed of small dots which simulate different value tints. The higher the line screen, the more dots there are and the finer they will appear when printed. All offset printing depends on line screens to reproduced halftones, photographic images and various tints of colors.

Coated vs Uncoated Paper Stock
Coated paper stocks have a finishing on the surface whether high gloss or matte, this coating allows the ink to sit on the surface of the paper. When ink sits on the surface, the colors would appear to be brighter. Coated paper stocks come in different weights, from the 24lb. text weight through the 130lb. cover weight. There are ofcourse much lighter and much heavier papers out there, we mostly print within the range mentioned above.

Uncoated paper stocks also come in the various weights mentioned, but the biggest difference is in the effect on the ink. Uncoated paper stocks will tend to absorb the ink, creating mostly a dull color effect. This is fine if your project requires such. In fact, most company stationary, business cards and memo pads are printed on uncoated stocks. There is nothing wrong with using uncoated paper stocks, just keep in mind that colors will not appear as bright.

Specialty Papers Papers that may be recycled, have a particular grain or texture, or may be tinted can also be used in printing. However, just keep in mind that such paper stocks come at a premium depending on the manufacturer and quality. Also, ink color may not print exactly as the color expected, since most inks used in the offset process are translucent in nature and they will reflect the paper tone and texture.

Bleed
This is not the ancient ritual of blood letting, rather, it refers to when ink prints right to the edge on any side of the project's trim area. The prefered amount of bleed is 1/8" (.125) past the trim area.

Stripping
Don't start gathering your dollar bills yet, rather, this refers to the practice of laying film down and taping it to vinyl flats for the purpose of making metal plates.

Crop Marks / Trim Marks
These are marks that appear on all four corners of the document to indicate where we need to cut or trim the document as they establish the final size of the project. These marks should never meet or intersect each other.

Preferred File Formats
The following formats are the most compatible with our systems.
PDF
PDF files should be saved as high resolution and print ready, including all crop marks and bleeds. Other than 4 color process, files should separate into the desired colors when printing 1, 2 or 3 color projects.

QuarkXpress
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe InDesign

If you have created your documents in any other file format not listed above, please contact us so that we may review your project and advise on proper settings.

Color Kicker
When there is a large solid area of black present in a project that prints in the 4 color process, we recommend that a color kicker is created so that the area will print richer. The formula that we prefer to use is as follows: Cyan 60%, Magenta 40%, Yellow 20% and Black 100% of the ink color.

Thermography
This is the process by which ink is raised on paper stock. The printed job passes under a device which sprays a very light translucent powder onto the paper which adheres to the wet ink. Then it goes unto a conveyer belt which quickly runs the paper under hot coils to bake the coated ink. The intense heat makes the ink rise from the surface giving your project that raised feeling.