frequently asked questions

How to ask for an estimate?

Simply go to Contacts page – fill in your name, email and or phone number. We can quickly give you a call if you don’t want to add any more details. Otherwise advise the quantity, number of printed pages and size of printing job. If you know the paper / card stock, list that. We will come back to you with quote or suggestions on most cost effective methods to produce your order.

What resolution should graphics (pictures) be saved?

300 dpi in CMYK mode.
Images saved in RGB mode must be converted to CMYK to make sure you’re happy with the colour shift (which is often noticeable).

What is ’specialty print’?

It’s the process of applying other finishes to cards or brochures that have already been printed in normal inks. e.g. gold or silver foil (and many other colours), embellishments such as UV varnish, diecutting, embossing or debossing. There are many names for ’specialty print’ such as ’luxe’, ’sophisticated’, ’high-end’, ’premium’.

Artwork needs to be supplied with extra layers separate from the cmyk portion of art. We can advise you when requesting a quotation.

Why is 2 colour printing more expensive than 4 colour printing?

2 colour is usually made up with ’special’ inks or Pantone Matching System inks. The press has to be emptied of ink then replenished with your special colour. As your job is ’custom’, the cost of production can’t be shared with anyone else.4 colour process printing is often carried out as ’gang run’ to enable clients to get the benefit of paying only a portion of set-up costs.

There are limitations to size and stock but we can advise you on choices.

Is ’white’ an ink colour?

Yes, however it has limited use. Mainly in label printing and some wide format applications. It’s not available (in most cases) for litho printed brochures and cards.

What is a Press Ready PDF?

It is the final file used to print the job. If your file has colour to the edges, the Press Ready PDF must have 3mm bleed (colour that goes over the trim edge) plus the trim marks so our guillotine operator trims the job perfectly. All images and colours within the Press Ready PDF must be in CMYK.

Will RGB images print properly?

Maybe. Modern prepress systems automatically convert RGB to CMYK. We advise that the designer convert this because there is a noticeable shift in colour on screen giving the designer the opportunity to tweak the colour.

The same is true for PMS inks – they should be converted to CMYK to avoid automatic conversions where colour may shift in a way that could warrant a reprint at client’s cost.

Can I rely on my screen for colour matching with final printed product?

No, but it’s a reasonable guess. The screen shows colour with a light source (refractive). Printed material – usually paper or card is reflective. One rule of thumb is that everything looks brighter on your screen than will print on paper. If your blues and greens look pretty on the screen, they will look much duller on paper. This is especially true of files created on nonindustry standard print publishing programs like Word, Powerpoint and Publisher. Recommended programs are Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, QuarkXpress etc.

Why does my screen show blue, but prints purple?

It’s a flaw with the way most screens display blue. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that your blue colour has a far higher percentage of cyan compared with magenta. e.g. C 100, M 65. If you have similar values of Cyan and Magenta, e.g. C 85, M 78, you will get purple (even though the screen shows blue).

Remember your primary colours at school, red – blue – yellow. Mix red and blue in equal proportions you get purple.

Do you supply hard copy proofs?

Yes on special request. Virtually all jobs – with the exception of complex or very expensive jobs, are proofed electronically, then emailed to you as PDF for approval. Hard copy digital proofs are available on request when price will be advised.

How long will my job take?

Most conventional (cmyk) jobs take 2-5 business days. Specialty print takes approximately 5 days longer.

How can I upload my files if they are too large for emailing?

We will email you our dropbox link for easy transfer.

Do you organise mailing and distribution?

Yes. Using your data file, we will organise lowest price from Australia Post. We can personalise envelopes or fly sheets (cover sheets that go over magazines). Plastic wrap is popular for magazines.

One or more printed items can be mailed at the same time saving cost. All options are given in our personalised quotation.

Do you provide graphic design and artwork services?

Yes – for anything from a business card right through to catalogues containing hundreds of pages. Just email or call and we can quickly go over options.

Do you provide fulfilment services?

Yes. If you have multiple items that need to be shipped together, we can assemble, pack and freight anywhere in the world. Hand work such as folding, gluing, threading etc is also available on request.