Guides
Guides for
Guides for
buying print.
Twelve short guides to the parts of buying print that are not obvious until somebody explains them — file setup, paper weight, binding, color, proofing and mailing rules. None of it is specific to any one printer.
Twelve guides
Read before
Read before
you send a file.
Generic print-trade and postal knowledge, written down once instead of explained fresh on every job.
Offset vs. Digital Printing: How to ChooseHow offset and digital printing actually differ, and a checklist for picking the right one for your job.How to Prepare Print-Ready FilesBleed, resolution, PDF/X and format choice — one checklist before you send a file.Understanding Paper Weight: Text vs. CoverWhy “80 lb” means two different things, and how to convert to gsm.CMYK vs. RGB: Why Screen Color Doesn't Match PrintWhy your screen and your printed piece never show quite the same blue, and what a proof settles.Spot Color vs. Process ColorPantone spot ink vs. four-color process — what each is for and when brand color needs its own plate.Saddle Stitch vs. Coil vs. Perfect BindingThree common booklet bindings, and the page-count and use-case rules of thumb for choosing one.What Is Presorted Mail, and How Does It Cut Postage?How USPS worksharing discounts work, and why address standardization has to happen first.What to Check on a Print Proof Before You Approve ItA practical checklist for reading a proof — text, color, bleed, folds — before you sign off.Business Card Design and Print ChecklistStandard sizes, safe margins, stock weight and finish choices before you send a card to print.How Print Quantity Changes the EconomicsWhy offset gets cheaper per piece at volume and digital doesn't — the mechanism, no dollar figures.Direct Mail Formats and USPS Size RulesUSPS postcard, self-mailer and letter size rules — and why the wrong size bumps the postage class.Choosing a Mailing List for Direct MailHouse list vs. purchased list, saturation vs. targeted, and why list hygiene affects postage discounts.
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It is how print works.
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Guides answer the general questions. Yours has specifics — send them and we’ll price it. Or call (763) 475-1826.