TCC Insights

Don't Be a Paper Dummy

By Betty Ann Krischan, Production Manager

The world of paper is complex and ever-changing…with so many options out there, picking a stock can seem overwhelming to some.
One of the keys to a successful print job is the selection of the “right” paper. With a little knowledge, you can specify a stock with the qualities your job requires with consideration to your design, usage and budget.

Here are some basic characteristics of paper that will help you select the stock that will work for your next print project. All of these qualities affect both the run-ability and print-ability of the paper as well as the cost and final appearance of your project.

Think Beyond White Paper

By Betty Ann Krischan, Production Manager

There seems to be a trend lately of only printing on white paper. It doesn’t seem to make a difference whether it’s letterhead, posters, invitations or brochures. I’m both a little disheartened and perplexed by this trend.

Why aren’t designers and production managers specifying more colored substrates? Is it because a generation of young designers start all their designs on a blank white screen?  Is it because it’s just a safe/default choice? Is it tight budgets? Is it the result of so much digital printing? Or is it just being a little unsure and uneducated on what stocks are out there and how they can be utilized?

I’m not sure of the answer but I know that paper choice is an essential part of the creative process and directly influences how the finished printed piece will look and feel. By using a colored stock, you can increase your color palette in a simple one- or two-color printing job. Using a metallic stock can elevate the perception of a printed piece and convey a richness and sense of elegance. Printing a metallic ink on a dark stock can have very dramatic results.

Size Does Matter

By Betty Ann Krischan, Production Manager

Here’s an interesting question: Is it worth it to stay within standard United States Postal Service size requirements to save on the cost of mailing vs. spending a little bit more by sending an oversized postcard?

This is a case where I think size does matter. Go with the oversized card. A four-color postcard that is 9” x 6” with a striking visual and intriguing headline will cut through the clutter and stand out from the rest of the sea of white envelopes and standard 4.25” x 6” postcards that flood both mail and in-boxes.

Flower Power

By Betty Ann Krischan, Production Manager

One of Buffalo’s greatest treasures is the annual Garden Walk. If you like flowers, they are definitely “the star” in this much-anticipated summer event.  You can take a self-guided walking tour through some of Buffalo’s most historic neighborhoods and enjoy an astonishing range of planting styles and landscapes. With more than 300 homes participating, you will see everything from exotic water gardens to lush hanging gardens to classic English gardens and more.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Buffalo Garden Walk and this event gave me the opportunity to work on a very special poster project with Sue Hough (friend, fellow gardener, TCC art director and member of the Board of Directors for the Garden Walk). Every year, the posters are beautiful and showcase one of Buffalo’s garden treasures, but this year needed to be extraordinary. So how could we take an already successful series of posters and make this year’s even better?  The answer was to utilize an exciting new innovation in printing: in-line foiling.

Dual Printing had recently installed a Prindor in-line foiler and I was just dying to test it out.  In-line foiling is a cold foil transfer method that provides designers and print production managers a new and compelling way to add another dimension to their projects without the size and cost constraints of traditional hot foil stamping. The result was an absolutely stunning poster featuring a full-color metallic bloom.

Is Printing Dead?

By Betty Ann Krischan, Production Manager

First, you have to remember I’m something of a “press room junkie.” I love printing. I’m really into everything from the feel of the paper, the color of the inks, and the eye-popping special effects like foiling and embossing. And I really like looking at ink on paper: the Sunday morning newspapers, annual reports, business cards, novels, cookbooks and greeting cards.  You name it, I like it. If it’s printed, I’m interested. I can’t go to a restaurant without thoroughly examining every menu and tent card within my reach.

With all the talk about major newspapers folding, the internet replacing more traditional forms of printed materials and the upsurge of social media, do I think printing is on its way out? No, I don’t. I do, however, think that it is evolving.

Although many people may listen to books on iPods, or read them on the internet, those new formats will never replace hard and soft cover books and printed materials. What is better than relaxing in your favorite spot with a good book, or sitting on the beach or by the pool on vacation with that long-awaited best seller? Or in my case, enjoying the fun and memories being made as my grandson and I huddle under the blankets with a flashlight reading the next book in the series of the Spiderwick Chronicles. While periodicals may be seeing a downturn in today’s world of the internet, Facebook, Twitter and Google, I think books are here to stay. A great example of how new technology and traditional print have been combined is the new line of children’s books called, “Leapfrog:Tag – The Amazing Touch Reading System.”  Not only can it be read aloud but individuals can listen and interact with it.


Don’t press your luck

By Betty Ann Krischan, Production Manager

I love the smell of varnish! I love being on the press room floor surrounded by all the sights and sounds and smells. To me it’s a little like being in the delivery room and you’re just about ready to see your baby. All the time and effort, stress and strain of getting a project this far is so worth it when you get to see and be part of the final result. 


But what if you have a large four-color project going to press and you don’t really know what to do at a press okay? While there’s not much point to showing up if you don’t know what you’re doing, it’s an important step that should be taken to ensure the quality and accuracy of your project - especially if you need to match corporate colors or have a product being shown where color is critical.

Here’s a quick list of what you should be looking for when reviewing a press sheet:

1.       Confirm your basic specifications. Is it being printed on the correct paper? Is the size and pagination correct? Believe or not, I’ve been on press and discovered that the incorrect stock was ordered.



2.       Read and confirm that the content is correct. Is all the copy there? Have all the corrections been made? Is the correct logo being used? Is there any legal copy or register marks missing? Are the fonts correct? Are fonts used properly in terms of color, size, and format?



3.       Check for consistencies. Are there uniform spaces between lines, headlines and copy?  Are graphic elements or copy blocks lining up correctly? Have abbreviations been used consistently throughout the piece?



4.       Look at the quality of graphics and photography. Check the resolution - make sure nothing is bitmapped or fuzzy. Is the color banding in areas with tints or gradations? Look at fit and registration. Is the trapping correct? (No white areas where two colors butt together.)



5.       Check the quality of the color. If you’re using a PMS color, check it against a color swatch to make sure it’s correct and running up to density. Make sure the color is balanced and in registration and consistent over the sheet. Check against the matchprint or color samples. Look at the flesh tones on people for pleasing/natural color; faces shouldn’t look too pale, too red or too yellow. Look at areas of neutral color (tan or gray) to see if they have an overcast of red, yellow or blue. Is black type up to density and not gray? Do crossovers match in color?



6.       Don’t be afraid to rely on the expertise of the pressman or press room manager - it’s part of their job to guide you through the process!