How long?

Every job we undertake is unique in its own right. As lithographic printing is a manufacturing process, there are a number of further processes to produce a finished good - job discussed, estimates submitted, typesetting and design, proofing, (further typesetting and proofs sometimes!), film output, plate making, printing, drying, trimming, and other finishing processes, packaging and delivery.

Digital technology has changed dramatically over the past few years and we have become used to printing jobs within 24-48 hours.

We pride ourselves in completing each stage efficiently and as quickly as possible without failing to understand client needs. Every effort is made to produce your work in the timescales discussed.

How much?

We are not the cheapest printer in the UK and we never will be! We are committed to offering value for money and in a most competitive market, totally dedicated to offering a service that cannot be bettered - in essence, we give you the customer what you have asked for and deserve! A guideline of prices is available.

What paper?

We are not one of those printers who only offer two or three types of paper! As a bespoke printer, we would recommend different grades of paper and board and will offer advice and samples to help you choose the right stock for the job. As a company who cares about our environment, where and whenever possible, we will try to advise the best environmentally sound product for the job in question. Our aim is to use as much recycled paper as opposed to virgin paper.

What process?

Digital Printing - The image is lasered directly onto a photo-sensitive drum and transferred electrostatically to the image blanket. This is a toner-based process. The image has a fine layer of oil applied to the surface, which is baked on via a fuser roller. Digital printing is ideal for short run black and white or colour printing, where conventional lithographic printing would not be cost effective.

Lithographic Printing - The image is transferred via film separations to a printing plate and then offset to a rubber print blanket. This transfers the image to the paper. Oil or vegetable based ink and water are applied to the plate. The ink will only adhere to the image and the water to the non-image area - the principal that oil and water do not mix. As conventional print, this process is better suited for longer runs and where quality is paramount.

To help the customer choose, we at Speirs Brakell will assess the best process for quality, cost effectiveness, and finish for our customers' needs.

Proof-reading?

Essential! Yes, it is time-consuming and boring but what is the point of spending money on an incorrectly printed job. Get it right first time every time.

When typesetting for you, we will prepare the most accurate proof possible for you to check. It is ultimately your responsibility to check and approve the final proof before we print it. We will attach a slip for you to sign off your proof before print. We are also submitting proof by PDF for ease of use and cut down on paperwork.

TIPS - Make sure all text has been thoroughly proofread and spell-checked before submission to us. Give a hard copy to someone who has not seen the text before and ask them to check it over for you. This often helps. Try reading aloud! - you will be surprised at the difference this makes!

What is a Pantone Colour?

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a universal colour standard used to specify individual colours, to ensure continuity when printing colour - eg PMS300 is the shade of blue used for the NHS logo.

What is Four-Colour Process?

The four-colour process refers to the four colours used in printing. Cyan (C) Magenta (M) Yellow (Y) Black (K) You may also hear this system referred to as the CMYK. Pantone colours can be made using the four colour process, however they are not an exact match.

SUPPLYING FILES

We are happy to accept your artwork for printing of your work. We use programs like Quark Xpress, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. If you intend to supply artwork for your print work, please read the following. If you are unsure about what you are supplying, please call us on 0151 207 2306 and ask to speak with the Studio Manager.

Quark Xpress

All Fonts Supplied (Collected for Output)
All TIFF/EPS files, Hi-Resolution 300dpi, CMYK
Minimum Bleed Required of 3mm
Colour or Black and White Proof of job for comparison
Die-Cutting forms (where necessary)

Photoshop & Illustrator

Where possible Export Documents as EPS/TIFF files with fonts embedded or converted to curves
If you are embedding TIFF files, please CYMK only
NO TIFF files exported from Photoshop with transparent background.
Colour or Black and White Proof of job for comparison

Adobe PDF

Hi-Resolution, 300dpi, CMYK
Colour or Black and White Proof of job for comparison
Fonts embedded

You can download a copy of Adobe Reader free from the Adobe web site.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS