What type of file formats can you accept?

Although we work primarily in a Macintosh environment, we
accept files created on both Macintosh and Windows platforms.
The following programs are most commonly used to create and submit files:

Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Adobe PageMaker
Adobe PhotoShop
Macromedia FreeHand
Quark XPress

If you're concerned about programs and compatibility issues,
please contact us and we will be glad to discuss your options.

How do I choose a paper stock?

The paper you choose is important to the appearance and feel of
your document. There are many variables when it comes to paper stocks, most notably finish and weight.

Finish consists of the texture and look of a paper. These terms
define a paper's finish:

Coated: A paper with a waxy finish (shiny or matte) on both sides.

Uncoated: A paper with an untreated surface that is dull and unreflective.

Coated One Side: A cover stock that is shiny on front and dull on back.

Kromekote: A premium ultra high gloss paper available in cover weights. Kromekote is available as coated on both sides and
coated on one side.

Laid: Textured lines on the surface of the stock. This finish is used predominantly for corporate identity packages (letterhead,
envelopes, business cards).

Linen: Textured lines on the surface of the sheet. Lines are finer
than on Laid papers. This finish is used predominantly for corporate identity packages (letterhead, envelopes, business cards).

Laser: A paper guaranteed to be compatible with a copier or laser printer.

Gloss papers are generally used for brochures, company
publications, catalogs, posters and postcards as well as four-
color business cards. Uncoated stock is best for letterhead,
envelopes, business cards as well as newsletters and any
documents that feed through a copier or laser printer.

Paper thickness is measured in pounds and is available in either
text or cover weight:

Text: Text is a lightweight paper often used for publications, sell sheets and letterhead. It comes in the following weights:

50 lb.-Standard lightweight paper used for digital & laser printing
60 lb.-Laser opaque sheet, one grade heavier than standard
70 lb.-Heaviest Laser Opaque
80 lb.-Coated stock, equal in feel to 24 lb. Finch Laser
100 lb.-Coated stock, equal in feel to 28 lb. Finch Laser

Note: 50 lb., 60 lb., 70 lb., 80 lb., 100 lb. are measurements used for papers that
are meant for offset printing.

Cover: Cover is a rigid heavyweight card, not easily folded,
generally used for publication covers, business cards and postcards.

80 lb.-Light weight coated cover
100 lb.- Mid-weight coated cover, heavier than 80 lb.
12pt.-Heavy weight coated cover.

We will be glad to assist you with picking out a stock that will suit
your project best.

What is UV printing?

UV printing is different from conventional printing in many ways. It
is still ink on paper but the ink dries through a completely different
process. Instead of having solvents in the ink that evaporate into
the air and absorb into the paper, UV inks dry through a photo-
mechanical process. When the inks are exposed to ultraviolet lights they turn from a liquid or paste, to a solid. There is significantly less evaporation of solvents and much less absorption of the ink into the stock. This is advantageous for many reasons. One of the biggest advantages of UV printing is that there are fewer emissions of
volatile organic compounds into the environment since there is no evaporation of the solvents like with conventional inks. Another advantage of UV printing is that the inks can dry on plastic and other non-porous substrates. Because the inks dry through a photo-
mechanical process it is not necessary for the ink solvent to absorb into the stock. Basically, if you can get the stock through the press you can print on it. Printers have even been known to print on sub-
strates as unusual as wooden veneer. In addition to the advantage
of printing on unusual substrates like plastic, UV printing also offers significant advantages when printing on uncoated stocks as well.
The solvents in conventional inks absorb very quickly into uncoated stocks. Because of this, less of the solvents evaporate into the air
and the printed piece tends to have excessive dot gain and will look muddy or too full. Since UV inks dry when exposed to UV light, the inks do not have the time to soak into the paper. The ink dot is left sitting on top of the uncoated sheet, where it presents a cleaner less contaminated dot, ultimately giving more vibrant color. The key to printing with UV inks successfully lies in exposing the UV ink to enough ultraviolet energy to cure the ink while not making the substrate too brittle and also achieving an acceptable level of adherence to the substrate. This is extremely difficult because every different substrate has very different characteristics. All-in-all, UV printing is an excellent way to produce printed material on unusual substrates and on uncoated stocks.

What's the difference between an aqueous coating and
a varnish?

A coating can improve the look of a printed project and help protect
it. Here are the main differences between aqueous and varnish coatings:

I have this piece, can you match it?

If you have a sample of a printed piece that you like, let us see it.
We can tell you how it was printed, and how to apply similar techniques to your project. Whether it's the color, paper stock or binding technique, we can help you achieve the same effect with
your project.

How do I know if OmniColor is the right printer for me?

Talk to us. We can work with you to develop the best quality and
most cost-effective printing solutions for your needs in a timely and efficient manner. Call us at (401)434-8130 or email us to discuss the specifics of your project. We're well equipped and staffed to meet
all of your printing needs.

Let's talk.