Test Your Design & Print Knowledge

The difference in finish is achieved by the amount of coating applied to the paper. It’s actually the same chemical coating for both paper types — but more of it is applied to glossy paper. Glossy paper is usually used for photos because it allows ink to actually sit on top of the coating rather than being absorbed into the paper fibers, helping the colors pop. There are many more coatings to choose from beyond just glossy and matte. Your PostNet center can show you samples of various options to help you choose the perfect finish for your piece.

Serifs are thought to have originated when letters were hand painted, and the brush created an extra stroke. Sans serif lettering was introduced in the early 1800s to be more legible. Both styles are now in use, with serif fonts being considered more formal. Using the right font style is important because it can affect the way your piece is perceived, as well as how easy it is to read. Typically, sans serif typefaces are commonly used for on-screen applications (think Arial and Helvetica) while serif typefaces like Times New Roman are easier to read on paper. A professional designer can advise on the right font style for your needs.

Bleeds are important because printers are not able to cover the entire page with ink. Understanding bleeds and using them in design is important to prevent important content from being cut off. A standard bleed area is .125 inches (1/8th of an inch) on each side. When you design and print at PostNet, they’ll ensure that your project is designed with proper bleeds. If you’d like the printed area to extend all the way to the edges of your printed piece, the bleed will actually be trimmed off.

Yes, it’s sort of a trick question — sorry! The K indicates “Black” but it technically stands for “Key,” which refers to the plate that would contain black ink and be pressed onto the page in early printing processes. CMYK refers to the four colors of ink that are blended together to create printed color images. This is different from the way that colors are displayed on digital screens (those colors are created using RGB, or Red, Green, Blue). Translating RGB colors to CMYK is one reason to work with a professional print shop that can get your colors just right!

One panel (the inside flap) of a tri-fold brochure should be slightly smaller than the other two. This is to account for the thickness of the paper, and allows the pages to fold evenly. If you choose to use thicker paper for your brochure, you must adjust the panel sizing accordingly. A lot goes into making sure that brochures fold correctly and that the information flows the way you want it to when the brochure is opened. Working with a professional designer is the best way to achieve the perfect layout for your brochure.

Ink is a liquid that is tinted with pigment or dye, and is used in inkjet printers — like the one you may have at home — which spray ink onto the page. Toner is a very fine powder made mostly of polyester; it is used by laser printers, which fuse it onto the page. Toner is preferred for commercial uses (like office copiers and large-format printers) because toner cartridges last longer, but they’re more expensive to replace than ink cartridges. The professionals at PostNet will help you select the proper type of printing process that is appropriate for your project.

Kerning can have a big impact on how visually pleasing your printed piece is. Proper kerning will never be noticed by most people, but improper kerning will make a word appear cramped or awkwardly spaced out. Tracking adjusts the amount of space between letters evenly, but kerning is done manually. Depending on the word, the amount of space may be greater between some letters than others. PostNet graphic designers will pay attention to kerning when laying out your text to make sure it is legible and looks great.

Not all graphics are made up of pixels. Raster graphics use pixels (or tiny dots), which makes them best for creating photos and print images. But most logos, fonts, and large-format printed images (like billboards) are created using vector graphics, which can be scaled up or down infinitely without losing quality and appearing pixelated, or blurry. Vector graphics are rendered by computers using a mathematical formula that connects dots with lines and curves. It’s important to use the right style of graphics for your printed piece. A pixelated image will appear unprofessional and poor quality. Your PostNet designer can ensure that you’re using the correct graphics for your piece.

Digital printers (such as inkjet and laserjet printers found in homes and offices) offer many benefits including a faster turnaround time, more cost-effective production, and the ability to change data (such as personalizing marketing materials with the recipient’s name). However, offset printing, which involves creating physical plates from aluminum, is still frequently used for large-quantity commercial jobs. It also reproduces colors more reliably and creates a higher quality image. Offset printing can be done on just about any material, while digital printing is more limited. PostNet centers do both digital and offset printing, depending on the job.

Indicia can be printed onto a marketing mailer in lieu of using stamps. It indicates to the post office that the postage has already been paid, so no stamp is needed. A postal permit is required to print an indicia, and certain information and formatting is required to make an indicia valid. PostNet can design and print mailers with indicia, and even handle the process of sending out your direct mail piece. When you’re mailing something in bulk, it’s way easier than peeling and sticking individual stamps!