We think ahead & move fast: creative insight, great prices and inventive products have established us as a trusted Broker, Supplier and Pioneer in the information age.
Graphic Design Work
Graphic Design - we do all types of design work for all types of mediums. From little projects to multi-year strategies that are constantly evolving.
Art Buying - The securing of art, photography, stock, video and miscellaneous types of creative work for your specific project or brand. The link between an agency and freelance artists.
Illustration- privately commissioning an illustrated piece of art of any medium.
Production - oversight of large projects that require reoccurring cycles of pre-ress production.
PrePress - prepare and release files for all stages of prepress production for all types of printers around the country.
Photography - organizing a photo shoot and photographer for our clients that may include design, styling and production.
T-Shirt Design - from fundraisers and events to Vacation Bible School designs, we can pretty much design anything you need and have it printed by professional local screen printers.
Business Stationery - your companies paperwork and business correspondence needs to be clean and consistent. We tailor your branding and paper goods specifically to your needs.
Product Packaging - need help with packaging or mock ups for your new product? We can help.
Logos, Identity & Branding
Creative Design & Direction
Logos - A logo identifies a business in its simplest form via the use of a mark or an icon. A logo is not your brand, nor is it your identity. Logo design, identity design and branding all have different roles, that together, form a perceived image for a business or product.
What Makes a Logo Great?Milton Glaser, the legendary graphic designer best known for the "I Love New York" logo, says that it has to do with simplicity.
Identity - The visual aspects that form part of the overall brand.
Branding - The perceived emotional corporate image as a whole. Branding is getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem.
Creative Direction - A lot goes into making a smart idea come to life.
Advertising Campaigns & Development - the design and strategic planning of a company's voice or objective geared towards its audience with a specific course of action.
Art Direction - organization and oversight of a projects art theme as it translates the client's identity and brand.
Copywriting - from short quips and advertising copy to to bios and articles, we can help.
Content Development - you're only as good as your content. Beef it up.
Styling - the art arrangement.
Event Branding- pulling the look together for an event that needs all the bells and whistles. From t-shirts, cups and koozies to VIP passes and grab bags.
Printing & Publishing
Print Brokering
Commercial Printing - a method of mass-production printing.
Letterpress Printing - Letterpress is the oldest form of printing. In this method, a surface with raised letters is inked and pressed to the surface of the printing substrate to reproduce an image in reverse. Typically, metal type has been used but other possibilities include carved wood or stone blocks.
Flat Printing - ideal for lower quantities needing four color printing.
Publishing - need something published, shoot us an email for a customized price quote.
PrePress Production - we handle or coordinate all stages of production rom design, imposition and pre-press.
Magazine & Catalog Printing - from production and pre-press to direct mail and distribution; we have over 25 years of experience in publishing magazines, private publications and trade magazines.
- Short Run Printing - anything that's printed.
- Business Cards
- Collateral Materials
- Business Letterheads
- Envelopes & Folders
- Labels & Stickers
- Booklets
- Forms
- Bookmarks
- Brochures w/ Mailing
- Catalogs
- Door hangers
- DVD Inserts
- Fold-Over Business Notes
- Greeting Cards
- Hang Tags
- Letterhead
- Notepads
- Postcards
- Postcards w/ Mailing
- Posters
- Rack Cards
- Small Flyers
- Christmas Cards
- Event Invitations
Website Startup with Social Media & SEO Guidance
Startup Websites & Placeholders - perfect for the startup that just needs a landing page.
Website Design - Smart is beautiful. What we do is simple. Elegant. And just works.
Social Media & SEO - As every client knows, digital strategies are often moving targets. Developing and executing a plan takes knowledge in both foundational and platform technologies. Together, they let us create the ideal solution. Every time.
- Commerce and sales automation
- Web content
- Web site management
- Content optimization, search and analytics
- Social computing and monitoring
- Mobile optimization
- Localization
Getting Started
- Say Hello!- you email-we talk: We discuss the details of your project, including your goals and timeline.
- Estimate: We provide an estimate, which outlines the particulars (who, what, when, where, and how much). You approve the estimate.
- Design: We get to work and present designs for review. We fine-tune, you approve, and we prepare the project for rollout.
- Payment: 50% Deposit to begin and the remaining due upon completion.
What exactly is a Print Broker?
What in the world is a print broker?..How do they earn their keep?…And why are they a God-send?
In my experience a print broker typically performs these duties:
- Consults with customers regarding parameters of the print order. Reviews and discusses any job particulars that will affect the outcome.
- Suggests ways to decrease cost and/or improve quality depending on the requirements of the project.
- Provides samples like paper dummies, paper swatch books, labels, or any other visuals the customer requires to make informed decisions about the print order.
- Aids the customer in determining and clarifying the specifications so that printers will bid apples-to-apples and identify production problems before they ruin the project.
- Pre-qualifies printers or other providers to determine which is the best match for the job.
- Submits bid specifications to qualified printers.
- Consults with printers as needed to answer questions or address production concerns. This is particularly critical when the job is complex.
- Gathers competitive bids.
- Scrutinizes the submitted written bids to make certain the directions were followed, and nothing added or neglected.
- Submits bid with specifications to customer. This gives the customer an opportunity to double-check the specifications at the same time as they receive pricing. The objective is to make sure all parties are in full agreement about the scope of the job.
- Facilitates the transfer of files, or other art to the printer.
- Works with both printer and customer regarding terms of payment and makes sure all conditions are met.
- Arranges and facilitates all necessary proofing steps.
- Arranges for delivery of the product to the required destination.
- Oversees and coordinates all parts of the job, this is especially critical if the project consists of multiple pieces.
- Invoices the customer for the work.
- Pays the printer. The customer writes one check and the broker takes care of the rest.
- Most important–deals with problems that may surface during or after the job is delivered. The broker acts is a shield between the customer and the printer in the event of a disagreement.
What is the most valuable service print brokers provide? ---- The bottom line is that both customers and printers need brokers. Brokers provide the most valuable service of all, we facilitate smooth communication between customer and printer, and that in itself, prevents a whole raft of problems that could occur. Printing, as I always say, is not an exact science. The process, from creative idea to finished product involves so many steps and demands that every one of them be done right. It is a miracle anything turns out as planned, but despite the odds 95% come out great. It’s the 5% that keep us in the graphic arts industry awake at night.