PRINTING FAQs
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING
Joe and Mari are extremely easy to work with. They work with you to make sure your order is exactly how you want it. The final product and turn-around time reflect that.
Joanne M. Wayne Countryside Garden Club
I continue to be impressed by the consistency of your service and print quality. Thank you!
David B. HOH Water Technology Inc.
We can always count on Joe and the AlphaGraphics team in St. Charles to provide a quality product in a VERY timely manner!
Mary W. InterTrav Corp.
Working with AlphaGraphics was a dream! They were professional, helpful, and completed my project in record time while always being there to answer questions. I would highly recommend their services.
Peg K. St. Francis High School
Printing ready as promised, on time, and the quality is excellent!
Kent U. American Health Resources
It is a pleasure to work with any of the staff at AlphaGraphics. We often need your advice and guidance and are grateful for your patient help.
Kay K. St. Charles Singers
The team at AlphaGraphics is always super helpful and has consistently met or exceeded their promised completion date for my projects. A plus service!
Steve H. Block Up
We have worked with your firm for many years and it continues to live up to the past and move into the future.
Betsy D. Ronald A. Harczak
AlphaGraphics is very efficient, reasonably priced and quality driven. I can always count on fast turn around with no errors. I highly recommend AlphaGraphics.
Vicky R. Re/Max All Pro
Love dealing with you all and wish I could give you more business. I tell everyone I can that "I got a guy" when it comes to printing...and then refer them. Keep up the great work!
Chris L. SOPHOS
Karen is great! She's always on top of our requests and turns projects around very quickly.
Steven M. Elgin Master Chorale
Everything is always perfect & ontime! Very professional.
Amanda M. The Competitor's Edge
Love the quality of service and the friendliness of the staff!
Ron B. Ron Balance
The AlphaGraphics team has been spot on in meeting last minute requests and producing high quality documents. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
Steve H. Block Up
Mari is nice to work with and quick to respond and I truly appreciate her efforts & assistance!
Caitlin S. Floral Wonders
Above and beyond style of service and quality.
Meg M. B2SMBi
As always, Joe does a great job for us. Quickly and at a reasonable price. I am a long time customer and will continue in the future.
Elaine W. Altrusa International Inc.
We loved working with your team! Everyone was so knowledgable and helpful. We also appreciated your prompt responses to our questions. The quality of your products and affordability of your services are second to none!
Nancy A. GjI
I know that when I send something into AlphaGraphics it gets done quick! The turn around coupled with the quality and professionalism is all we need to keep coming back to AlphaGraphics!
Vicky R. Re/Max All Pro
Always a pleasure working with Patty and Karen on design. Print is always fast and professional. We love AlphaGraphics!
Lynn S. ANAD
AlphaGraphics St. Charles has always been our company’s go-to vendor for print products. Their quality and response time is unparalleled to its competition! We will use their services every time!
Mckenna M. Smallcakes & Decadent
I always recommend you to friends and at work! I am always extremely satisfied.
Kate W. Accenture Learning , Global Learning
Excellent communication and service. Our wedding invitations turned out perfect and beautiful in a quick time frame. Thank you!!
Customer Shelly Pickren
Mari and the team at AlphaGraphics in St. Charles are amazing! They are always friendly and do exceptional work! I also appreciate the high level of communication they have with the clients.
Rebecca P. Blue Courage LLC
The staff at AlphaGraphics are very easy to work with and deliver what they promise in a timely manner.
Ellen S. Kane County Law Library & Self Help Legal Center
Great people with great service.
Chris S. Honey Trails
The banner was perfect for our staff appreciation week! Thank you so much for getting it done so quickly!
Heather S. Midwest Dental Implantology
We have been very satisfied since we switched to AlphaGraphics for our business needs. Great customer service, great prices, on time deliveries.
Beatriz R. Wise Plastics Technologies
I always have a great experience. Everyone is always quick to respond to my requests and the turnaround time on projects is top-notch.
Brittany K. Forest Preserve District Of Kane County
We are so appreciative of everything you do to complete every project with ease, in high quality and on time. The AlphaGraphics team is bomb!
Vicki S. CASA Kane County
I've been very satisfied with the products I've received from your business, and the quality of the prints I've ordered.
Customer Christine Coburn
Very quick and great quality!
Joanna Zen Leaf St. Charles
Always do great work from start to finish. Thank you.
Scott S. Underground Pet Fencing
Patty created magic with her design of our pieces!
Kathie Wayne Countryside Garden Club
Love you guys!
Rowena S. Hotel Baker
The whole staff is the best. They answer questions without hesitation and if they don't have an answer, they find the answer. Professional and dependable.
Emmett B. Kane County Cougars
I have used Alpha Graphics for many years for numerous reasons. I have consistently been pleased with the final products and expectations have always been met. In addition, the turn around on the printing services are always quick giving me the flexibility I often need. Great work Alpha!
Susan L. Anderson Animal Shelter
Love Alphagraphics! They have been helping me with my business and personal printing and graphic design needs for nearly 20 years. Staff is professional, gracious, talented and efficient. What more could you want?
Carol H. The Writer Lady
Joe is spectacular! He is always friendly, professional, willing to help and on time. I deeply appreciate his help with each of my projects. He makes it happen!
Jody W. Marketing ala Carte
Working with Mari was a great experience. Her customer service is outstanding. The wedding programs she designed and printed for my daughter's wedding were lovely.
Meg O. Meg Olsen
Always consistent quality and fast service!
Yvonne G. Compass Staffing Solutions
Working with AlphaGraphics is a real pleasure! They work so seamlessly with us that they seem like an extension of our company. Fast, professional and high quality. Can’t ask for anything more.
Mark D. Trotter & Associates Inc.
I can ALWAYS count on you to provide superb, friendly service. 😊
Customer Keith Global
Highly professional, attentive, and focused on helping me. Loved it. Will come back and recommend.
Kam G. Foreman Tool & Mold
Outstanding, friendly and fairly priced.
Ron B. Bishop & Associates Inc.
I am confident that the finished product at AlphaGraphics will always meet or exceed my expectations. Thank your for your help with all of our printing needs!
Richard W. Medfitness
My posters, brochures and programs are printed with expert care and fast, friendly service. AlphaGraphics is my only choice for printing.
Kelly C. Aintree Of Fox Chase
Always quick in responding to a request. Finished product is of great quality and fast service.
Rose M. Sts. Peter & Paul Parish
Karen has been great. Great designs and the final products are great quality.
Kimberly S. St. Francis High School
The staff are fantastic!!! Joe anticipates needs and makes great suggestions to improve the final product. Thank you!!!
Michelle S. Foth Infrastructure & Environment LLC
ALL ABOUT PRINTING
ARE THERE PRINT SIZE LIMITATIONS?
Yes, and no. Our digital copiers will take sheet sizes as small as 4.25” x 5.5” up to 13” x 19”. Traditional offset can accept sheet sizes up to 12” x 18”. Our in-house large format printers can produce graphics up to 41.5” wide. If you have specific questions about our sizing options, please do not hesitate to give us a call.
WHAT IS A PROOF AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
In printing terms, a proof is a one-off copy of your document after all modifications and printing setup processes have been completed. It is your last, and best, opportunity to make sure that your print job comes out the way you envisioned. By carefully inspecting the proof, you can help ensure an accurate, flawless delivery of your print job the first time.
DO YOU REQUIRE MINIMUM QUANTITIES ON ANY OF YOUR PRODUCTS?
Nope! Some printing methods may be more cost-effective than others, but our professional staff are happy to work with you to determine which printing method is best for your project.
DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COLOR SEPARATIONS OR HALF-TONE PRINTING TO GET MY JOB COMPLETED?
Absolutely not! We handle all the "back-end" production for you.
The terms are pretty easy to understand, though. Color separation refers to our offset printing process, where we use cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in four separate plates that go directly to the press. These four colors can create almost any color you can imagine!
Half-tone printing refers to converting a solid tone of black ink or one color into tiny dots that are invisible to the eye to create your image. You see a solid image, but it’s really created from the spacing of these tiny dots.
IS WHITE CONSIDERED A PRINTING COLOR?
Not typically. Because white is the default color of paper, it is simply recognized as the absence of ink.
WHAT PAPER TYPES DO YOU OFFER?
We have a large collection of “house” stocks in our production area. If you have a specific style in mind, we can check our in-house inventory to see if our selection is able to match your tastes. Or, we’ll check with our paper vendors to see what they have on hand. Keep in mind that special stocks or materials may require bulk purchasing from suppliers.
WHAT IS THE PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM?
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a color reproduction standard in which colors all across the spectrum are each identified by a unique, independent number. The use of PMS allows us to precisely match colors and maintain color consistency throughout the printing process.
WHY DO THE PRINTED COLORS LOOK DIFFERENT THAN THE COLORS ON MY SCREEN?
In short, printers and monitors produce color in different ways. Monitors use the RGB (red, green, blue) color model, which usually supports a wider spectrum of colors. Printers use the CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color model, which can reproduce most—but not all—of the colors in the RGB color model.
Depending on the equipment used, CMYK generally matches 85–90% of the colors in the RGB model. When a color is selected from the RGB model that is out of the range of the CMYK model, the application chooses the closest matching color. Programs like Adobe Photoshop will allow you to choose which color will be replaced; others may not. We’ll provide you with a sample print right before we print your job to ensure a "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" final product.
COMMON PRINTING TERMS
BIND: To fasten sheets with wire, thread, glue, or by any other means.
BINDING: A name given for any of many procedures used to put pages together.
BLEED: Printing that goes to the edge of the sheet. Trimming is required to make the printing run to the edge of a sheet.
CAST-COATED: Coated paper with a high- gloss reflective finish.
COATED PAPER: Paper with a clay or other coating applied to one, or both, sides. The coating can be dull, gloss, matte, or a number of other finishes. Coated paper generally produces sharper, brighter images and has a more refelctive quality than uncoated paper.
COLLATE: To put pages in a certain order for binding.
COLOR CORRECTION: Methods of improving color separations and definition.
COVER PAPER: A heavy printing paper primarily used to cover books or make presentation folders.
SIDE-STITCHING: Stapling through the spine from front to back. The publication will not lay flat when opened.
CROP: To trim a picture, image, or printed sheet.
CROP MARKS: Printed lines showing where to trim a printed sheet.
GLOSS: A shiny paper coating that reflects light.
LAMINATE: To cover with protective film. Also used to bond or glue one surface to another.
MATTE FINISH: Dull paper or ink finish.
OFFSET PRINTING: Printing which involves a plate that makes an inked impression on a rubber-blanketed cylinder, which, in turn, transfers it to the paper.
PERFECT BINDING: An unsewn, flat-spined book binding made with glue.
RESOLUTION: The degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image as measured by the number of dots per linear inch in a hard-copy printout or, the number of pixels across and down on a display screen.
SADDLE-STITCHING: A type of binding that uses wire stapling at the center of a magazine or pamphlet.
SCORE: Creasing paper to help it fold more neatly.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
WHAT TYPES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES DO YOU PROVIDE?
AlphaGraphics is a full service marketing communications provider, and offer a wide range of products and services. To see a full listing of our services, check out the Products & Services area of our website.
WHAT TYPES OF MARKETING TECHNIQUES CAN YOU ADD TO MY PRINTED MATERIALS?
OUR MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETING OPTIONS INCLUDE:
- QR Codes
- PURLs
- SMS and MMS marketing
- Video production and editing
- Variable mapping
- Social media marketing
- Mobile optimized websites, and so much more!
Call our team today to learn more about the tools we can use in concert with your printed communications to improve your ROI.