Common Questions
How do I place an order online?
Choose your product and get pricing
- Find the product you are looking for and click the link for that page.
- View prices on this page then click I’m ready to place my order.
- Enter your contact information, if you are providing your own artwork, upload your file and a designer from our team will contact you.
Approve your proof
- Once you have placed your order, you will be contacted by a designer from our team. If you have uploaded your artwork, We will email a proof to confirm.
- If we are designing your art we will contact you to discuss your ideas. Once the artwork is complete you will be sent electronic proofs via email.
- When your 100% satisfied, you will reply to our email with “Ok to print” and your job will be put into production.
- Please note that when you approve a proof, your print job is sent to press. Once in production, changes cannot be made and turnaround time of your print job begins.
How can I be sure I am ordering the right product?
- The list in the left-hand column displays all the products we offer. Simply click on a product link to view complete information about a product's features and specifications.
- If you have further questions about any product or available printing options, please don't hesitate to call us at 281-481-1818. We have a friendly and knowledgeable staff ready to answer your questions.
How do I get a price quote before placing my order?
You can request a custom quote for any print job you do not see on our web site, by clicking the link “Custom Quote" found at the top of every page on our web site.How do I get my project?
We are located at 15255 Gulf Freeway, Suite 179B, Houston TX 77034. You can pick up your job during normal business hours or we will use UPS Service for shipping. We can ship anywhere in the continental USA by:
- UPS Ground 1-5 days on-time delivery on mainland USA based on distance to location
- UPS 3 Day Select Guaranteed delivery within three business days to 48 contiguous states
- UPS 2nd Day Air Guaranteed delivery by the end of the second business day to all 50 states
- UPS 2nd Day Air AM Guaranteed Two-day Delivery by 10:30 AM or 12:00 Noon to commercial destinations.
- UPS Next Day Air Saver Guaranteed on-time Next Day delivery by 3:00 PM.
- UPS Next Day Air Guaranteed on-time delivery by 10:30 AM, 12:00 Noon, or the end of next business day depending on location
- UPS Next Day Air Early AM Guaranteed Early Morning Delivery by 8:00 AM in 48 contiguous states
* A physical address is required for all UPS shipments. No PO Boxes
Is your web site secure for online payments?
We do not accept payments online at this time for any services other than our Invitations & Announcements. We do accept Visa and Master Card in person or by phone. Checks and Cash are also accepted. Once your order is placed you will be contacted by someone on our staff to get payment. Orders must be paid in full before the job is released into production.
What is your turnaround time?
The estimated production turnaround advertised on this site is based on the typical number of hours or days that a print job is completed under normal circumstances, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Production would start when all of the following are met: all print-ready artwork is uploaded, full payment is received, and artwork proofs have been approved in writing.
Production turnaround starts the next business day.
Note that transit time for shipping is always additional to production turnaround and it is therefore advised that this be taken into consideration upon placing the order.
While we exercise due diligence to meet your target finished date, unforeseen delays in delivery services, breakdown of equipments, illness, inclement weather and other occurrences may impact our ability to meet the deadline.
File Format Guide
Print-ready files are accepted in the following formats:
File Extensions
Description/Program Used
.ai,
Adobe Illustrator drawing or vector graphics file
.eps
Encapsulated postscript image file created using Adobe Illustrator; designed for high resolution printing of illustrations; standard file format for importing and exporting PostScript files
.tiff
Tag Image File Format; preferred bitmap graphics format for high-resolution postscript printing
.jpg or .jpeg
standard format for photographic image compression developed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group
.psd
Bitmap file created using Adobe Photoshop
.indd
InDesign Document from Adobe Systems
.pdf
Portable Document File from Adobe Acrobat
Size & Bleed
Files need to be built to the final trim size plus 1/8" bleed on each side. Therefore, if you are ordering a 5 x 7 postcard, the graphic file's size should 5.25" x 7.25". When generating the file into the proper format, do not use any crop or printer's marks as these will increase the dimensions of the design file.
Image Resolution
For best printing results, we recommend files you have a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Submitting files with resolution lower than 300 dpi may result in the print turning out pixilated or blurry.
Color Mode
All full color artwork and/or images must be saved in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color mode. While black and white artwork and/or images must be in grayscale color mode.
Files submitted in RGB or Pantone color mode will be converted automatically to CMYK. Converting these to CMYK would cause a shift since they are not of the same color spectrum.
Safety Zone
Do not place any critical images or text beyond the safety zone, which should be at least 1/8" within the final trim size. This will ensure that they are well within the finished piece when it is trimmed.
Font & Lines
When creating files on vector based software such a illustrator, inDesign, or Freehand, all text must be converted to outlines before generating the final PDF file. If working out of Photoshop, simply flatten the image. Do not use fonts smaller than 8 pts. Note that small or very narrow fonts may not render well on print against dark backgrounds.
Keep all lines at least .25 pts thick. While thinner lines may be visible on screen, they may not show on print.
Artwork with Borders
When trimmed, the border should be 1/4" thick. Therefore, it should be set up to be 3/8" from the bleed line. There is a cutting tolerance of 1/16" which may cause uneven borders. We do not recommend borders. However, if they are necessary in your artwork, keep the minimum border thickness to make it possible for us to cut as evenly as possible. We do not guarantee perfect trimming.
Guide to Image Resolution
Resolution refers to the number of colored dots or pixels that make up an image. It is commonly expressed in dpi or dots per inch.
Resolution Rules-of-thumb:
- The higher the dpi, the greater the resolution, the better the image quality. But don’t go overboard. Higher resolution images create larger file size.
- Image resolution is directly and inversely proportional to an image’s physical size. When you increase the resolution of an image, reduce its size. When you enlarge an image, lower the resolution. Otherwise, the image will print poorly.
- For printed images, the ideal resolution is 300 dpi for images and 400 dpi for text at the final printed size.
More Helpful Tips:
- Your screen resolution doesn’t accurately reflect your image resolution because monitor displays usually have about 72 to 116 ppi. To view print resolution of your image, zoom in up to 300-400%.
- When taking pictures from a digital camera for your print project, it’s best to set your camera to the highest resolution setting.
- Four-Color Process Printing uses the CMYK color mode. Convert RGB images to CMYK using graphics editing software such as Adobe Photoshop.
Paper Type Categories
14 pt. Cardstock Gloss (AQ)
Thicker hefty cover paper type that gives a rich substantial feel finished with gloss varnish for sharper and brighter images. Can endure tougher wear and tear. Perfect for impressive postcards and business cards.
100 lb. Gloss Book
Full bodied paper coated with a glossy finish for better reflectivity and durability. Well suited for brochures and catalogs.
#10 Premium Smooth Finish 70lb Bright White Paper
This heavy premium paper type has a sleek ultra-smooth finish with high brightness that delivers crisp images. Commonly used for business envelopes and office stationery.
14 pt. Cardstock C2S
This is sturdy cardboard paper type with coating on both sides for a high-gloss surface. Popularly used for folders, calling cards, covers, etc.
Sticker
This paper type is printed on one side with a sticky back side covered by peel-away paper. It can be coated or uncoated, permanent or removable adhesive, weather-proof or not.
Gloss
Premium paper with luster-finish, can handle very little ink load and creates excellent high color definition. It is usually used in magazines. It is ideal for photographic reproductions and posters.
Matte
Premium coated paper with an even, dull and non gloss finish but still offers great ink-holdout and excellent color images. It is ideal for photographic reproductions and posters.
14 pt. Uncoated Thick hefty cover paper with no coating. Can be written on with ease because of its paper finish. Perfect for Note cards and appointment cards.