Offset printing, also known as offset lithography, refers to a common printing technique in which an image is transferred (or offset) from a plate to a rubber cylinder or blanket and then to the printing surface. This printing method consistently produces the highest quality prints in large volume for the lowest cost. Newspapers are products that are typically printed using the offset method.

First available in the early to mid-1990s, digital printers offer a faster and less expensive printing option for smaller project quantities. In digital printing a digital artwork file is created (frequently in a desktop publishing software like Adobe® inDesign), prepared by the print shop prepress professionals, and sent directly to the printer with no plate or set up required.

The chief determination of selecting color digital printing over offset printing is the job volume. If you will need less than 1,000 pieces for your project, the color digital option will give you excellent quality at a considerable discount over the same quantity done through offset. Other considerations for determining the best option between the two methods include the type of paper that is required for the project and any finishing that may be required.

We’re glad you asked!  This is such a crucial question when producing a great product that we’ve developed our own checklist to guide you in preparing your file for print (as well as a pdf of the Design Checklist that can be downloaded for reference). We also have a growing list of “Prepress Help Topics,” articles dedicated to specific areas of design. Our Design Templates page provides an assortment of templates we have created to help you design your project to our common print specifications. Print a copy of our Design Checklist for your desk so you can have assistance whenever you need it, but don’t hesitate to call us at 614.261.1011 if you need more help.

We can accept and prepare most files for digital printing, including page layout programs, graphics programs, pdf, doc, eps and many others. Please contact us if you have a question about a specific file type, we’ll find a way to complete your project.

Yes, Kenwel does provide full color as well as black and white digital copy service.  We can provide local delivery within our service and delivery area.  Please call ahead for digital copy service at 614.261.1011.

One of the main benefits stems from breadth of experience and the ability to adapt to changing job requirements quickly to create the best possible product. Because of our years in the business, we have a valuable network of trusted resources and subcontractors that help us meet all our customers’ demands.

Another important benefit of  working with a full-service printer is that we provide project management to arrange and organize a complex printing project for you, one where you perhaps have multiple end items you are trying to create with your artwork. This saves you valuable time and money, and it ensures consistent look and quality. Don’t underestimate the value of your time when self-servicing printing.

Finally, color and file management, color and file management, color and file management! Self-service shops are cheap, but they also lack the ability and expertise to help you adjust file color to your exact specifications. They print what you provide them. Period.  If the color isn’t right, or the alignment is wrong, they ask you to fix it. Countless hours can be spent trying to adjust through trial and error. Having experts on-site trained in color management and design software can make all the difference in the success and timeliness of your project.

There are two ways to request a quote for your printing project:

• You may speak with one of our sales staff during normal business hours, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, by calling our central phone number: 614.261.1011. A discussion is usually a good starting point for determining if an in-person meeting may be helpful.
• You may access our new Request a Quote form online. Please be as thorough as possible when completing the form; required fields are identified. Our sales staff will contact you with a cost for your project as soon as possible.

This is entirely dependent on the size of the job, the quantity and the process.  We do provide a rush service if you have an urgent deadline.

We accept payment by cash, check or money order payable to Kenwel Printers, Inc.  You may also pay in our office or by phone using your VISA or MasterCard.

We typically provide free delivery within a 25 mile radius of our office in the Central Ohio area. Standard and customary delivery charges are assessed outside of this area.

We can and do ship outside of the city or state. We work frequently with UPS, USPS and FedEx services for fast and trackable delivery processing.

We offer color digital printing, two- and four-color offset printing, mail and fulfillment services, variable data processing and printing services, custom envelope printing on high-speed presses, design and graphic preparation services, file storage and manipulation, a full-service bindery, and much more. We have a wide network of resources that we work regularly with to extend our in-house capabilities and help our customers as much as possible.

We print a variety of products including but not limited to newsletters, brochures, custom posters and marketing materials, folders, business and personal stationery, books/booklets and catalogs, magazines, paperback and perfect bound books. We work with local partners to print T-shirts and novelty items such as mugs, mousepads, keychains and items of this nature.

We do not print fiduciary documents such as checks. These have safety regulations and must be printed by specialists in this field.

We have the capability and capacity to print all elements of an invitation package. We have print designers on staff in our prepress department who can help you with font, color, paper and design selections to make your invitation as special as the event.

There is no minimum order quantity. We have worked on projects for both large- and small-sized companies and those in between. There are certain quantity limitations that make digital color printing over offset printing, and vice versa, more economically advantageous to you. Helping you get the best quality at the lowest cost will be part of our goal.

We can provide a list of both large-, medium- and small-sized companies that print regularly with Kenwel. Please contact us for a meeting so that we may talk.

Graphics or photos that are intended for a print project should be set to 300 dots per inch (dpi) or more accurately, pixels per inch (PPI). In general, images with this level of pixel detail will yield a high quality print project.

In general, we highly discourage it. Web images are typically only 72-150 DPI because a browser needs a much smaller sized image in terms of pixel dimension in order to load quickly. The same image that looks good on your website will look grainy and out of focus when printed in high definition on paper.

The best format for a digital file when printing is a press-optimized PDF. We are equipped and prepared to accept and print your project in a variety of page layout programs, graphics programs or document programs. Our trained prepress professionals will work with your files to provide high quality printed results. Please contact us with any questions about your files.

We use desktop publishing software such asAdobe® InDesign and QuarkXpress to design and develop quality projects. A true page layout or desktop publishing software allows you to work fluidly across graphic platforms; to identify colors as spot/PMS or specify CMYK mixes for accurate replication; to package and attach font sets for print shops; and to test and convert artwork to make it press-optimized and print ready. All this assures a better quality product in the end, and speeds up the time it takes to get a project completed. Word processors and desktop tools like Microsoft Publisher, while very handy for personal or office use, are not recommended when designing a complex color project for print production.

Absolutely. We have a staff of experienced prepress professionals with knowledge of layout software, graphics, copy writing and editing, proofing, and creative design. We can provide creative assistance and file development as part of your budgeted project.

Postscript is a computer language that assists in interpreting graphics and fonts for standardized replication, particularly via press and printer interaction. Postscript (PS) is the work of developers who founded Adobe Systems and worked cooperatively with Apple in the early ’80s to develop the language as a driver for laser printers. While high end printers still use PS to dramatically reduce CPU work in printing documents, Postscript’s descendant PDF — or Postscript Document Format — is the one that has become the standard for electronic document distribution.

Postscript Document Format (or PDF) was invented by Adobe Systems (see What is Postscript?) and is the open standard for electronic document exchange. The format converts your documents, forms, graphics and even web pages to printable snapshots of the original that can be read across all platforms. It removes the barrier of having the same software/versions of software in order to share documents or artwork.

A PDF is essentially a “snapshot” of your final print project. At this stage of design, there should be little to no editing required. However, our experienced prepress department can provide a moderate amount of editing if needed.

A PDF must be properly prepared in order to print. Depending on your software, this should include at least the following:

• Colors in your artwork should be assigned as spot/Pantone (see ) or CMYK, never RGB. Please be advised that raw photos are RGB and should be converted to CMYK before finalizing your project.
• Bleeds should extend 1/8″ past the edge of the finished page size.
• Fonts are unique to every computer and many are copyright protected. You should either embed the fonts to your PDF or convert the fonts to outlines.

A proof is a sample of your artwork that we develop prior to going to print. The proof allows you to review the item carefully for layout, colors, and text and correct any errors you may find during this process. Your acceptance of a proof is our guarantee that we can go to print knowing you are satisfied. We encourage you to review it carefully.

Yes, we can provide a pdf file proof to check spelling, layout and general positioning of copy. Because of the differences in color gradient between RGB and CMYK (see FAQ, Color Management) we believe in sharing this proof in person either at your place of employment or in our office. This allows you to review the artwork accurately so you are confident of your final product.

A bleed is an additional margin beyond the edge of your project’s finished page size. Kenwel Printers requires this margin to be 1/8″ (0.125). Bleeds are used in projects where an image, graphic or color extends fully to the edge of the paper. To produce your project, we print a larger size and trim back to arrive at the completed size, thus allowing color to “go to the edge.”

This term applies to the ongoing effort of maintaining very close matches in color across all devices within a digital imaging system.  A system can be comprised of many digital instruments: digital scanners, digital cameras, monitors, computer printers, and offset presses. As a product travels that system in its creation, each component of the system must translate the product’s color as identically as possible to attain an excellent outcome. The International Color Consortium (ICC) has defined a cross-platform view of color management to “standardize” the interpretation of color for its daily use which includes the implementation of standard color profiles in computer operating systems and related devices. We use the most advanced color matching systems to produce consistent, accurate color on all of your printed pieces.

The simplest answer is one of acronyms: RGB versus CMYK. Monitors create color by emitting light through the red, green, blue (RGB) color spectrum, which produces a wide gamut of the color spectrum. Printed images derive their color through cyan, magenta, yellow, black (CMYK) inks that filter color as light is reflected or absorbed by the paper. This produces a more limited gamut of the color spectrum. Consequently, the same art designed and displayed on a color computer monitor RGB, may look quite different when printed on paper in CMYK.

In offset printing, spot color refers to any color generated by an ink (either pure or mixed) and printed in a single run. Spot colors are typically derived from four CMYK spot colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black), but some more advanced processes add orange and green (CMYKOG) to create a six color spot process called hexachromatic.  The Pantone Matching System (PMS, see below) help print professionals and designers determine a standardized continuum of spot colors available for artwork.

Pantone LLC is a leader in color management within the industry. It is well known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS),  formulas to define and label the color spectrum for various media in order to assist color specialists, printers, and designers. PMS is used primarily for print projects, but also for colored paint, fabric and plastics. Pantone has developed color paddles based upon their formulas (one for Solid Matte colors is shown below). The paddles are very helpful tools that provide a resource of defined and numbered colors for standard reference. Professionals can accurately and consistently reference color by number (e.g., Red 200U) during all stages of creation.

A sample of the Pantone® Solid Matte Formula Guide

Yes, we can both scan your files and save them to a CD so that you have access to them for future projects.  As we explore opportunities to use cloud storage to share files more easily and across mobile platforms, this process should become easier. We will update our FAQs as our processes change, but you can always contact us if you have specific questions.

Yes, we maintain archived files of previous projects for all our clients. This is as much a matter of courtesy as practicality. We understand very well the importance of having access to prepared files to begin a project and we know how easy it can be to lose track of files in the workplace. We store files as a safety net for both you as a customer and us as your printer.

Yes, this is especially important to us for workflow and you for speed and accuracy. Currently we use a cloud-based file transfer service called ShareFile, which allows you to bundle files and upload them to us instead of attaching your files to e-mail. You may access it through our Send Us Your File page.

Variable data printing allows you to customize a print project for each intended recipient. This adds marketing value by connecting on a personal level with your recipients.

Based on variables that you provide in a spreadsheet or data file — a word or words, an image or images —and working with a properly designed graphic file that calls each variable into its proper location, a personalized message is created for each recipient of your finished piece.