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Countryside Publishing Company, Inc.

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Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs

Have you ever had a question and either didn't know where to find the answer or were too afraid to ask? If so, you've come to the right place.

As the name would suggest, this section is a compilation of answers to the questions our clients commonly ask. Here you'll find answers to common questions our clients ask. Just start by following one of the links below.

  • Can I put text over an image?
    Be careful about using photographs for backgrounds. If you put text (any color) on top it can be very hard to read. So the secret is to lighten the photograph a lot--more than you may think is necessary. Use a photo editing program like Paint Shop Pro or Adobe PhotoDeluxe.
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  • Can I use colored text?
    It’s best not to colorize small text. What happens is that all printing presses have a little bit of variance in the consistency of the position of the different color plates. This is called misregistration. The cyan, magenta, yellow and black portions of the text characters don't line up exactly. So the result is little colored halos around the characters. It's ok to use colored text on large, headline type, or smaller sizes down to about 12 point size, but much smaller than that will be too noticeable and you won't like it. The same thing holds true for white (knock-out) text on a dark or colored background. You can do it but don't use point sizes smaller than about 12 point. Otherwise the words may be hard to read and it will look unprofessional.
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  • Do I need to send you my fonts?If you use only the fonts that came with MS Publisher then no. We have them here too.

    But if you use any other fonts from other sources then we do need you to gather up copies of them and archive them together using a program like Winzip and send them to us with your layout file.

    If you don't know how to do this then just carefully go through your document and make a list of the fonts used. Send that list to us in an email along with your order reference number so that we can find good substitutes for your typefaces.

    Will my printed piece look exactly like it does on my computer monitor?
    There are some small differences. Scanners and digital cameras create images using combinations of just three colors: Red, Green and Blue (called "RGB"). These are the colors that computers use to display images on your screen. But printing presses print full color pictures using a different set of colors: Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow and Black (called "CMYK"). So at some stage your RGB file must be translated to CMYK in order to print it on a printing press. This is easily done using an image editing program like PhotoShop or Corel PhotoPaint.

    Caution: It's Best If You do the RGB-to-CMYK Conversion of Your Images!
    You will have more control over the appearance of your printed piece if you convert all of the images from RGB to CMYK before sending them to us. When we receive RGB images, we do a standard-value conversion to CMYK, which may not be perfectly to your liking. We want you to be happy, so please, take the time to prepare your file properly. We cannot be responsible for sub-par results if you furnish low-res images or RGB images.

    Be aware that it is possible to make colors in RGB that you can't make with CMYK. They are said to be "out of the CMYK color gamut". What happens is that the translator just gets as close as possible to the appearance of the original and that's as good as it can be. It's something that everyone in the industry puts up with. So it's best to select any colors you use for fonts or other design elements in your layout using CMYK definitions instead of RGB. Please see our RGB - CMYK Information page for important instructions on getting the results you want.
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  • Is Our Service Right for Every Job?
    Is there a place for color copies and inkjet printouts? Sure: small quantity and non-critical quality. If you want to send 10 letters with a family picture included, or produce 25 employee newsletters for your small business, inkjetting is perfect. If you want 75 1-sided handbills, let your local copy-shop make them for you.

    But, if you want to:
    • Send professional-looking mailers to 500 customers, printed full-color on both sides
    • Quickly produce 2,000 spec sheets for a trade show
    • Put together 7,500 8-page product catalogs
    • Upgrade your newsletter to brilliant full color
    • Create eye-catching posters for an event or cause
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  • What are bleeds, and do I need them?
    Bleed is the term for printing that goes right to the edge of the paper. The way to do this is to make your document .25" too big in both dimensions. For instance, if the final size is 8.5" x 11" then make your document 8.75" x11.25". Draw guides on the layout that are .125" from the edge all the way around. Now create your design with the idea that the layout will be cut off where those guides are....because that is precisely what is going to happen. Make sure that any photographs or backgrounds that you want to bleed go clear out to the perimeter of the document, past the guidelines. Then after we have printed your piece we will trim off that extra .125" all the way around and voila! You have color all the way to the edges of your piece. It looks professional....
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  • What types of images will work ok?
    If you are scanning the images yourself from photographs it is better to save them in either tif, or eps format. These image formats will preserve the color and sharpness of your pictures the best.

    File formats like gif or jpg compress the pictures color and pixel resolution and this can cause color shifts and blurriness. Since jpg and gif are the most predominant image formats on the web, it follows that it's not a good idea to simply lift an image from someone's website and use it in your layout.

    You should scan your images using a resolution of 300dpi at the final dimensions you intend to use them so that your colors will look smooth, and hard objects will look sharp. In other words don't scan at 300dpi and then enlarge the picture by 200% in your layout program! This is another reason why you should not use images that are lifted from websites; they are probably only 72dpi in resolution and will look very blurry if printed on a printing press. See our Resolution page for more information on resolution.

    If you are using pictures from your digital camera they will work just fine if they are jpgs; the quality of jpg images from digital cameras seems to be much better than jpgs that are used on the web. You must do the math to make sure that it is high enough in pixel resolution though. For instance, if your camera puts out a typical image of 1280 x 960 pixels at 72dpi you get about 17" x 13" of photograph (at 72dpi); this is the same amount of detail as an image which is 4" x 3" at 300dpi so it's safe to reduce or enlarge that image in Publisher up to about 4" x 3" in dimension.
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  • Why Doesn't Everybody Get Their Documents Printed in Beautiful Full Color?
    Because, until CountrySide Press, there were three big problems with commercial printers:
    1. They are EXPENSIVE!
    2. They accept a very limited number of digital file types.
    3. They can be a hassle to deal with.
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  • Why Four Color Printing? (CMYK)
    Why Four Color Printing? (CMYK)Unlike inkjet printers or color photocopiers, full color (C-M-Y-K) printing provides accurate, detailed, brilliant reproduction of your originals at a low cost-per-sheet. Look at any magazine cover - Time, People, National Geographic - for an example of 4-color process printing. This is the kind of printing found at "commercial printers", not your local quick-printer shop.
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  • Can I order 2-color printing from you?
    We suggest you get the best value for your dollar and go for full color, instead of two-color!

    Nonetheless, you may use any of our product pages (with the exception of postcards, business cards, presentation folders, catalogs and calendars) to order two-color printing. Simply place your order as usual, then specify in the comments section that it's a two-color job and what PMS colors you have selected. Since we are so efficient at producing high-quality four-color work, two-color pieces will be priced the same as four-color pieces. Two-color postcards, business cards, presentation folders, catalogs and calendars will generally be converted to four-color process equivalents before printing. If you need to produce 2-color business cards or postcards using spot inks, you can request a quote online.
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  • Can I send you documents created in MS Word or PowerPoint?
    Absolutely! If you have created documents in Word or PowerPoint that contain photos, clip-art, or other color images, send them in. Same great service, same great pricing.
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  • Can you print jobs that are different than the standard formats that you offer?
    Yes. Use our form on the Request An Estimate page to request a quote on any job that doesn't fit our standard formats.
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  • Do I need to impose my business cards 8-up or 10-up if they will be printed more than 1 to a sheet?
    No, send us a single layout of your job unimposed, we will handle any imposition needed on our end.
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  • Do you have templates to help me correctly design my project??
    Templates are available on some of the product ordering pages. Our Design Templates page has a list of currently available templates. Look for more in the near future.
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  • How can I get my order even faster?
    Our standard service is quite fast. For most products we ship your order within 4 days after you approve your proof online, via UPS-ground. In most parts of the country, that means you will have your order in about 6-10 days. If you want to receive your order faster, select one of our faster handling options or upgraded shipping options when you place your order.
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  • How can I know what a particular CMYK color combination will look like?
    To purchase a color guide with over 3,000 process colors with their CMYK screen percentages, please visit CreativePro or CDW.
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  • How can I tell what resolution the image from my digital camera is?
    Some digital cameras will let you know what the image resolution is, while others will tell you what the pixel dimensions of your image are. If you know what the pixel dimensions of your images are either from the camera itself or through the image editing software, you can do a little math to determine the resolution, and the size you can print the image at for clear and crisp printing.
    Simply write down the pixel dimensions of your image and divide those numbers by 300 if the image does not include text and 400 if the image does include text. For example: An image without any text has a pixel dimension of 600 x 900 pixels. Once each dimension is divided by 300 the result is 2 x 3 inches. This means that you can use this image at 2 x 3 inches or smaller in your layout for quality printing results.
    If your image editing software does not tell you what the pixel dimensions are, but it does tell you what the resolution is, then you know the maximum size you can use that image in your layout. We recommend that images be at 300dpi in their final size in the layout and 400dpi if the images include text. Please keep in mind that resolution and physical dimensions are in direct proportion to each other. If you have an image that is 2x2 at 300dpi and increase its size in the layout to 4x4 the new resolution is now 150dpi. So remember, when you bring an image in to your layout you can shrink it down in size (because the resolution will increase) but you will be limited as to how far you can increase it in size. See our Resolution page for more information on image resolution.
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  • How do I check for proper imposition or backup?
    "Imposition" and "backup" refer to how the front of a printed piece is oriented to the back. In the case of a brochure, you normally turn it over right-to-left (like you turn the page of a book) in order to have the back side read correctly -- not upside down. Seems simple, until you get to a postcard where one side is layed out in landscape (horizontal) orientation, and the other side in portrait (vertical) orientation. We use our best judgment when imposing a job, so that it backs up in the most natural or normal manner. Some designs, however, contain both portrait and landscape elements on both sides, making it difficult to make a clear call. When reviewing your proof online, we will always post the front and the back in the orientation that they will print in relation to each other. So, if page 2 appears upside down, that is how it will be printed on the back of page 1. (Some people want it that way, so that the recipient of the piece must turn it over top-to-bottom in order to read it correctly.) Be sure to print out a copy of your online proof, and attach the two sides to each other to create a "mockup" or "dummy." This is especially important when a job will be folded.
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  • How do I go about getting an estimate from you?
    Well, since you are here, we would suggest you use our online estimate request form. Otherwise, the best way to ensure that we get all the information necessary to do an accurate quote, give us a call and talk with one of our customer service representatives.
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  • How do I order multiple pieces?
    To keep things simple, please place a separate order for each different printed piece you want produced. For example, if you want 3 different 11x17 brochures, please place 3 orders. Obviously, the price for 3,000 of one brochure is not the same as the price for 1,000 each of 3 different brochures.
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  • How do I place an order and have my graphic designer upload my files separately?
    When you place your order, select the "I will be having someone else upload my files." option. The link beneath this option allows you to send an email to the person with your files, giving them both your order # and a link to the page they will use to upload your files. When you finish placing your order by clicking the "Send Order" button, you will receive a confirmation that includes your order Number. Give your designer your order number and have them upload the files from our File Upload page. Do not have them upload the files without your order number, or we may not be able to match them with your order.
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  • How do I view my proof?
    Just enter your order number in the Order Status box at the top of any page of our website and click the GO! button. If your order is at the proofing stage, the resulting page will have a link to view and approve your proof.
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  • How long does it take for me to get the proof of my job?
    Once you have placed your order, you should get it within 1 business days after we receive your electronic files.
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  • How much bleed should I have for an envelope?
    1/16 inch is the correct amount since it will wrap a little to the back of the envelope.
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  • How should I take pictures with my digital camera?
    Digital cameras are wonderful tools that allow us to capture our images in many different ways. The camera is designed to actually take three pictures; one in red, one in green and the other in blue (similar to the way a projection TV works). It then combines the colors together and saves the image onto the picture card. It is very important to make sure that the camera is set to the highest quality setting possible. This means that if you can only save one image on the picture card instead of 12, 64 or 128 images, then this is good! You want to create the best quality picture that the camera can make. This will mean large file sizes and slow downloads from the camera itself, but it will get you the best possible results from your camera. Remember, images should be at 300dpi in their final size in the layout!
    More often than not, we notice that images that come from digital cameras print darker than expected on the printing press. Check to see if you have a brightness option in your image editing program to lighten the entire piece. If you have the opportunity to change the color space from RGB (red, green, blue) to the printing press colors of CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), then do so! It is always better to have you change the color space if you can, than for us to do it. Remember, not all colors that you can see that are created by elements of light (RGB) can be created by the elements of ink (CMYK) on press. If you do not have this capability with your software, do not worry about it, we will change it for you for free! Finally, we recommend that you apply a little sharpening to the image. This will make the image a little crisper and will print better on press.
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  • How well will my job match what I see on my monitor?
    Most people are surprised at how well their job matches what they see. But because of wide differences in monitor calibration and the different technologies used, some printed colors may not exactly match the colors on a your specific monitor. We do our best to make your job look good. See our design hints page for a more technical description.
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  • If I'm sending a Publisher file, should I compress it with "Pack and Go," or should I just send the normal *.pub file?
    While we can work with either type, we prefer to get the normal, uncompressed file. Please do not use Publisher's "Pack and Go" feature. If you are sending Publisher files with linked graphics (generally NOT recommended in Publisher), please gather all the associated files into a single Zipped file, and send us that. Compressing files with Winzip or PK Zip (or StuffIt on the Mac) is also the preferred method for Quark, Pagemaker, Illustrator, InDesign or any file with linked graphics. If you are using a font that is not included with Publisher, please send it along with your Publisher file. You can either Zip them together, or upload the font as an additional file upload (or include it on cd or zip-disk if you are sending files via mail.)
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  • Is there a discount if I re-order my job?
    Yes, exact reprints will be charged $50 less, $20 less on cards and $10 less on business cards. But notice how little additional copies cost. It's way cheaper to print a few extra the first time. To place a reprint order, simply go to the pricing and ordering page for the product you want, and enter the quantity and other specifications as usual. In the Select Your File Transfer Method section, choose Exact Reprint of Previous Order # , then enter in the number of the job you want reprinted. Enter in your billing and shipping information and we will post a proof for you to approve right away! (This guarantees that we are reprinting the job you want.)
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  • Is there an extra charge for bleeds?
    No. Unlike many other companies, all our prices include full bleeds free of charge. See our Design Hints page for an explanation of bleeds.
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  • Once you have placed your order, you should get it within 1 business days after we receive your electronic files.
    Most jobs will be shipped within 4 business days after you approve your proof online. Please check the specifc product ordering page for available turnaround times. Shipping by UPS takes from 1 to 6 business days to get to you depending on your location.
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  • Shipping Services
    Our online shipping prices are valid within the continental United States. For Alaska and Hawaii, please order using 2nd Day Air service. We are also happy to ship to you anywhere around the world. Please provide us the exact shipping address (street address if available), along with the quantity and product type you want to order, and we will let you know the additional shipping costs. Please note that some services are not available to all countries.
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  • Should I do anything special if I'm on AOL?
    If you use America Online (AOL) for your internet connection, you should be aware that AOL can limit your inactivity on the web and disconnect you from the internet if you are not a current, active user. Uploading files appears to be inactivity to AOL. It is recommended that you keep your AOL email account open at the same time you are uploading your files. This can trick AOL programming into thinking you are still active on the internet, thereby preventing the possibility of getting disconnected during your file upload.
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  • What about privacy and security?
    No information we collect for order processing or from inquiries is shared with any other company or website. Your information is only used to contact you when necessary. Credit Card information is only used to bill you for products and services ordered.
    Our secure shopping cart uses the latest secure server technology. Your order is submitted and retrieved with a secure connection to our server and remains secure at all times.
    Most experts consider that ordering securely on the internet is as safe as or safer than giving your information over the phone or to stores. Most cards have a Zero Liability policy for internet use and limit your liability in the case of fraudulent use of your card.
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  • What if I want to change something on my order after I've placed it or approved the proof?
    We require an electronic "paper trail" for all changes made after your initial order is placed.You may make changes to such things as quantity, shipping method, or shipping address by going to the Change Order Request page. Please note that some changes cannot be made after certain stages in the production process -- for instance, the quantity cannot be changed once your job has been printed.
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  • What is a "proof"?
    A proof is a way of ensuring that we have set your type accurately and that everything is positioned according to your requirements. Typically, we will produce a proof which will be sent to you online or printed on paper which can be viewed in our store or delivered to you in person.

    On multiple color jobs, we can produce a color proof on our color output device to show how the different colors will appear.
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  • What is the difference between the RGB and CMYK color space and why does it matter?
    RGB refers to the primary colors of light, Red, Green and Blue, that are used in monitors, television screens, digital cameras and scanners. CMYK refers to the primary colors of pigment: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. These are the inks used on the press in "4-color process printing", commonly referred to as "full color printing".
    The combination of RGB light creates white, while the combination of CMYK inks creates black. Therefore, it is physically impossible for the printing press to exactly reproduce colors as we see them on our monitors.
    Many programs have the capability to convert the layout/images from the RGB color space to the CMYK color space. We request that you convert your colors from RGB to CMYK if your tools allow you to. By doing it yourself, you have maximum control over the results. You may notice a shift in color when converting from RGB to CMYK. If you do not like the appearance in CMYK, we recommend that you make adjustments while working in CMYK (usually lightening).
    Generally, you should specify CMYK color builds that look a little lighter than you want, since the dots of ink "fatten up" on press, giving you more pigment on paper than you see on your monitor. Be especially careful to keep backgrounds light if there is black or dark colored text over it, so that the text remains readable. See our RGB and CMYK Information page for more details.
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  • What is your phone number and operating hours?
    You can call us at Countryside Press at (866) 265-6023 or (813) 925-0195 from 9am to 5pm EST Monday through Friday. You can send an email at any time.
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  • What kind of paper will my job be printed on?
    We have several paper types available, depending on what you are ordering. The individual pricing pages show available options.
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  • What other file formats can you take?
    We can take any Mac or PC version of Quark, Pagemaker, InDesign, CorelDRAW!, Illustrator, Photoshop, Freehand, Publisher, Word, PowerPoint, any file output as a PDF or listed on our File Formats page..
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  • What types of storage media do you accept?
    We can take your files on a CD, DVD or Zip disk
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  • Where can I check shipping transit times?
    We primarily use UPS for standard ground shipments. You can view UPS Ground Time-In-Transit map by entering our zip code, 34677 on this page. Since these are not guaranteed times, please allow an extra day in your schedule, or upgrade to a faster shipping option.
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  • Where can I get more information on file and image resolution?
    Our Resolution page has a comprehensive explanation of resolution and tips on how to properly prepare images to achieve the best quality printing.
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  • Why do I need to look at a proof if I've already given you everything I need to have done?
    We employ human beings to produce your work and, last time we checked, humans are not perfect. Your approval on the final proof is assurance that you have looked over every aspect of our work and approve it as accurate. It benefits everyone if errors are caught in the proofing process rather than after the job is completed and delivered.
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  • Will I always receive exactly the quantity I order?
    Most of the time, we ship you slightly more than you ordered, free of charge. On occasion, we ship slightly fewer pieces than you ordered. Printing industry trade standards allow for underages of up to 5%. If you plan to send your print order to a mailing list or need a guaranteed quantity, we recommend that you order 5% over the minimum quantity you need.
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  • Will you match a sample I print out on my own printer, or a previously printed sample?
    At Countryside Press, part of the way we offer fast turnaround and low pricing is by printing to a "pleasing color" standard, using standard ink densities. Therefore, there is no guarantee that your finished piece will approximate your printed sample. This is due in part to the widely varying results from different output devices including inkjet and laser printers, continuous tone proofing devices, high-resolution film-based proofs, and different than true offset lithography. Even from one commercial printing firm to another, there can be significant differences in results. In particular, inkjet and laser prints are known to look substantially different than true offset lithography.
    If you require precise color match, please contact us to arrange for a digital color proof. Once you approve the additional fees (starting at $40), we will produce and send you a hard proof via overnight delivery. When you approve and return the proof, we will strive to match the color of the proof when printing your final piece.
    There are substantial additional charges for precise color match service. Also, if you request color correction or other changes after you see your proof, there will be a minimum of another $40+ charged for color correction time and a new proof.
    Bottom line: the final product we produce for you is unlikely to match the output from your inkjet -- it will look more professional!
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Countryside Publishing Company, Inc.
477 Commerce Blvd. • Oldsmar, FL 34677
Phone: 813-925-0195 • Toll-Free: 866-265-4058
Fax: 813-925-0859 • E-mail: webmaster@countrysidepress.com