What is a Trapped Image?

If a design is rendered in such a way that an image of one color is "trapped" within another color or is adjacent to another image of a different color, it is referred to as a "trapped image". This intended effect is also referred to as "close registration" or "hairline registration". Close or Hairline registration refers to an image wherein the edges of an image are so closely registered that the space between images (colors) is less than the width of a human hair.

 

Close registration or Trapped Images present a challenge in the printing process from both the perspective of creating the negatives and in the printing of the piece on the press. Properly rendered design files alleviate potential for error and it is therefore encouraged by us to have your artwork/design files professionally created.

 

For example of Trapped Image or Close/Hairline Registration, click here.

Dolphin Blue provides Printed Papers utilizing…

·          ONLY Printed Letterhead and Stationery items that are produced on 30% to 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

·          Soy inks or vegetable-oil based inks that are permanent and produce less, or no, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the printing process. (VOCs create environmentally damaging emissions, leading to adverse human-health conditions and other harmful air-quality conditions.)

 

Your order can be an investment in a Sustainable World.

Styles of Print available:

·          Thermograph (raised ink, creates raised letters/text or logo images)

·          Flat Print (printed so that the ink is flush with the paper's surface)

·          Foil-stamped (reflective medium used in place of ink - looks like foil)

·          Embossed Image (raised surface of paper, creates impression raised from reverse side of paper to front side of paper, rendering letters/text or logo images)

Common Paper Surface Textures (not all are available):

·          Smooth - no texture on the paper surface.

·          Vellum finish - very slight, almost indistinguishable, textured surface.

·          Linen finish - looks like fine Irish linen, crosshatched, very finely textured, raised lines running in both horizontal and vertical directions of the paper's surface.

·          Laid finish - looks like an Asian, tiny, bamboo-blind in the paper when held up to sunlight.

Printing Ink used to produce environmentally responsible Letterhead and Stationery:

·          Soy Ink - printing ink made with Soybean oil as the base to which color pigments are added.

·          Vegetable-oil based ink - printing ink made with various vegetable oils as the base to which color pigments are added.

We print your order from the following file types:

·          .eps

·          .tif

·          .PDF

please provide your art/design file to Dolphin Blue at minimum 600 dpi (dots per inch)

Acceptable design programs:

·          Adobe (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, PDF)

·          QuarkXPress

 

If you have no artwork, please visit our Graphic Designer Directory to find a graphic designer with whom you can work to produce your design files.

 

The Dolphin Blue Graphic Designer Directory is offered to any customer needing design and layout assistance with the pieces that will be produced by Dolphin Blue. Please search for a designer listed on our Graphic Designer Directory page to assist you in creating professional Business Communication Pieces that we will print for you on the environmentally responsible paper of your choice.

If you have artwork/design files:

 

When uploading your art/layout files, please send a .PDF (minimum 600 dpi) with the design file. To be able to view your art/layout file, it is mandatory we have a .PDF that we can easily open. Our print plant is located in another building, away from where we view your .PDFs (they have Macs, we have PCs).

 

NOTE ON COLORS: If you need a non-standard color for thermograph-printed (raised ink) pieces, please call us (214) 565-0355 [outside Texas 1(800) 932-7715)].

 

Dolphin Blue does ALL printing with soy-based inks, except where thermo-graphed, foil-stamped or other processes prevent us from doing so.

If you do not provide print-ready artwork/files, there may be additional charges for setup and make-ready -- minimum charges will be $75.00 for such prep work.

 

The following may incur additional costs, above and beyond the costs displayed on pricing page(s):

·          Papers that are not shown ($50.00 extra - the papers shown are easily available because we have them in stock - other papers may need to be special-ordered and cut to size, incurring additional costs. Linens, Laids, Felts, Vellums, etc. may be available. For these special papers, call 1(800) 932-7715, or, see our Ordering Swatch-books page.

·          Trapped images, close registration, or hairline registration in your artwork/design ($34.00 additional). For example click here.

·          Edge Bleeds in your artwork/design (extra $14.00 per edge - if bleed appears on ALL edges, $56.00 extra). For example click here.

Swatch-books of all papers we offer are available. 

To order a swatch-book click here. Any purchase of sample swatch-books will be refunded and applied to your purchase, if made within 21 days of your swatch-book/sample purchase.

We endeavor to be absolutely certain you get the printed items you want and the right color to fit your needs. To assist us in that endeavor, please read all the information provided above so we can provide 100% satisfaction on your order with Dolphin Blue.

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