As a book printer, we frequently receive inquiries about incorporating distinguishing elements into medium or long run book projects. Specifically, clients seek features that offer a distinctive appearance without significantly increasing costs.
Below are five ideas that could boost the appeal of your next medium to long run book project, whether it be a manual, directory, handbook, novel or any other type of book.
1) Non-Traditional Dimensions - One of the benefits of having a book custom printed is that you can choose a non-standard size and/or orientation. Tired of the usual 6" x 9" or 8.5" x 11" book size? Grown weary of the portrait orientation? Your book does not have to follow suit. Perhaps a landscape or square orientation is more appealing to you. Or maybe creating a mini book or an oversized book is how you prefer to differentiate your book.
2) Spot UV - Spot UV refers to the application of a UV Coating to a specific area of a printed piece rather than coating the entire surface. Applying Spot UV to a book's cover is a creative way to add contrast through varying levels of sheen and texture. Spot UV can be applied over inked images to enhance a printed design. Or, it can be applied directly to the paper substrate to create the design by itself, without the use of any ink.
3) Embossing or Foil Stamping -Embossing and Foil Stamping are creative finishing techniques that can add high-impact designs to a book's cover. Embossing refers to the method of pressing an image into paper or cardstock to create a three dimensional design. Foil Stamping uses heat and pressure to apply a metallic foil design to a printed piece. The foil is usually a gold, silver, or copper tone, though a variety of colors are available. These two techniques can be used separately, or combined to create a metallic design in relief.
4) Laminated Cover - Another great way to enhance the appearance of a book is to bond a clear plastic film onto the book's cover. Laminate film is available in a variety of finish choices, with the most popular being gloss, matte and "soft touch." In addition to giving the book an impressive look and feel, the laminate film adds a protective barrier to increase stain resistance and durability. This helps extend the life of the book.
5) Rounded Corners - Rounding both corners opposite the spine is an easy way to set a book apart. Rounded corners not only add a pleasing aesthetic quality to the book, it also helps reduces the occurrence of bent corners and dog-eared pages. By reducing wear and tear, rounded corners help the book maintain its professional appearance.
If you have any questions about an upcoming book project, give Formax a call at 866-367-6221. Or, if you already know your specifications, submit our easy quote request form. We look forward to assisting with your next book project!
Take care! Rick
