PrintDK

Our Bordo Bello decks

2011-10-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at AIGA's Bordo Bello on Friday and we picked up some sweet new skate decks, too. Artist credit goes to (clockwise from left) Wesley Schauble (@hellowesley), Rick Vanderleek (@rickvanderleek), Gary Wiese (@phonylawn) & Troy DeRose (@troyderose).

Supporting the Communty

2011-08-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

We've had a busy summer at the shop, but that doesn't mean we haven't made time to support some of our favorite local events. Check out some of the great festivities that D&K has had the privilege to be a part of this summer.

Cactus' Bike From Work Bash was a huge success, hosting +1,200 attendees and raising more than $1,200 for Bike Denver. Free beer was provided by MolsonCoors and Illegal Pete's offered up some delicious burritos. Fun was has by all. You can check out BFWB's website here and The Denver Egotist's event recap here.

Coming up on August 19 is COMMON Pitch. COMMON is Alex and Ana Bogusky's newest undertaking with the goal of building "a creative community for rapidly prototyping social ventures. All done under a unified and collaborative brand." Those are some big words that basically mean that COMMON is a group of people who want to use creativity for good. COMMON Pitch is an event where people present their ideas for social good....while enjoying some libations and good music. You can learn more about COMMON here. You can learn more about COMMON Pitch here.

Next up, on September 23, is the Art Directors Club Denver (ADCD) Annual Show. The event honors the best creative work produced in Colorado over the past year. With more than 40 different winners in 15 different categories, there will be some amazing work on display during the ceremony at the Denver Art Museum. You can learn more about ADCD here. You can buy tickets to the event here.
Also, ADCD is still looking for sponsors for the show. Check out the great opportunities here.

Last but not least, we're getting stoked for AIGA's Bordo Bello. This year's event will include +225 original works off art from local and national artists. But there is a catch. Each piece of art uses a skate deck as the canvas. All of the proceeds go to AIGA Colorado's mentorship programs. You can learn more Bordo Bello here. Be sure to check out the slideshow of last year's boards here.

We hope to see you all at the events!

Boulder Tops The List Of Happiest Places To Live

2011-05-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Gotta Love A Hand-Written Thank You Note

2011-04-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Last week the wife received some clothes she had ordered from Land's End. A few days later, this showed up in the mail. Who doesn't love receiving a hand-written thank you note. It is pretty awesome that a company as large as Land's End would take the time to do this for its customers. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

2011-03-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

We're not sure of the reason for the correlation, but the printing industry abounds with Irish men and women. That's why it's no surprise that the anticipation for St. Paddy's Day is starting to near a fever pitch around the shop. This season we're handing out some Irish goodness to our friends and colleagues in the form of Irish libations and letterpress-printed coasters printed here at D&K.

Let us know if you want in and we'll send or bring you our gift. Tis the Season!

Some 2010 Highlights

2011-01-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

Recently we asked our friend, photographer Tim De Frisco, to photograph a few of our favorite projects from 2010. Here are the highlights...

Thanks, Tim

Screen printing at Ink Lounge

2010-12-13T07:54:00.000-08:00

The wife and I took Nicki and Stuart Alden's screen printing class at their studio, Ink Lounge, in Denver this weekend. We had an amazing time. We would highly recommend the class to anyone.
Having been in the offset printing industry for so long, it was awesome learning other techniques. Plus, it was great getting our hands dirty.
It's tough trying to design a 8"x13" piece of art that you would want to look at all year long. So I went with my go-to...

...Abe Lincoln riding a buffalo.

Check out more images and the art from our classmates here.
Learn more about Ink Lounge and their offerings here.

Thanks Nicki and Stu!

Boulder is the "brainiest" city in the U.S. of A!

2010-12-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

According to Portfolio.com, Boulder is the brainiest city in the United States. The basis for honor?
"Portfolio.com used U.S. Census Bureau data to analyze the levels of educational attainment in 200 metros, ranging in size from New York City to Burlington, Vermont."
Gotta love seeing Boulder represent!

Click here to read the article and here to see what cities made the top 25.

This clip from The Simpsons really sums up our excitement at this news...

The Paperless Diploma

2010-11-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

Lots of good info at Domtar's Paper Because site.

How Ink Is Made

2010-11-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

This is a great video that we stumbled upon on at The Boston Egotist, the sister sight of our favorite blog, The Denver Egotist. We're passionate about printing because of its fusion of artistry, craftsmanship and science. This video captures that passion.

Couldn't We All Use Some More Fridays?

2010-10-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

We recently collaborated with Philosophy Communications to print adhesive labels that commemorate the new menu at Denver-area TGIFriday's All American Bar and Grills. We printed the stickers (which were then placed on ceramic plates) on our brand new, state-of-the-art Canon ImagePRESS C6000 which is perfect for high-quality, short-run print jobs.

Hot off the Press: The Fall 2010 Portfolio Magazine for the CU Leeds School of Business

2010-10-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hot off the Press your Fall 2010 Portfolio Magazine from Leeds School of Business on Vimeo.

Reflections from the 2010 ADCD Annual Show

2010-10-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Art Directors Club of Denver Annual Show last week. The MC (Naughty Pierre from Lannie's Clock Tower Cabaret) was hilarious, the trophies were beautiful, the crowd was great and the work was inspiring. We were honored to be presented with the bronze medal in Print Excellence for a book we collaborated on with our good friend Keith Harley from Communication Arts, Inc.
While we are very proud of the recognition we received for our work with Comm Arts, there is one aspect of this year's show that we are even more pleased about. D&K printed more of the award winning pieces in this year's show than any other printer. The award winning pieces include Comm Arts' Vail Valley Medical Center Yearly Community Report, Motive's Native Eyewear Catalog and Vermilion's Pilatus Vantage Point Brochure.
That has me thinking about what D&K means to our clients and what we want our role to be in the Colorado marketplace.
Over the past 45 years, while newer technologies and machinery have focused on making printing quicker and cheaper, D&K has only invested in that which can do so without sacrificing an iota of our most valued principle: quality.
This commitment has earned us a reputation in our industry and we believe that the facts speak for themselves. In 2010, when artists looked for a printer to team up with for their high-end projects (soon to be ADCD award winning work), more people chose D&K than any other printer.

We want to thank everyone for putting their trust and faith in D&K. We understand how much you invest in your projects and we don't take lightly the responsibility that we take on as your chosen printer.

I Need A Wintervention

2010-09-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

Every year around this time, I start getting that inch...no not VD. Ski season is just around the corner. Time to renew my ski pass, hit up Sniagrab and start buddying up to my friend's with places in the mountains.
But now the true sign that ski season is upon us: Warren Miller Entertainment has released the movie trailer for their 61st installment. We at D&K have been fortunate to print for Warren Miller for the past several years and around our shop Warren Miller season is in full swing.
We can't wait to see the new flick "Wintervention" when it hits town...

Printing Eldora Mountain Resort's 2010-2011 Season Ski Maps

2010-08-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Eldora holds a special place in the heart of any true Boulderite. Its the place we learned to ski and still frequent. We are proud to print this season's trail maps.

D&K in the ADCD Annual Show

2010-07-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

We just received word that D&K placed in the category of Print Excellence in the Art Directors Club of Denver Annual Show! We will find out what place we got at the show in September.

We produced the piece with Communication Arts in Boulder for their client The Vail Valley Medical Center.

UPDATE: Our friends at Vermilion Design just informed us that we won an award for this piece we did with them for Pilatus Aircrafts, as well

R.I.P to D&K's delivery truck

2010-07-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

The wind in Boulder this weekend took out one of the large Cottonwood trees that line the creek behind our shop.
Our delivery truck took the brunt of the fall...

The view before the tree removal company got to work on Monday.

The view from inside the cab.

The tree is so large that it almost reached our delivery car,

which was parked on the side of the building.

It was tall enough to fall across both of our shipping docks

and cause damage to the roof.

While we're saddened to lose our great delivery truck, we are very happy that the tree chose to come down when no one was near by.

The dock area is a popular spot during break time and for shipments/deliveries throughout the day.

Folding +2,000,000 Denver Broncos Pocket Schedules

2010-06-30T12:45:00.001-07:00

Check us out - Boulder's #1 Commercial Printer

2010-06-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

See the whole list at: http://tinyurl.com/27zfhwh

Check us out - Boulder's Top Ten Family Owned Businesses

2010-04-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

Sure we're number 10, but that is still in the Top 10.

From the Boulder County Business Report (http://www.bcbr.com)

Marvelous March

2010-04-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Now a week into April, we at D&K are fully realizing what a great month March was for us. We added equipment, capabilities, staff and produced some amazing work.
Here is an update of what we were up to last month. A big thanks goes out to all that made it happen.

We hired a new Customer Service Representative, Jim Crewdson, a former employee of L&M Pressworks (which was seized by the government in June) and a new head pressman for our 40” 4-color press.
We increased our map producing capabilities by purchasing a 40” map folder. Giving us the capability to fold 40” wide sheets down to a size that will fit in your pocket.
After experimenting with new technologies in ink and vinyl substrates, we have added vinyl printing to our skill set.
The purchase of an automated wire-o machine will make the production of wire-o bound books faster and cheaper.

When we count our blessings at D&K, there is much to be grateful for. While, in this economy, our staff is smaller than it used to be, the talent of our group is at record highs. The quality of the work we have been producing is among the best in Colorado and we would gladly compare it to that of our competitors.
From business cards to annual reports to posters to brochures, we continue to make your projects look better and provide unmatched service along the way.

Now is a pivotal time for D&K and for the printing industry. We want to make sure that you all know that its times like these when we shine. We are eager for an opportunity to prove to all of our great customers and the great companies that don’t use us yet, that D&K is still producing great work after more than 45 years in Boulder. And our eagerness and ability to provide excellent printing is as strong as ever.

ADCD Paper Fashion Show

2010-03-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time at the ADCD Paper Fashion Show last night.

Click here to see more of our images.

Top 6 Communication Tips When Working With Commercial Printers

2010-02-22T09:06:00.000-08:00

We love keeping up with what our clients and friends are reading. That is why we subscribe to Margie's Print Tips. The author, Margie Dana, is an east coast print buyer with a great newsletter and blog about how buyers can get more out of their vendors and projects.

We especially liked today's print tip...

Top 6 Communications Tips
when Working with Commercial Printers
Common-Sense Guidelines for Print Buyers & Creatives
By Margie Dana

Give your printer as much detail as you can, as early as you can.
You need to provide very detailed job specs (specifications) if you want a fair estimate. It will help prevent "surprises" when the job is done (I'm using air quotes in this sentence). Remember, every print job is unique. It's built spec by spec.
Tell your printer how you prefer to be communicated with.
Ideally, your printer will ask you, but if not, be clear about how often he or she should be in touch with you during production, and by what means. Some people prefer phone calls; others, email.
Do everything in writing.
Job specs change during the production cycle (quantities & delivery instructions, for example), and you need to keep track. Changes can affect your price. Paper trails (or email trails) are critical.
Admit what you don't understand, and seek a clearer explanation from your printer.
I never understand people who are too proud to speak up and say, "I have no idea what that means," when they hear a too-technical explanation. Printing has a language all its own. If anything is unclear about what's happening with your job, just say so.
Make your priorities crystal clear.
Different jobs have different priorities. Is it the delivery date? The quality? The cost? Out with it! Again, your printer should ask you, but if not, make sure you bring it up.
Ask your printer for input & creative suggestions.
You may know exactly what you want and why, but perhaps you don't. It's extremely smart business to ask your printer for ideas. Maybe there's a better way (more creative, more cost effective, quicker, "greener," and so on) to produce what you want. Maybe a different paper would work better. In my mind, this is where the real value of a printing company lies: in how they assist in getting you the best product possible, to match your budget and your expectations. Get your printers involved, as opposed to merely giving them "job orders."

Work we love

2010-02-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

There is nothing we love more than seeing the work of our favorite people out in the world. We noticed Adrenalin Inc.'s Denver Bronco's 50th Anniversary logo everywhere this season - from billboards to posters to bumper stickers. The logo also got some love from the Denver Business Journal. Last week we found a set of skis whose owner dug the logo, too.

KNOW YOUR SPECS: Successful print projects start with good specs

2010-01-11T16:24:00.000-08:00

Below is the second edition of a new series of guest blogs from D&K's clients. Our aim is to have a guest publish a new column each week with helpful advice, criticisms, forecasts, etc. Stay tuned. If you're interested in being a guest blogger for the column, please contact us at blog@dkprinting.com.
Let us know what you think about our blogs by posting comments at the bottom of the page.
The author (the same author as our first guest blog post) buys nearly one million dollars worth of printing each year and has been in the industry for more than 10 years.
Enjoy....

Writing good print project specifications is the foundation for building a successful project. If you do not pull together all of the specifications, you are starting off on the wrong foot. Which immediately opens the door for errors, assumptions and construed interpretations.

Here are my guidelines for writing specs that will start your project off on the right foot:

Description: What is the description of the project? How will it be referred to by both internal and external audiences? Give it a common, yet specific name so box labels, email references, etc are easily traced. If your designers, creative team or others involved on the project have specifications that are still in-flux or have not been finalized, call those out so all involved are aware of the changing nature.

Use: How will the piece be used? It is for direct mail, a handout, sit on a shelf, face-to-face meeting? Answering this question will help those involved think through more details of the project. Is the mail panel in the correct location? What envelope is needed for mailing? Is the counter top brochure holder big enough to hold the piece?

Finished Size: What is the final size of the piece? There is often confusion regarding this specification. Easiest way to think about it, if you walked up to one printed, final produced piece sitting on a table, don’t touch it, just measure it. What is that size? Indicate width and height directions so no assumptions of landscape or portrait orientation are made.

Flat Size: Going from the above (piece laid on the table), open the piece up so page spreads are laid flat, pockets are opened all the way up, etc. That is your flat size. Indicate width and height directions so no assumptions of landscape or portrait orientation are made.

Page Count: How many pages are in the piece? If you took a pencil and numbered every page/panel you turned to, how many pages would it be? Is it a self-cover or plus-cover style brochure (Is the cover paper thicker than the inside pages? If yes, then its “plus-cover.” If no, then its “self-cover”

Ink/Colors/Coatings: How is the piece designed - four color process, spot pantone colors, spot varnish? Any special coating treatments requested - flood gloss aqueous, dull aqueous, satin aqueous? If you don’t know, involve the print sales representative to help you determine best methods for the project. How the piece will be used is important to determine coatings, inks, etc.

Paper: If you have a preferred sheet, specify it. If you don’t, let the print sales rep know what you are looking for, ask for guidance. Ask for paper dummies to see the paper recommended in the size/folding/configuration of your piece. Are there environmental considerations of your project. Let the sales rep know that information as well.

Bindery: What needs to happen to the printed sheet of paper to make it a finished piece? Die Cut, Emboss, Glue, Fold, Saddlestitch, Collate, etc. If you aren’t sure of the manufacturing terms, or what it will take to get it done, have a conversation with the rep.

Quantity: How many do you need? Even if my client has given me a firm quantity of what they need, I always bid three price points around that one number to show them possible price breaks.

I view print specifications as a springboard for the conversation with my valued print rep to begin a successful project together. With all things, print projects have a tendency to morph and change as they are built and finalized. Keep your print rep apprised of those changes, so accurate print quotes can be given.

Doing More With Less: How to buy print in the new decade

2009-12-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

Below is the first edition of a new series of guest blogs from D&K's clients. Our aim is to have a guest publish a new column each week with helpful advice, criticisms, forecasts, etc. Stay tuned. If you're interested in being a guest blogger for the column, please contact us at blog@dkprinting.com.
Let us know what you think about our blogs by posting comments at the bottom of the page.
The author buys nearly one million dollars worth of printing each year and has been in the industry for more than 10 years.
Enjoy....

As the year comes to a close with headlines of more marketing budgets being slashed and more layoffs from Marketing/Creative Services/Communication departments are prominent, I’m prompted to write a few thoughts on what we all can do as professional communicators to advocate for printed materials. Just as in other aspects of our life, when we are faced with financial challenges, we have to be wise consumers. We have to be able to do more with less.

1. Quantity:
Do your research to create very targeted distribution plans and accurately predict the quantity of printed materials needed. If you are producing a printed piece, that means there is a reason for its production which means there should be a fine tuned distribution plan to go along with it. If it is a general use brochure, make sure you know how many have been used in the past and over what time period.

2. Quality:
The quality of the printed piece needs to match your brand. You cannot sacrifice quality for price at the expense of not delivering on your brand promise.
When I go to a very nice restaurant and am handed a Kinko’s produced menu, I immediately begin to question the attention to detail in all aspects of the experience. My $50 bottle of wine is not being served in a paper cup. Why has the quality of the menu presentation been overlooked?
I was recently looking at high end spa packages in Beaver Creek, none of the brochures I picked up matched the quality of services they were supposedly offering. By saving cost on printing, these companies are representing their brand poorly and losing out on business.

3. Paper:
With the paper market continually evolving, do not set yourself up for unneeded challenges by choosing paper that isn’t readily available or has no equivalent substitutes. This is one of the steps in the process you should involve your print sales rep at the onset of the project/conception. It is also a place to save significant money. If you are painting the sheet with heavy coverage, choosing a #1 grade sheet, typically isn’t worth the added cost.

4. Environmental/Sustainable Considerations:
Print local: save time, energy, and shipping costs. Gang-run internet printing may be appealing from a cost standpoint, but that is it. Support your local businesses, so that when this economy swings to more lucrative times, we have local vendors to chose from. Large conglomerate print shops are not interested in providing exceptional quality. They are only providing the price point to get the work in the door, at the expense of quality. Refer back to #2.

We live in a tactile world. No matter how much of our commerce and information is found online, people still have a propensity to printed materials.
Watch in a restaurant where you order at a counter. People invariably ignore the large menu boards, and pick up the same printed menu to hold in their hand to peruse.
Students and families choosing a college still want to see printed materials matching the quality of education they will be paying for.
Print is a tangible, portable representative of your brand. If the message is worth sending, make sure that you consider the above factors to make the delivery potent and memorable.

Another Respected Colorado Printer Closes

2009-11-14T09:21:00.000-08:00

With Spectro, National Hirschfeld, L&M and now Kendall closed, the Colorado offset printing community has seen much change over the past few years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people left jobless. There are still some of us that believe in the power of printed word and the artistry of offset printing. Competitor or not, there is a sadness and cold reality when a fellow printer closes its doors.

From the Greeley Tribune newspaper....

Kendall Printing Co. latest to shut down after New Frontier closure
As winter crept back into Greeley on Friday, employees at a long-standing Greeley printing company huddled beneath clouds of cigarette smoke and the bright light beaming out to their once-thriving loading dock.
The 15 or so employees consoled each other, they laughed and cried, comparing their 11 or 15 or nine years of service in Kendall Printing Co.'s total 25 years.

“We're all a big family here. It's not about a job, it's about who everyone is together,” said shipping manager Sheri Rozeski, who had worked at the company for three years. “We're a team.”
By 5 p.m., the business had been closed for two hours in a decision that stunned every one of the 34 employees left there after years of struggle and success, and after owner Mark Kendall said he had done everything he could to save the company housed at 3331 29th St.
Read the full article

To all of Kendall's loyal customers:
We wish to be respectful during this tough time, but we also realize that there are still deadlines to meet. We would like to offer our assistance to any left scrambling for print services. D&K will work to honor Kendall quotes and guarantees the highest quality of service and product. Please feel free to contact us at sales@dkprinting.com

Native Eyewear brochure

2009-11-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

Here is the first pic of the Native Eyewear brochure. In the shot, the brochures are getting assembled on our saddle stitcher. For the cover we utilized a strike-thru varnish technique that glosses the word "NATIVE" and the "N" logo on the bottom corner, while giving the rest of the cover a dull finish.
Give us a call or shoot us an email if you'd like to see a sample of the piece.

Mac or PC - You gotta love The Simpsons

2009-10-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

We love the throwback to this classic Apple ad

Finndustry: 15 Reasons to Embrace Social Media as a Creative

2009-10-25T13:18:00.000-07:00

We came across this link through our friends' at Communication Arts twitter post. Its a good list of the value of Social Media that doesn't glamorize it too much.

By Alex Mathers

Social media has taken the world by storm (or at least small proportion of it!) over the last few years. As a successful creative freelancer you risk being trampled on by the commotion unless you rise up and embrace all that it has to offer.

Read the list here...

A Few Good (Creative) Men

2009-10-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

DON’T SAY IT, PROVE IT

2009-10-19T08:50:00.000-07:00

This post from one of our favorite websites, The Denver Egotist, welcomed us back to work this morning. Its about advertising but happens to translate great to the world of print sales, too.
Click here to read the article. Thanks, Felix!

The new Warren Miller movie looks AWESOME!!!

2009-10-17T19:03:00.001-07:00

High-defintion printing vs Conventional printing

2009-10-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

One of the big things that separates D&K from our competition is our high-definition printing. Our presses print stochastic, which has three times higher resolution than conventional printing.

Click here for an article from Neenah paper on the advantages and disadvantages of stochastic printing. It sounds to us like Neenah is trying to be unbiased. They do sell to conventional printers after all.

Nowadays, a handful of Colorado printers have the ability to print stochastic. Some charge more for the service and others avoid printing it all together. D&K has been printing everything we do in stochastic for over 8 years. We have never charged more for it. The fact that we print it day in and day out means that we are the most experienced high-defintition printing company in the state...and beyond. Printing stochastic is more difficult than printing conventional, but done right, the benefits are unparalleled. That is what you can expect every time you print with D&K.

Email us at blog@dkprinting.com and we'll send you a sample of our HD printing.

Some images of our recent work. Enjoy!

2009-10-15T22:38:00.001-07:00

Colorado Lotto Match Play wallet cards from Cactus Communications

NexGen pocket folder from Oblique Design

Whole Foods - Holiday Menu

The University of Colorado

Marren Miller Entertainment

Crocs

Epicurean Catering (from LabMercury)

The Colorado Rockies

Eco-Products

2010 Denver Broncos Cheerleader Calendar