End papers (also called end sheets or end leafs) are the leaves at the front and back of a hard cover book. They are pasted to the inside of the cover boards and the first leaf of the interior to secure the binding.
At ArtBook Printing we believe printed endpapers to be the finishing touch of a coffee table book. We include printed end papers in the base price for the printing of your book. You can select any color that compliments the book. Read more
We answer that question with a resounding yes, and here’s why:
Many people suspect that we print and bind books in China because of cheap labor. While it is true that labor rates are generally lower than in the US, this is not the main reason. In fact, master pressmen earn wages competitive to their US counterparts. Paper and equipment costs in Asia are similar to those in the US. Of course, international container freight adds a lot to the overall cost of printing an art book offshore.
Why then is China the best art book printing location? Here are the main reasons.
As printing evolved in the 20th Century, US printers invested in large presses capable of producing long runs. Large magazines and catalogs, newspaper inserts and massive direct mail campaigns are still the staple of commercial printers in the US.
To be an art book printer requires massive investment in highly specialized equipment. It is truly a specialty. To print a coffee table book, US publishers traditionally worked with printers in Italy and Spain. However today, the best quality art book printing is done in China, Singapore and South Korea.
We require a press that can print perfect registration and delivers consistent color on every sheet. New technology offers many improvements in these areas. In the US, the average offset printing press is 15 years old. We print art books on presses that are on average less than four years old. Because art book printing typically means short runs and high page count, the capability to change plates very quickly is of crucial importance. Only a few decades ago it would take two hours and 500 sheets of paper to change from one signature (typically 16 pages) to the next. Today, a modern Komori press is capable of changing plates in just a few minutes with 50 or fewer sheets wasted. Considering that a 96 page book in 9” x 12” requires twelve such plate changes (48 total plates), it is easy to see how such a press has a distinct advantage. In addition, while the older presses require no less than three operators (five workers in union shops), the presses now being installed in Asia can be run by one press operator and one assistant.
Our partners have sophisticated pre-press departments that make accurate proofs and book prototypes. The ability to print and bind under one roof also offers significant advantages in the area of quality control. The Asian plants we represent are exclusively specialized in printing and binding the highest quality art books – it’s all they do. The cost advantage and superior quality make it a clear choice if you are looking to produce a coffee table book fit for a museum store.
It’s true that printing a full color coffee table book or exhibition catalog in Asia is not without challenges. Language, time, currency and cultural barriers stand between the US publisher and the promise of top quality book printing. And international shipping means understanding import/export logistics, ocean containers and US Customs. Clearly, this is a leg of your art book printing journey you do not want to travel alone. We have worked with our Asian partners for many years with excellent results. As part of our US representation of their plants, we have agreed on complete but rather complex purchase orders and financial arrangements that address the interests of all parties.
It comes as a pleasant surprise that the actual production of hard cover art books in China actually takes less time than in the US. It is one of other advantages found in working with an Asian book printing company that is 100% dedicated to the production of ultra high-end coffee table books. When every part of the book is made under one roof, production can flow very rapidly from proofs to press to hard cover case making.
Good planning means allowing plenty of time for careful proofing, production and shipment of your precious cargo. But, if needed, we can produce a complex art book printing project quickly and efficiently, even though our customer and our printing plant are up to 8000 miles and twelve time zones apart. We can arrange for shipping of books via FedEx, but this is expensive. However, in the greater scheme of things, it is entirely feasible to send a small quantity of books via airfreight for a special event such as an exhibition opening.
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“Expensive-looking” art book production is a desired quality. It means your customers are willing to pay a premium for your book. There are several high-end features that cost significantly less than the value they add to your book project. Here is a partial list of ideas that we recommend to create high quality book printing:
A hard cover binding is the most obvious example of a moderate increase in investment with a large return.
It is not always true that a larger page size adds proportional value to a book. We produce small books (7”x 9” and smaller) that are truly exquisite. However, if your art demands a large-scale presentation, it is good to explore larger sizes. Ask us to address different sizes in your proposal. You may be surprised to learn that a larger page size does not always translate into a larger budget!
Plain white end sheets, while common, are uninspiring. In contrast, a colored end sheet says “timeless elegance”. We can match any Pantone color to compliment the book design. Most often we print a solid color wash, but you can print any pattern or halftone. Simulating marbled endpaper can be very effective in both traditional and modern layout.
Allow your collectors to enjoy the art in your book over several sittings to avoid sensory overload! Ribbon markers, which are available in many colors, are probably the most overlooked option in art books but for the low investment of $.15 – $.18 they are a wonderful addition.
A transparent flysheet screams “deluxe”. Usually placed between the end sheet and page one of the interior, a flysheet can be blank or printed in one, two or four colors. If carefully designed, a flysheet can elevate the design to a whole new level.
French folds (for a hardcover jacket) and French flaps (for a soft cover) add a distinct touch of quality and care to a cover or jacket at a very reasonable cost.
Please visit our portfolio to see examples of these options. If you have ideas not listed here, please contact us!
“A delicate balance” is probably what best describes our approach to a new project. On one hand, our clients demand that their book reflects the unique beauty of their art. Just as it is near impossible to put a rational price tag on art, a great art book entails infinitely more than ink and paper. On the other hand, as connoisseurs of the art of bookmaking, our priority must be to find the absolute highest value for each dollar invested. Before we present a budget, each enhancement is carefully discussed, quoted and cataloged to make an educated, tight budget for a wise investment.
An art book publisher who is strictly shopping for the cheapest price is generally not a good match for ArtBook Printing. Yet, our clients have to be secure in knowing we have found the very best price for each ingredient in their book.
From the graphic designers to the managing director, everyone at ArtBook Printing thoroughly understands print manufacturing. We are masters at sourcing premium quality at the lowest price and we always contract direct with manufacturers who have proven to meet our standards.
As the talent of a fine artist blossoms and their skills mature, the demand on their tools naturally increase. Only specific brands of quality brushes, paints and canvasses are allowed in their studio. At ArtBook Printing, it is no different. We have identified certain papers and processes that meet the needs of the most judicious clients, both from a quality and cost perspective. We create value by combining these quality materials with manufacturing efficiencies to give us a distinct cost advantage.
Significant purchasing power, skillful selection of available resources and a truly artistic approach greatly benefit our clients, but there is no room for shortcuts or compromise when it comes to the art of producing an art book.
In modern graphic design, as in modern art, rules are made to be broken. Creativity cannot be stymied by archaic ‘dos and donts’. But the rules (like the tools and media) must be mastered before they can be challenged creatively and effectively. For example, Michelangelo had a better understanding of human anatomy than most medical doctors do!
Design of an art book is entirely different from publication or advertising graphic design. The principles summarized below did not come from a college textbook. They were distilled from actual comments from our clients whose vision we helped make reality.
Once these rules are diligently applied, it is time for creativity to be unleashed!
ArtBook Printing finds great economy by limiting the options for the various “ingredients” of a book. For example, we offer five high quality interior paper choices and three hard cover board calipers. We do not offer a standard size for a coffee table book. We can make any size!
“Size” is expressed first by the dimensions of the text pages, not the dimensions of the cover. For example, a 6” x 9” book has a page size of 6” wide by 9” tall. If the book has a hard cover, the physical size of the book will be larger due to the cover overhang.
Orientation can be portrait, landscape or square. The decision to make a book portrait or landscape is usually determined by the orientation of the art that is featured.
In printer lingo, the horizontal dimension is always listed first, followed by the vertical dimension, as you would hold the book to read the text. A 10” x 8” indicates a landscape format and 8” x 10” a portrait format. If economy is an issue, it is best to use a standard size, such as 8.5” x 11”, 9” x 12”, 11” x 11” or 12” x 12”.
In Asia, paper is custom cut for each book, giving us a larger range of options. A half-inch larger or smaller is easy to do. However, most printing presses for full color book printing allow for maximum size of 28” x 40”, with a “live” area of 26” x 39”. This is why the preferred page count in a book is either a multiple of 8 (for landscape and portrait) and a multiple of 12 (for a square book).
A book is a three-dimensional object. Thickness, the third dimension, is a very important consideration. Naturally, the number of pages is the most important determining factor, but the caliper of the paper makes a large impact. 157gsm (100#) paper is our standard, but stepping up to 180 gsm or 200 gsm can give a book with lower page count a boost in perceived value at a relatively small extra investment.
We are happy to explore several sizes and formats to determine the best size for your book during the quote process. Then, when your preference is locked in, we provide you with a complete paper dummy to those specs so you can touch and feel the exact book before you commit to production.
