Articles
What Is The G7 Gracol Print Standard?
In the 1960s and 1970s, there was no actual standard regarding printing. Everyone was printing in different grayscales creating many other forms of print. But everything changed in 1974 when the G7 Gracol Print Standard was designed.
What is the G7 Gracol Print Standard?
GRACoL® stands for General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography, a set of criteria for determining a proofing and printing system's grayscale and tonal curve. A GRACOL specification is for the reproduction of color in sheetfed offset lithography.
Why Was The G7 Gracol Print Standard Created?
In 2006, Don Hutcheson, chairman of the International Digital Enterprise Alliance GRACoL (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial Offset Lithography), developed G7. Its purpose is to solve the problem of the computer to plate (CtP) printing systems, as well as other devices that print images with different tonal value increases (TVIs) or dot gains.
Using the G7 method for printing calibration is a manual process. It is not device-dependent, which means that it can be used with any printing device that can manipulate a raster image processor or computer to plate curve information that dictates how digital signals from an image are printed.
Learn More About The G7 Gracol Print Standard
This print standard is used globally and plays a significant role in print marketing. To learn more about this method or Foote Printing, call us today at 216-431-1757. You can also fill out the form below!
The Smart Guide to Brochures: Formats, Mailing Tips, and Proven Content Ideas
Posted By Foote
April 24, 2026
Category: General
Your brochure has only a few seconds to earn a glance in the mailbox, a click to your website, or a call to your team. Make those seconds work. At Foote Printing, we help clients turn brochure printing into real responses. I’m Michael Duhr, and our team guides you from fold choice and layout to smart mailing that protects your budget. Below are the practical insights we share every day to help your brochure convert. Start With Purpose and a Clear Story Before you pick a fold, decide how the brochure will be used. First touch piece that introduces your brand Leave behind that reinforces a sales conversation Direct mailer that needs to trigger an action fast Then shape the content: Lead with what you do and how to reach you Use a single, clear call to action Align copy and visuals to a simple story arc Pro tip for any format: treat the front panel as a strong headline and offer. Your logo matters, but the benefit should get the first glance. Win attention, then reveal who it is from. Choose the Right Brochure Fold The format should serve the message and the mailing method. Here is how we think about the most effective options. Trifold Brochure Why we love it: Three inside panels make a natural story, part 1, part 2, part 3. If you cannot explain your business in three steps, it may be hard for readers to follow. Mailing edge: Standard 8.5 by 11 folded to fit a number 10 envelope, often the lowest letter postage rate. Content tip: Use the cover as a headl
Book Printing Costs, Binding Options, and Timelines | Foote Printing
Posted By Foote
April 24, 2026
Category: General
Picture this. You crack open a box and hold your finished book for the first time. The cover shines, the pages feel right, and your story is finally real. That moment is why we do what we do at Foote Printing. Your Big Idea, Made Print Ready Authors and creators often ask the same questions when they are ready to print a memoir, a manual, or a collection. How much will my book cost to print? Which binding should I choose? How long will it take? As a shop that produces books every day, we can give you clear answers that save time and money while protecting quality. Below are the essentials we share in every consultation, straight from Michael Duhr and our team. What Drives Book Printing Cost Several factors influence your budget. Share these details with us early to get a fast, accurate estimate. Quantity. Per-unit cost drops as your run increases. Page count. More pages mean more paper and a different binding choice. Binding type. Saddle stitch is the least expensive. Hardcover is the most expensive. Color vs. black and white. Full color throughout costs more than black and white or spot color. Paper and cover stocks. Heavier or premium papers add cost and elevate feel. Special finishes. Dust jackets, foil, and other embellishments increase unit price and lead time. For perspective, hardcover is typically the priciest route. On many short to mid-sized runs, it can be challenging to land under eight to ten dollars per unit, depending on specs. Binding Options and W
Why Your Printed Logo Looks Blurry and How We Fix It Fast
Posted By Foote
April 24, 2026
Category: General
Nothing kills the excitement of fresh business cards or a new folder like a fuzzy logo. You hold it up, the colors pop, but the edges look soft. That cheap, blurry look is not your brand. It is a file problem, and we solve it every day at Foote Printing. The Real Culprit: A Rasterized Logo If your logo prints blurry, odds are you sent a raster file like a PNG or JPEG. Raster images are made of tiny squares. On a backlit screen those pixels can look fine. In digital print or offset print, those squares show up as jagged edges, especially on curves and diagonal lines. Even a small logo on an envelope can look off if it is raster and not high enough resolution. A vector logo is different. It is built from points, lines, and curves defined by math, not pixels. That means infinite scalability and crisp edges at any size. Raster vs. Vector, Explained Raster: PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PSD. Pixel based, can blur when scaled, better for photos. Vector: AI, EPS, SVG, and many PDFs. Math based, scales cleanly, perfect for logos and icons. Yes, you can crank up DPI on a raster file, but unless the image is extremely high resolution at the exact print size, edges will still soften. Vector avoids that altogether. Quick Ways To Check Your Logo Zoom test: Zoom in close on a curve. If you see tiny squares, it is raster. If the line stays perfectly smooth, it is vector. File type check: Look for. AI or. EPS. Many PDFs are vector too. PNG and JPEG are almost always raster. Photoshop files a
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