Overprinting spot colours in Quark Xpress...

Many designers attempting to overprint spot colours will try to adjust the trap settings using 'edit' > 'colours' , selecting the individual colour to edit and clicking 'edit trap' (see below).

A much easier and surefire way to get it right is to select the element to overprint, go to 'window' > 'trap information' , then change the 'default' setting of knockout to overprint. Simple!

You can check how your file will print by exporting as a pdf file (file > export > layout as pdf) and choosing composite & spot colours in the colour dialog box.

Open the pdf file up into Acrobat Professional and choose 'advanced' > 'Print production' > 'output preview'. This brings up a list of the printing plates which you can turn on and off individually and view how they interact.

You can tell if the spot colour is going to overprint the underlying colour correctly by turning off the spot colour plate - if the spot object disappears then you've done a good job - if it's still there in white then it still has knockout applied to it, so try again.

Titanium Design and The Great North Run

John and Helen Leathers of Titanium Design will be taking part in The Great North Run in October. It is a half marathon (long enough for us!) and they are running for Worcester based charity Leukaemia Care. This charity helps to support anyone affected by Leukaemia or other blood cancers. Their website can be found at www.leukaemiacare.org.uk

If you or your company would like to support us please give generously via our 'justgiving' site - and don't forget the giftaid!

www.justgiving.com/helenandjohnleathers

Your contributions will be very gratefully received.

Thanking you in anticipation
Helen & John

Book Cover Design

We have been involved with plenty of publishing projects over the years but it has primarily been magazine design, layout and promotion. So it is with great excitement that we have been working on the design and launch of a new book. This included the formatting of the interior as well as the artwork for the cover and of course the essential promotional website. Take a look at our work here: http://www.titaniumdesign.co.uk/2008/pages/detailpages/detail_publishing/det_hitimbp.htm

Preparation is Key

In our line of work we are used to extremely tight deadlines, although it must be said that even we have not been able to find a way to deliver yesterday. I know that it is only July but we are urging you to think ahead in your business, don't leave everything to a rushed last minute. If you leave enough time you, and your design and marketing team will do a far beter job. Think now about your Autumn or even, dare I say it? Christmas, marketing plans. You need to be marketing in September for Christmas and what with Summer hols, why shouldn't you be looking at starting now, especially if you need printed literature or exhibition stands. So if you have an idea about what you would like to be doing sales-wise at the end if 2008, let us know if we can help. Brochures, web updates, flyers, new product packaging, Christmas ad campaigns, you name it, we've done it. Yes, the media is shouting 'recession', but all good marketeers know that in order to stay ahead in your field, now is not the time to stop marketing your business, products or services. If you don't think you'll be around at the end of the year, the chances are, you won't be. So, come on, think big, think positive, and don't think yourself and your business into a recession too. See our work at www.titaniumdesign.co.uk

Client & contact Referral Scheme

Don't forget, send us a referral and, if it results in business, we will send you some lovely wine!

Upcoming Event

Helen Leathers will be taking part in the Telford race for Life with her two sisters in May. If you would like to sponsor her you can do so at www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/juliafionahelenmorgan
All donations gratefully received.
Many thanks for your support

Changes to 0870 calls & What it could mean to your business

Many companies have been using 0870 numbers for incoming calls as an additional way to generate revenue. A proportion of the higher charges imposed on the caller is paid back to the company by the provider.

However, Ofcom have confirmed measures to improve price transparency and strengthen consumer protection for calls to these numbers. Ofcom will require mobile and fixed-line providers (including payphones) to charge the same or less for 0870 calls as they do for national-rate calls to geographic numbers (starting 01 or 02). If providers wish to charge more for 0870 calls they will have to make a free-to-caller price pre-announcement at the start of the call. This change is likely to significantly reduce the price of many calls to 0870 numbers.
For more info and to see the Ofcom press releases on this matter use this link: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2006/04/nr_20060419

However, whilst great for the public, it also means that those businesses that currently generate income through 0870 numbers will not only lose it but will be charged for calls received.

So, What are the options?
a) Keep their existing 0870 numbers and pay a charge for incoming calls
b) Introducing new contact numbers

Option a) is simple, lets look at option b).

You could of course revert back to your regular landline 01 or 02 number. However, Non-Geographical numbers (starting 08) are extremely useful to small businesses as they do provide the persona of a larger company and are also very flexible providing call routing and diverts to mobiles. not to mention their significant help in continuity if the business moves premises.

Swapping to an 0800 or freephone number may be an option for you as people generally call these before other numbers when leafing through directories. But this won’t solve the loss of revenue for the business as you will end up paying for the call.

0844 numbers are a great alternative as they provide a revenue on calls received but are charged at a far lower rate to the caller.

Does this apply to you, or any one in business that you know?

If you wish to look at obtaining any Non geographic number, do get in touch as we are able to provide low cost, no set-up, no contract numbers of all types. Call us at the office 0800 781 3569 or email Helen@titaniumdesign.co.uk
Or take a look at this link for more information:
http://www.utilitywarehouse.co.uk/business/ngn.taf?exref=069947