Skip to Printing

History Can Bloom With Color Work

Digital color is now more economical than ever. If choosing to produce an entire book in color, the cost will be less than a quarter a manuscript page, per book. Visit our color price lists for examples.

When deciding to produce a full color book, or add a few color pages, remember that placement counts - a color section results in less insertion costs than the same number of pages sprinkled through out a book.

More about Color Pages
Publication Design Ideas

We can and do provide color work for our customers, though it is rarely a "bargain basement" option in print. Full color process work is achieved as a result of ink changes or combination ink runs are priced higher than black on white, or even a single color on white. Depending on the method of reproduction however if you wanted, say, brown printing on cream paper the ink is still 1 color (brown instead of black) and wouldn't be charged extra (however the color is generally more expensive than white) if publishing 100 quantity or more. Often color changes are used to highlight certain text areas, reproduce photos in color or for a coat of arms. Should you desire a color photo page or something else on the color page, we do offer process work for best quality.  For runs smaller than 500, we suggest digital color. This has proven quite successful and economic on the smaller runs. 

When the choice is made to make the page color, don't forget that you are paying for a color page.  This fee will change little, if at all, regardless of how much or how little color is used within suggested margins of a given page.  Because of this, please note that anything on the page, including your text can be colored. If there is something that should be highlighted - choose your color or colors!  Clip art and word art can also be used effectively with color in ways that may bring disappointing results in black and white.

Do you have lots of color photographs in you book manuscript, but still prefer an economical book? Consider a "hybrid" printed book and CD combo package! Cut the total cost of "in print", by adding removable media (CD/DVD/USB) to the project. Place most (if not all) of your photos (color, sepia tone, black and white, etc) and documents (even preserve their color) on a CD for the back. Place forms, charts, and additional material you may not have justified "in print" space for on the CD. Add video, audio, and anything else to the book that you can think of. Even photos, documents, etc. that you place in the book b/w, if they are color, add them to the CD. Many times, this "hybrid" book approach can lend much more enjoyment to a book project, while saving money for the bottom line. The CD can be placed directly on a hub (or nub) attached to the book, USB on a bookmark ribbon. Generally, you can find these on the inside of the back cover. They can also be placed in sleeves bound into the book spine or attached to the cover or a particular page. If it is an optional CD, they can even be placed in loose sleeves or jewel cases. Anything else to the book that you can think of. Even photos that you place in the book b/w, if they are color, add them to the CD. Many times, this "hybrid" book approach can lend much more enjoyment to a book project, while saving money for the bottom line. Think of the value added to the book for signature collectors to have electronic copies of family correspondence. What will family members who are philatelic (stamp) collectors say about scans of handwritten envelopes with stamps and postmarks? Help set the stage of history by including copies of newspaper and other publication items from the family, geographical area, or culture.

Back to top of page

Color links for reference:
Color Book Pages
Color Covers
 Color HB Book Cover Design
Color SB Cover Files

Click here for clip art offered for sale by Gregath.

Home Page > Book Preparation Tips > Color Work

Page Last Updated: January 09, 2019