Graphics Center F.A.Q.

Q: Can I get this printed now?

A: If you want to pay the express price, generally*, yes. If not, you can drop it off or email it to us and pick up your finished print(s) the next business day. Express pricing is simply a flat fee of $3. for the first print, our Standard pricing will apply to additional prints. *There are times when the printer is down for repairs or regular service/maintenance. Our services are first come first served, so if there are other express customers being served, you will need to wait your turn-however, since the Graphics Center introduced the Express vs. Standard pricing, there is usually little or no wait for Express service. *Express is available first come first served basis; if we are processing express orders that arrived before yours, you will need to wait your turn.

Q: Why do I need a PDF or jpeg?

A: There are many problems with opening native files, including font substitution, margin shift, page breaks in the wrong place, linked graphics not being available, background images dropping out and more. Making a PDF is simple and avoids all of the above problems. jpg is an example of a pixel based file that will not require certain fonts or other media also be loaded. With any pixel based file, be sure that you have a print quality file.

Q: Why are double-sided copies twice as expensive as single sided copies when they are on the same piece of paper?

A: Paper is by far the smallest part of our cost in producing a color copy.
Our machine is leased, and has a meter that records every SIDE of every sheet of paper; we are charged the same for two sides of one piece of paper as we are for two sheets printed one side. Additionally, numerous problems can arise, such as front and back not aligning properly or one side printed upside down from the other, that can't happen when printing on only one side. We pay for each side of each copy, even if it is a copy for which we don't charge the client, so the added chance of errors inherent in double-sided printing more than outweigh the very slight savings of a sheet of paper.

Q: Will it be cheaper if I supply my own paper?

A: If you don't have an industrial or wholesale paper account, and purchase paper in quantities of less than $400. per order, you are going to be paying more for your paper than the Graphics Center. It's simple; if you buy your own paper, you are going to spend more money. Please be aware that not all papers can be run in our machine; some papers and media will violate the service contract we have on our machine, and will not be accepted under any circumstances. The Graphics Center carries a variety of high quality papers and special media.