Art

The process of art creation is one area that has changed dramatically over the past several years. Before, artwork was rendered by professional designers and shot optically under large cameras.

Today, publishers and compositors prepare artwork electronically. The images are then scanned digitally. The compositor "places" the digital images into the page so the author can see the artwork as it appears right from the start at first proofs.

Being a printer ourselves, we understand how images will reproduce on press and take into consideration the type of paper they're being printed on. If BookMasters is printing the project, our compositors are given press and paper specifications with the order. If the title is being printed elsewhere, the publisher may provide us with this information. Knowing these specifications will allow us to use the best techniques to scan the author's artwork for optimum print quality.

At BookMasters, our in-house artists offer services to utilize customer furnished art. In addition, they can create art to complement your book design and textual content. Using programs such as PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, Fullshot, and PowerPoint, we can draft, correct, and recreate illustrations as the project requires. This software also allows our experts the ability to enhance highlights and refine shadow areas for ultimate reproduction.

One area of concern for publishers is dealing with artwork furnished by authors. Having dealt with customers large and small for over 25 years, we're accustom to receiving files of all kinds and know which ones work well and those that do not. It is not uncommon to receive camera-ready art that will not reduce to fit within the space intended. When these situations arise, our staff of professionals can often offer the publisher various solutions, enabling us to incorporate the art. We can also detect in advance screens or fine or broken rule lines that may not produce acceptable results. In these instances, we can re-render or may be able to retouch customer-furnished art so that when printed, it will reproduce well.

Fine artwork in textual content allows a book not only the look of true professionalism, but more importantly, eye-catching appeal to the book buyer. Let us be a part of making this statement a reality for your next project.