Preparing an announcement

The following is an overview of the steps for creating art announcements. Many of the steps described here are not for the novice and the information provided here will not be sufficient to complete the task if you have no experience in this area. If you are uncertain if you would be able to complete this successfully, consider hiring a professional graphic designer or working with a printer such as Modern Postcard.

1. Get professionally photographed images of your work.
2. Mock up a layout of the card (on paper or in the computer)
3. Look for a printer that meets your needs
   • Does their turnaround time meet your deadline?
   • Can you submit files in the format they require?
   • Do the prices and quantities they offer meet your needs?
4. Get a template from the printer for the size card you wish to prepare.
   • Look for a template that matches the program you wish to use.
5. The template will help with the following
   • printers have special requirements for images that go off the edge (bleeds).
   • Printers recommend keeping critical information away from the edge of a card.
   • The post office has size requirements, as well as requirements about what can appear and where it should appear on the back of a card.
6. Look on the printers website for other instructions. Instructions may vary depending on what program you use to prepare your files. You are likely to encounter the following:
   • prepare all files at 300dpi
   • use CMYK
   • flatten layers
7. Check the text on the card for spelling and correct dates, address and show location.
8. Many printers accept files via an internet upload form. This is done after an order has been submitted. Often there will be some form of online proof that you will be asked to OK before the job is sent to press. Some printers will accept a disk.
9. If you use a printers mailing service, there will be requirements about how the address list should be prepared.

There are a variety of companies that print Postcard announcements at very reasonable prices. The following table shows companies I have worked with and comments about the services they offer.