Questions, answered.
The things people ask us before they order and after. If you do not see yours, ask; we answer the same day.
Ordering
How do I order?
Start a project: a few questions about what you are making, and a quote from us within a business day. Say yes to the quote and the job goes to the press. Or call or email, and we will take it from there.
What is a quote, and how do I accept it?
A quote is our price for the job, good for the time it says. It comes by email; reply to accept it, or call. Accepting it makes the order: you pay when you accept, or we invoice you if that is what the quote says, and the job goes to the press.
Is there a minimum order?
Not as a rule. Some things make sense from 25, some from 100, and a single poster is a fine order. Tell us the quantity you will use and we will price it.
Can I reorder something I had before?
Yes. We keep your files, and we remember the paper, the finish and the run size of your last order, so say the word and we run it again, or change anything first.
Files and proofs
What file should I send?
A PDF, exported at press quality with 0.25 in of bleed. The artwork guide has the whole recipe: bleed and safe area, resolution, color, type sizes, how to set up a booklet. Native files and photographs are welcome too.
I do not have a designer. Can you help?
Yes. Tell us what you have (a logo, some text, a photo, an old card) in the notes or through Start a project, and we will lay it out and send you a proof. Design time is quoted by the hour, and we say what it will be before we start.
Will I see a proof?
Always. Once your file has been checked, we send you a proof by email. Look it over, then approve it or ask for changes. Nothing prints until you approve.
What do you check, and what do you not?
We check that the file will print well: size, bleed, resolution, color, fonts, page order. We do not proofread. Spelling, dates and phone numbers are yours to check on the proof, and once you approve it, it prints as shown.
Can I add or change a file after ordering?
Yes, until the job is on the press: reply to the proof email, or call. If you catch something after approving the proof, tell us straight away; if it has not printed we will stop it.
Paper and finishes
Which paper should I choose?
The paper guide explains the words: weights, coated and uncoated, gloss, silk and matte, and what each of our stocks is good for. Cotton, kraft and black stocks are ordered in for a job; ask. Paper is easier to feel than to read about, and when it matters we will talk it through with you and show you the difference.
Will my colors be right?
We measure them rather than judge them by eye. The press is calibrated with a spectrophotometer, an instrument that reads printed color, and profiled for each paper we run, so the same file prints the same next month and a reprint matches the first. A printed proof comes off the same press on the same paper, so it is the job, not a guess at it. For a brand color, give us CMYK values or a Pantone reference, and ask for a printed proof when the color is critical.
Will the color match my screen?
Close, not identical. A screen glows and paper does not, and a few screen colors are outside what the four colors on the press can mix. If a color must match, name the Pantone number or the CMYK values and ask for a printed proof.
Do you laser cut and engrave?
Yes, in house. A laser cuts paper and card to any shape without a die: no die to make, any outline, detail as fine as the design allows, and on paper a faintly darkened edge, which we will point out before you decide. It is how we cut intricate invitations, tags and shapes. The same lasers engrave wood, acrylic, leather and coated metal, and mark glass and plastics. Tell us what you have in mind through Start a project.
Do you print white ink and foil?
Yes. Both are set up for the job rather than part of a standard run, so tell us before you design for them, through Start a project, and we will say how each works on the paper you have in mind and what it adds to the quote. Then set the white or foil elements on their own layer as a spot color (the artwork guide shows how), or send the design and we will separate it.
Turnaround and delivery
How long does it take?
Most business cards and flat pieces are ready two to three business days after you approve the proof; booklets and anything with finishing, about a week. We tell you when the job goes on the press and when it is ready. Need it sooner? Say so and we will tell you what is possible.
Do you ship, or can I pick up?
Both. Pick up at the shop in North Carolina, or we ship anywhere in the US; say which when you accept the quote. When a job ships, we send you the tracking number.
Paying
When do I pay?
When you accept the quote, or on invoice when we have agreed to that. The price on the quote is the price, with tax and delivery shown on it.
When something is wrong
The job did not come out the way I expected.
Call or email us. If we made a mistake, we reprint it, quickly and at our cost. If the file had the problem and the proof showed it, we will tell you honestly and work out the best way to put it right.
Can I cancel an order?
Until the proof is approved, yes, with nothing owed. After that the paper is cut and the press is running, so call or email straight away and we will do what we can.
How do I reach a person?
Call (919) 744-1801 or email GetStarted@HowlingPress.com. Real people, in the shop, during working hours.
Something we missed?
Call (919) 744-1801 or write to GetStarted@HowlingPress.com. If you already have an order, the fastest way is a message on it.