Accent Printers is a family-owned and operated printing business founded in White Marsh in 1981. The company prints full color or black and white copies and wide format items such as signs and banners. The business finishes items, folds, cuts, collates, binds, staples, shrink wraps, and pads products. Accent Printers has been recognized as one of the Top 20 Maryland Printers for 20 years in a row.
Alpha Graphics, Inc. is a woman-owned boutique printing company that will deliver anywhere in the world. The business has served the Baltimore area for more than 40 years. The company prints high-quality giclees and artistic reproductions for fine art displays, film negatives and positives, digital photos, canvas wraps, Alpha Colors displays, and wedding invitations. The business will mount, laminate, and frame products.
Courthouse Copy has been serving Baltimore clients for more than 25 years. The business prints black and white or color products, dry mounts images, duplicates CDs and DVDs, binds and tabs, and scans images. The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Creative Print Group specializes in digital printing for marketing campaigns. The business' services include commercial printing, digital printing, binding, graphic support, database management, and data analytics. The company stays green by recycling all of its paper waste, using safe chemicals, and using Energy Star compliant equipment. The business has been serving Baltimore clients since 1988.
Curry Printing is a women-owned Baltimore business that has received praise for its fast turnaround and knowledgeable, helpful staff. The company, founded in 1977, prints signs, promotional materials, T-shirts, and wide-format items. The business embosses and debosses items, die cuts products, provides foil stamping, binds products, and provides mailing services. Curry Printing has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and has received praise for its fast, quality work.
Ed Early Printing has served the Baltimore area for more than 30 years. The company takes all kinds of digital print jobs such as political lawn signs, mouse pads, large format advertising signs, pens, umbrellas, coffee mugs, post-it pads, and removable tattoos. The business provides typesetting and graphic design assistance for small projects and handles any mailing requests. Ed Early Printing has experience with magazine printing, inserts, and onserts.
The team at High Mountain Signs has more than 35 years of experience in printing. The company prints banners, vehicle displays, exterior and interior signs, flags, and awnings. The business is a member of Hampden Village Merchants Association, Gina's Networking Group, Pikesville Chamber of Commerce, Visit Baltimore, and Timonium Marketing Group. Customers say that High Mountain Signs has a professional, accommodating team that prints high-quality work.
Indigo Ink practices green printing by using FSC-certified paper products, using fuel efficient or hybrid vehicles, recycling paper waste, and using recycled materials wherever possible. The business is a Green Registry Member and an EPA Green Power Partner. The company prints business cards, brochures, books, packaging, legal documents, small format packaging, and many other types of products. Indigo Ink's finishing services include UV coating, gloss and satin finishes, binding, small format packaging, and die cutting.
Mount Royal Printing & Communications is a family-owned printing business founded in 1946. The company goes green by recycling excess paper and using a lower-energy H-UV printing system. The business prints wide format items such as bus shelter signs, flags, retail store rollouts, showroom displays, lightbox displays, and other products. Clients give positive feedback for the company's hardworking team and quality products.
Based in Baltimore, Superior Designs is a printing business that specializes in professional commercial printing services. The company offers promotional and marketing products which include brochures, advertising flyers, and business cards. The designers also deliver invitations and accessories. Superior Designs aims to provide excellent designs and quality customer service at affordable prices.
Uptown Press, Inc. is a certified Veteran Owned Small Business and a member of the Maryland Green Registry. The printing company prints hardback and paperback books, newsletters, brochures, business cards, postcards, presentation folders, signs, stationery, and other items. The company's graphic designers check designs for consistency and printability before printing.
WORK Printing and Graphics has more than 15 years of experience printing items for small to large businesses. The Baltimore company prints small format and large format items, in materials including vinyl, wood, and aluminum. The business also finishes, binds, laminates, and scans. Customers give positive feedback for the company's affordable prices, fast work, and reliable staff.
There are many places where individuals can print small items, such as a letter or a single document. Larger jobs typically require a trip to a dedicated print shop or service. Some options to consider include:
Print shops
Office supply stores
Libraries
Business centers
Banks
Shipping centers
Individuals who have only simple documents to print might be able to use a home printer. For specialized projects and higher-volume printing, as well as anything that needs a professional appearance, working with a print shop is usually the best option. Print shops utilize printers and print supplies that produce higher-quality products than home printers can achieve.
Print shops may offer more than just basic document printing. Some of these services include:
Graphic design: Creating documents, including the placement of words, logos, and pictures
Desktop publishing: Printing basic documents, such as letters, reports, and resumes
Copy and scan services: Making copies of documents already printed or scanning them for digital use
Offset printing: Specialized printing of business cards, brochures, tags, pamphlets, medical forms, flyers, invitations, letterheads, handbooks, and similar projects
A print shop can make copies of wedding photos if the photos were taken by the person requesting the print job. Individuals who hire a photographer will need a copyright release if they want the print shop to produce copies of the photos. Some photographers won’t provide a release, so be sure to ask about this prior to hiring the photographer if reprints will be necessary.
The best printing method depends on the type of project. Some of the most common options include:
Digital printing: Uses digital controls to produce images on stationery, paper, or photo paper
Flexography: Uses flexible plates to produce letters, labels, packaging, and similar items
Letterpress: Uses raised letter stencils to transfer ink onto paper, greeting cards, business cards, and posters
Screen printing: Uses a silkscreen and squeegee to push paint through stenciled holes onto posters and textiles
Lino: Uses a scored template to produce mirror images for fine art printmaking
Gravure: Uses etched copper plates to print directly onto the paper to produce ultra-high-quality prints like magazine pages
RGB and CMYK are specialized color codes. RGB is used for digital media, and CMYK is used for printed media. The initials represent the primary colors used to produce other colors. RGB stands for red, green, and blue. CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Digital CMYK renderings produce the closest result to what the project will look like when printed.
The variances between monitors and monitor settings can produce a slightly different color on the screen than what the project will look like once it’s printed. The most efficient way to combat this is to order a proof of the project. This is a one-off printed version of the project that enables you to see exactly what it will look like when it’s completed.
One of the primary factors to consider when choosing a print shop is the type of project you need to complete. Some shops only do basic printing jobs, while others offer graphic design services to help clients develop the printed material they need. Some print shops specialize in a certain type of project, such as large-format documents, so this is also a consideration.
