Nuts about Printing! The blog of Focus Ink and Nancy Denker

Happy Martin Luther King Day

2012-01-16T09:42:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone and happy Martin Luther King day. It is a time for new movement and new consciousness. A time to think about the power of the word, both spoken and printed, in the world. Weather passionately plead to crowds of millions or printed and nailed to the doors of injustice, the word as an instrument of change persists. We here at focus ink honor Dr. King and his continued legacy. Share some words of your own.

Discharge printing!

2012-01-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Focus Ink has added discharge printing to our screen printing arsenal. This is a process that allows us to bleach out an image rather than applying ink. Advantages include the new modern look, and an image that cannot crack, peel or face. We will post an image on out facebook page for you.

New Designer on Staff

2012-01-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to start the new year with a welcome to Andrew Lyman as our new graphic designer. He brings with him media skills to foster our online presence better.

Today at Focus

2011-06-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi ! Michelle here, I stopped in at Focus on my way to the embroidery shop to see what was going on. There is always something! I love going through some of the orders and jobs that are ready to pick up by customers. Besides business cards and such there are always cool things that people have had printed or screen printed for business or family purposes. Really good ideas too.

I will be back tomorrow to do an on-line digitizing class so I can learn more about working with designs for embroidery and I'm really excited about it! Embroidery is fun and a great way to add a personal touch to shirts, polo's, hats and items such as baby blankets and towels or aprons for your favorite cook or grill master!

If you have a shower, family reunion, birthday, anniversary or any other celebration call Nancy to see how we can help you personalize your event!

RGB and CMYK and HSB, Oh My!

2011-06-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Nancy,
I've just gotten a new logo, with two colors. The blue is: RGB: 0,118, 192, and the CMYK is 100,46,0,0. What is the HSB? (its 203,100,75, but what the heck does that mean?) The green is RGB 0,81,47. CYK 100,0,81,66 and HSB 155,100,32.

Do you know if these are standard PMS colors or not?

Dear Reader,
Thank you for asking this important question.

If they are RGB or CMYK or HSB, they are by definition NOT Pantone colors. RGB is about the color dots on your monitor that are red-green-blue. Miraculously these form an amazing range of colors... but not colors you can print. Inks will never match what you see on the screen.

CMYK uses 4 colors: cyan-magenta-yellow-black. Your monitor interprets these and puts them in a RGB space, but you can consistently reproduce these colors with ink. By definition, these are NOT Pantone colors.

Pantone colors are mixed, specific colors. CMYK can simulate these, but will not be exact.

HSB, hue-saturation-brightness, is another color matching system for monitors (there are several others out there, and new ones being created). I'll get you some more info on this in another post.

I'm a little concerned that one of your colors would be defined as RGB (red, blue, green) and the other as CMYK. This can cause unexpected results in printing. If you open this in Adobe Illustrator, it will warn you as such and ask you to decided which color space you want to use.

If I try to do color separations on an RGB file for my press, the colors are severely off. Printing projects should usually be designed using CMYK.

The bottom line is that when you hire a designer, you need to make sure that they were trained in designing for print or you may have some unpleasant surprises.

Health care is a right!

2011-04-13T09:28:00.000-07:00

What is more basic than food, clothing, shelter and medical care. I am a strong proponent of public education as one of these basics... but what about health care?

Most Americans can't get Giffords' therapy
Shot congresswoman's staff urges HHS secretary to push accessibility

Wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is benefiting from world-class treatment in Houston that most Americans don't have access to, and her office knows it.
Her staff on Thursday called on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to change that, asking her to apply the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a way that would make similar coverage to what Giffords receives more accessible.
Sebelius and her staff will be defining an "essential benefits" package that insurers participating in insurance exchanges will be required to provide by 2014.
Federal workers' benefits
Giffords currently benefits from broad coverage through federal workers compensation because she was shot in the head Jan. 8 while meeting with constituents in Tucson, Ariz. The type of acute rehabilitation she receives - involving speech, occupational and physical rehab - costs about $8,000 a day, according to the Brain Injury Association of America. Post-acute rehabilitation can range in cost from $600 to $2,500 daily. The expenses leave the treatment options well out of reach for most patients whose insurers won't pay for the services.
While some insurers cover traumatic brain injury treatment, their limits on some rehab services often leave patients stagnant at times when they could be rapidly recovering, advocates say.

To read complete story + comments: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7512258.html

Green Advertising

2011-04-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Check out our "Green" catalog for promotional items. Contact Nancy to order. http://www.onlinedigitalpubs.com/publication/?i=62691

JOIN THE QRC CLUB!

2011-03-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

Let us know if you need help reading this. Smart phone is required.

JOIN THE QRC CLUB!

2011-03-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

In the immediate future, we will be hosting QRC links to coupons and contact information for your business or events. Stay tuned for details. We are very excited about this new technology and we will be able to drive more business your way.

Waiting for a satellite update!

2011-03-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

We hope to make national news the next time satellites update their photos of this area. We have our QR Code mounted on the roof, clearly visible from airplanes and helicopters that fly over us.
When you zoom in to the building level, everyone should be able to capture our vital stats. I am close to releasing my first mobile website with VERY basic info about us. My QR code shall be proudly displayed on my clothing. Let us help you develop your business with the awesome application!

QR Codes!

2011-03-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

How exciting this is! QRCs have been used in Japan for years. These images can be scanned by your mobile phone or webcam and can store a wealth of info, including website pointers. Go to your app store and download i-nigma. Scan this and see what you get! Please let me know if you do.
Have a great day!

New Earth Friendly Products

2011-03-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

We have ordered a shipment of a new earth-friendly screen printing ink. Past ones have not worked, we are looking forward to trying this new brand and keeping life cleaner. We have switched to a brand of earth - friendly screen cleaner that works! Decreasing toxicity where we can. My pressman is thrilled.

New Staff

2011-02-28T14:37:00.000-08:00

Jeff Gage, a 25+ year veteran in the printing industry has joined our staff. He will be assisting with administrative duties, customer service and sales. He has strictly worked in / owned union print shops so we are delighted to have him on board.

New Button Maker

2011-02-24T12:21:00.001-08:00

With a new button maker, we are offering 2.25" full color buttons for $1.00 each for quantities up to 50. A $7.50 set-up fee applies. This promotion is good until 3/31/2011.

Purchase of Best Embroidery

2011-02-18T10:29:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce that Focus Ink has purchased Best Emboidery. It is being managed by Michelle Mares. The address is 5308 Coal Place SE, between Zuni and Central on the east side of San Mateo. Michelle can be reached at 505-306-2157.

Best Embroidery by Focus Ink is now the ONLY union embroidery shop in the Southwest United States.

Greetings

2011-01-27T17:43:00.000-08:00

Eco-friendly printing quality

2008-01-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

Our new press prints at 300 lines per inch. This is magazine quality printing, and the highest available. Laser etched plates have greater detail and more consistent performance than traditional technology. Again, the waterless inks are more consistent and richer. Check it out here.
Our eco-friendly printing press features waterless printing with a plethora of benefits.

The new Focus Ink site design is now available for viewing at focusink.com

2008-01-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

Our old site grew to the point where it was unmanageable and became somewhat difficult to use, so we decided to upgrade. Fortunately, there is a trick which allows us to put up the new site in the same place as the old.

Our OLD Focus Ink site still exists at http://www.focusink.com/index.html

Our NEW Focus Ink site is now up at http://www.focusink.com/index.htm

The only difference is the "l" at the end of the address.

We think you will find the new site much easier to use.

Eco-friendly printing: waterless

2007-12-20T06:20:00.000-08:00

Our new Presstek press uses NO water. Advantages to our environment include no depletion of water from our aquifer, and no waste water that needs to be disposed of.

Advantages to the consumer include a much better depth of color and wider gamut of color available. Water dilutes color. No water used means more accurate and richer color.

Stay tuned.

Print Green - Union Green!

2007-12-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

We have purchased the cleanest greenest press available, and it has magazine quality production. Details will follow. Our eco-friendly Presstek DI 34 is scheduled to be delivered December 27.

Kucinich in town!

2007-10-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

I first heard of Dennis Kucinich when he vetoed the (anti) Patriot Bill in 2001 and knew he was a man to watch. I wrote to him back then endorsing his presidency, although he did not declare for another year.

Delighted when he did, I was a staunch supporter and pleased he stuck it out to the end. I saw him as a huge magnet, pulling the party to where it should be, and distressed by the lack of vision Americans hold.

I know of no other political figure with as much integrity, consistency and congruency. He and his wife were here this week in Albuquerque, and I got 2 spend 2 evenings with them. No police, no 1 mile footprint of protection, just a face to face dialog of what can be. Very inspiring and motivating. It shocks how people love him, but don't support him "because he can't win." Because he is not backed by the big guys - because he does not take money from the big guys - so he won't be beholden to the big guys- he is ignored. Because he "can't" win, people don't vote for him.

Remember, it takes votes more than money to win an election. And votes for Kucinich will change the party platform even if he is not elected. I urge everyone to try to hear this man of vision and possibility speak. Visit his website to know his positions on issues of interest to Americans as well as the world citizenry.

More than any other candidate, Kucinich embodies a global vision, where there are not a bunch of separate issues, but what is possible with a paradigm shift in this country. We could all prosper as well as save this increasingly fragile climate.

Vote for Kucinich!

September 29th progressive networking event

2007-10-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

The day started beautifully, and 37 organizations showed up. Unfortunately, the rain began at 2 and about 25% of the people left, and at 3 when the massive winds started, 95% left, with several people still showing up at 4, and 6-12 remaining until 6 that evening . Good party. About 200 people showed up all together, and everyone was happy that the event occurred.

Significant networking happened, and the comraderie was strong. Requests for a second event have been many. Although local TV news was present, we were not shown on TV.

Unfortunately, many folks who intended to come were out canvassing for the city elections, and some campaigns doing last minute phone calls for 9/30 reporting needs. I also made a mistake by not giving weekly reminders to exhibitors. Live and learn.

Company was great, food great and plentiful, spirits high. I'll be happy to host another event.

Come to a Progressive Networking Event Sept. 29

2007-09-14T09:12:00.000-07:00

“The times they are a changing…”

AN INVITATION TO ACTION
On Saturday, September 29, from 12-4, Focus Ink will be hosting a progressive gathering where people can “Network for Change.”

Several dozen progressive groups, candidates and elected officials will be present to help form alliances for change.

There will be refreshments (food or drink donations welcome) and parking will be at Highland High School.

We hope you can join us. If you know of any groups that may benefit from having a table, have them contact Nancy Denker.... and spread the word!

See you on the 29th at Focus Ink, Inc.
35 Jefferson SE • 505-265-3497
3 blocks south of Central, 2 blocks east of Washington, at the southwest corner of Highland High facing Zuni.

Welcome to our blog

2007-07-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

Keep an eye on this blog for hints in creating artwork suitable for your printer, learn about paper, color, inks and different printing techniques.
Feel free to submit questions on formatting, submitting art, explanation of terms, or anything else you may wish to know about printing.