Spotted Online – GanguStars Testbooks
Okay, I cannot begin to explain how very happy it makes me to see I’m not alone in wanting to document the toy industry in books. Over at the GanguStars blog is this post in which we’re shown “testbooks,” experimentations with print quality and colors as the idea for a book comes together.
“I threw together a 48 page book and had 2 color prints made, and 2 black & white. I choose an economy grade and standard grade for each. Overall, I am pretty happy with the outcome.”
Every single time I am asked I’m going to opt for the higher-quality materials, and in the testbooks post we are shown economy and standard grade options of B&W and color booklets. I say go for the best possible, especially in books, because in the long-term the higher-quality materials and color will make everyone happier. It costs more, yes, but it is worth the added cost.
To GanguStars (I’m sorry, but I don’t know a real name here) I recommend giving Day2DayPrinting a shot. They offer some booklet options that are relatively inexpensive and may be a better choice than the printer used for the first test. I’m not certain, but I do know their prices are quite nice. Just over $3/book for a 48-page 6″x9″ full-color with 10pt cover stock at a run of 500 books.
Another print option is to go for a full-color hardcover. The four books about toys that I’ve published so far (and all future books, as long as the service and printwork remain as excellent as I’ve experienced to date) were all printed by Taylor Specialty Printing in Dallas and I will always recommend them to anyone looking for a short-run of a few hundred to 500 or 750 books. I love the work these guys do!
You should check out the post! If you enjoy books about toys and have opinions on quality I recommend checking out the GanguStars post and leaving a comment. I’m going to do that right now, because I want to encourage and support books. (UPDATE: The site appears to not allow comments from non-members. If you have thoughts on the GanguStars book please comment here.)
And GanguStars, if you need any advice or help please contact me and I’ll see what I can offer up. We need more books about toys!
Related articles
- Affiliate Link – Toys of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s (battlegrip.com)
- Spotted Online – “Toys are Not Auto Parts” (battlegrip.com)