We’re offering a new hardcover photo book printing service at Bookmobile: a cloth linen hardcover case with an inset cover image.  HOME LESS, pictured above, by the photographer Alfred Brown IV, is a stunning example.

Inset Cover Image on a Hardcover Photo Book Printing

Insetting a 4-color print image on the cloth case of a hardcover book creates an impressive look. We’ve done this for about five titles so far, and while it does add on to the unit cost of each book (ask your CSR for pricing), the effect is worth it!

We use a metal die to create the indented space for your cover image. We print and laminate (gloss or matte) the image, then carefully glue it into the recessed area. All hardcovers with an inset image are shrink wrapped for protection in transit.

For HOME LESS, the case required four dies and so four separate “hits”: a die for the black foil stamp on the back cover, spine, and front cover, then also a die for the recessed area for the back cover photo. More information about what constitutes a “hit” can be found at Guidelines and Recommendations for Foil Stamping, Embossing, and Debossing.

Hardcover Photo Book Printing

We’ve been printing fine art photography books at Bookmobile for over 10 years. As the quality of short-run digital printing improves, more and more photographers are going digital instead of offset. Without having to compromise on quality, short-run digital allows photographers to better control their cash flow with smaller runs of exhibition catalogs.

For example, the photographer Hillary Berg printed a limited run of thirty copies of County Lines to accompany her exhibit:

Fine Art Photography Printing

But there’s (of course) no limit to the number of copies printed. Photographer M. Denis Hill printed 500 copies of Over Ebey’s: Elevated Views of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve:

hardcover photo book printing

At Bookmobile, color interiors print on the Xerox 800/1000s. The Xerox 800/1000s prints at 2400 x 2400 DPI at a 200-line screen. It uses less fuser oil than previous digital color printers, so it delivers a smooth, offset-like finish, and the color is more pure. As books print, they are automatically calibrated and adjusted for color, so even a long print run has consistent color throughout.

The Xerox 8000 offers excellent photo rendering. It prints outstanding midtones, crisp text, pure neutrals, detailed shadows, and bright highlights.

Books print CMYK. If a Pantone color or RGB is specified instead, the Xerox 800/1000s converts it to CMYK. Clients can always view sample pages to ensure the seamlessness of the conversion, and we recommend clients refer to our Print Settings Files for Color Interiors and Covers for details.