The primary purpose of this article is to make the process of having design work professionally printed a bit more transparent. As a graphic designer doing a decent amount of identity design work, I find it very important to have a relationship with a decent print shop. I maintain a roster of independent cultural clients who do interesting, engaging work and whose companies are low-impact environmentally. No direct mail campaigns, no massive amounts of useless print advertising, and no direct-to-rubbish bin gimmickry. I am choosy about what I design, and when it comes time to getting a project printed, I strive to do so in the most ecologically healthy way possible. Yet, almost every time I collaborate with a new client, they are stumped about how the print production process works.

I’ve had a really great working relationship with a small printing business in Portland, Oregon called Pinball Publishing for a number of years now, practically since their inception. I really love working with them due to their strident regard for the environment, as well as another important fact: they pay their workers a living wage. (You can’t say that about most printers in China, unfortunately. And while shipping work there may be cheap, the ecologic and environmental footprint is vast.) I choose to send my clients to rad folks who do great work and who pay their employees enough so that they aren’t living on macaroni and cheese.

So, 20 questions with the fine folks at Pinball Publishing in the first joint article for Viewers Like You and Néojaponisme:

Exterior of Pinball HQ

Offset Lithography Up-Close

Who makes up the Pinball team?

The Pinball team is comprised of Laura Whipple, Director of Operations; Austin Whipple, Creative Director; Ashley Edwards, Project Manager; Jess Hirsch, Project Coordinator; Nicholas Graham, Production Manager, and Brent Wick, Production Specialist. 

How did the shop start?

Pinball Publishing grew out of the owners Laura and Austin’s desire to be involved in their own design projects from conception to final printed manifestation. In the search for a quality offset printing vendor, it became clear that:
  1. Design-sensitive, sustainably-minded printing facilities are few-and-far-between.
  2. The personal service and understanding of a project were all but missing.
  3. The enthusiasm for the magic of printing had vanished.
We took this as a challenge to provide custom offset print options with a focus on understanding our clients’ vision in an enthusiastic, design-sensitive environment where both novices and professionals can purchase the highest level of quality with the best service in the industry.

How did you become interested in printing?

Printing is the most widely distributed form of media. From Bibles to candy wrappers, its endless variation is something that has always inspired our creativity. The simplest application of ink on paper can result in the most profound emotions, whether it’s selling underwear or the afterlife. It’s this infatuation with the communicative power of print that led us to Pinball.

Unlike many print shops, Pinball Publishing was founded not as a business, but as a solution to a problem we feel many designers face: How do I successfully translate my design into a physical reality? We knew that being more deeply involved in the printing process would be the key to making our own projects more effective — both technically and creatively — and that this was a service we could offer to many others through our printing.

How did you make the transition to becoming a working print shop?

We knew that investing in printing equipment for the sole purpose of satisfying our own personal print fetish would not be a sustainable enterprise. We began formulating print solutions from Day #1 and have not stopped growing in either quality, capacity, and diversity since then.

What kind of printing do you do?

We specialize in custom offset printing — that means we emphasis spot color printing over 4-color process printing. We offer a wide range of fun print items, with a focus on creative booklet options. We are also a “green” shop with a specially picked selection of in-house/stocked recycled papers and soy-based inks.
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