Midterms are coming, get ready to print
Featured image is of Gutenberg’s original printing press and is from Media Commons.
Midterms are coming. Around every corner is another tired face with eye bags the size of Mars and unwashed hoodies that smell of vending machine food. You’re spending money on project materials you’ll use once and fast food you’ll regret eating. But then there’s that gut-wrenching part of your wallet that gets ripped out in the wee hours before your final project is due—the cost of printing.
The practice of print is a science as much as it is an art. It began with Johannes Gutenberg’s original printing press in the first half of the 15th century and has evolved exponentially into what it is today. The way print allows us to distribute and collect information is a key factor in the modern world. Some may even argue the digital world is a natural evolution of print where paper is now a screen. Whatever the stance may be, professors require hundreds of prints from students every day. Often times the $25 print credits for black and white documents don’t suffice.
Luckily, there are a number of printing facilities around downtown Savannah that give SCAD students a variety of options on where to continue increasing their post-graduation debt. Though colored printing at academic buildings lives only in dreams, it’s certainly wonderful to have these services within walking distance from most residence halls.
CREATIVE APPROACH
408 MLK Blvd.
(912) 233-8300
Hours:
Creative Approach has undoubtedly the best hours for students’ schedules. They’re open as early as 7 a.m. Monday through Wednesday, and close as late as 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. They’ve done their research so well they offer 24-hour printing services during midterms and finals, as well as extended hours for special events such as Career Fair.
Facilities:
Another pro for the store is they have facilities built to help you after your printing is done. They have large tables with cutting boards, rulers of differing lengths, and guillotine-style paper cutters. After you get your piece, you can head straight to mounting it. In case you screw up, you’re right there to reprint.
Quality and cost:
During their busiest hours quality noticeably decreases. Their quality becomes a little less clear and you may stand waiting for a very long time. However, responsible students who print early always have positive comments about their quality. It’s worth noting that they print at around 90-95% lighter than your file which shows an understanding of how art transfers from digital to print. Designers should, however, take this into consideration as not many print shops take this into account. While the prices quickly rack up, printing just a few pages means you can still afford dinner.
Staff:
Reprints are difficult to get if you’re not satisfied with the first print, but the staff is generally helpful in checking your file setups before printing. A few even calculate the cost of your project just in case you weren’t expecting to pay a full month’s rent on printing your portfolio. There’s also a disparity in the friendliness of the staff. There are some who are extremely helpful while others are very curt. It’s almost intimidating to complain about your printing.
IMAGE IS EVERYTHING
223 MLK Blvd
.
(912) 495-9222
Hours:
Image is Everything has very limited hours between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. Printing with them definitely requires planning.
Facilities:
The inside of the store is very intimate and there’s a large front desk. It’s a little difficult to transfer your files as you usually connect your flash drive or personal computer to theirs. This takes up more time, which is particularly stressful because of the limited hours.
Quality and cost:
Many praise the quality of “Image” and one of their biggest assets is the variety of printing materials and methods. Customers can create vehicle wraps, banners and even have special shapes cut out of foam core or vinyl—for a price. Since they charge for the ink rather than by page, it’s more cost effective to print in bulk.
Staff:
The staff is definitely one of biggest pros of this store. The employees are incredibly well-prepared and will often know the current projects of SCAD students. They provide as many options as you may need, even giving print samples for more unique materials such as chip board.
KINKO’S (FEDEX)
5 West Broughton
(912) 443 1901
Hours:
Kinko’s is reasonably open between 7:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays. Before or after printing, you can always grab a coffee at Starbucks to temporarily relieve your all-nighter headache or the after class hunger pangs from Panera.
Facilities:
There’s a reason it’s taboo to print at Kinko’s. Though the self-serve printing options are beneficial if you’re printing drafts or documents, higher quality images do not render well in the large printers that come right out of a 90s movie about corporate life. The machines are not user friendly and many people end up just calling the staff over for help.
Quality and cost:
The quality is sub-par at best and you may find it more useful to just invest in a printer. However, for teachers that require millions of test prints, this is easily the most cost effective solution.
Staff:
The staff here are not the most professional bunch. They’ll often stand around making customers wait for hours as they very slowly make their way to help you at the counter. They also have a habit of talking to each other and ignoring the customer while they check people out.
Gabby Manotoc has been Creative Director for District for the past three years. She also designs the Port City Review, the student produced and curated annual literary arts journal of SCAD.
