Do judge a catalog by its cover

What are the design choices that should be made before getting a printing quote for your catalog project?

Let us start off with paper for the cover followed by the inside that is often referred to as body or text pages.

There is an old saying about the need to tell what is in a book by its cover. This is also true with catalogs.

With that saying in mind, the cover needs to be your single most important and “full of impact” page. This is why the covers are frequently printed on a heavier weight paper called cover stock.

Using cover weight stock results in greater durability and a heftier, more upscale feel especially for catalogs with 16 or fewer pages.

The body or inside pages are usually printed on text weight stock. Text paper is lighter than cover weight stock. For catalogs of 20 or more pages it often makes economic sense to print what is called a self-cover book.

This is where the cover and body are both printed on a relatively heavy text stock, such as 80 lb. gloss text.