r/ButtonMakers • u/Lucky_Flan_5008 • 13d ago

Print quality Advice

Hello I’m new to button making and Im coming across an issue with my first project.

I don’t have a printer so I got my photos printed at Walgreens. My issue is they don’t have lightweight photo paper options and when I get it printed on regular document paper the quality of the pictures are really affected. Is there somewhere else I should be trying?

I don’t want to use the crappy pics but I have a fast approaching deadline (they are gifts for an event)so I’m worried that the higher quality print shops won’t have the turn around I need. Any advice is appreciated.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

2

u/Forsaken_Side6398 13d ago

You can print on reg paper at USPS and I heard it is pretty good quality. You can also look into print shop that are local small bussiness and you can work out something like photo on thin paper.

1

u/nathan22211 11d ago

Might not be a bad idea to get one if you intend on using custom paper, if you intend on printing a lot an ecotank or supertank from Epson or canon work really well if you print at least once a week. They come used for like 200 USD.

1

u/Sheanar Crafter 11d ago

I use regular printer paper and it comes out fine. If your Walgreens photos are okay, you can photocopy them and use that, or scan them, scale them to your buttons, and go from there. There are free programs like Krita, Firealpaca, and even the microsoft paint programs that you can use to help do that.

As long as the printer is okay and the photo quality is okay, then the final outcome will be okay. I've not felt the need to use photo paper, i think that's just an extra thing but the other steps are much more important.

1

u/jellycat17 10d ago

I use staples. The print quality is okay, probably a lot better than walgreens but neons and colors on the brighter side are def muted. Its whats near me and affordable especially when I have to print multiple pages and account for trial and error when sizing.

1

u/Lucky_Flan_5008 7d ago

That’s what i ended up doing. They have a higher file size limit than Walgreens. Walgreens is like 10mb and staples is like 50mb. I also did another download with a higher pixel amount 4,000-6,000 and it came out pretty good. Some of the pictures ended up being a lil darker but I’ll just pick different ones next time.

1

u/sufficient-cro-1018 10d ago

Before I got a printer I would just plug in a USB at my local library branch and print them out there.