Lookbook Printing
Create your own high-quality, professional lookbook with our exceptional custom offset printing services and take advantage of unbeatable prices, too!
Lookbooks can play a vital role in your success as a business, entrepreneur, or independent creative. Whether you’re an artist, a model, a designer, a craftsperson, or you work in the fashion, automotive, or real estate sectors, you’ll need a beautiful lookbook that stands out in a competitive commercial environment. A professional lookbook is more than just a portfolio of images and samples; it’s an ambassador for your brand and your personality, and it needs to highlight what’s unique about your offering. It must be eye-catching, attention-grabbing, and eloquent.
At QinPrinting, we love elevating the profiles of creative artists, designers, and engineers—amateur or professional—with stunning custom lookbooks. With 25 years of success in the industry, an expert team, state-of-the-art technology, and unrivalled customer service, we maintain our first-class reputation in the creative industries worldwide. Let us help you create a lookbook that’s both beautiful and effective.
Lookbook Printing Instant Quote
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QinPrinting Rated Excellent
They produced an excellent product that was printed, shipped and arrived within the expected timescales.
Emails were responded to quickly by Susan.
The whole process was smooth and straightforward.
What a delight!
Whenever I have a creative idea, their team goes above and beyond to help bring it to life. I’ve printed four comic books with them, and each time, they’ve exceeded my expectations. If you’re considering a printer, take a chance on these friendly, reliable folks—they truly value your business. - Chad Townsend, Creator of The Black Phantom.
But working with Nelson was an absolute pleasure. He patiently addressed all my concerns, and my final printed book was just as I would hope it would be.
Common Lookbook Sizes
The dimensions of your lookbook will depend on the photographs you include, the number of images, the text, layout, and orientation, among other factors. For example, a landscape-oriented portfolio-style lookbook with full-colour art photography will typically be larger, while an artisan jeweller may opt for a smaller, more intimate format to reflect the qualities of handmade crafts.
Common sizes for many of the lookbooks we print are 210 mm by 297 mm (A4), 148 mm by 210 mm (A5), 152 mm by 229 mm (6″ by 9″), and 229 mm by 152 mm (9″ by 6″).
Smaller sizes are practical if you need to mail out a lot of copies. Larger sizes make a stronger impression. You’re not limited to the sizes mentioned above. At QinPrinting, we specialise in creating unique, custom lookbooks in any size or format you desire. Just keep in mind that extensive customisation will mean higher costs and possibly slower turnaround times, as we’ll need to do additional pre-press and setup work. But for many clients, the investment in making something that truly stands out often proves to be worthwhile. It’s always your decision.
Lookbook Paper Options
While almost all lookbooks include text, the images and photographs are the obvious focus of your design. We recommend printing on gloss or matte art paper to achieve the best photographic reproduction. Both gloss and matte papers offer ideal surfaces for vibrant colour or black-and-white printing, rendering photographs and artwork with excellent colour, perfect contrast, and fine detail. Gloss paper is a must for lookbooks that feature full-colour spreads with less text, whereas lookbooks with more text may benefit from matte paper. Matte paper still allows for eye-catching colour or black-and-white reproduction but makes larger blocks of text easier to read.
You’ll need two paper specifications for your lookbook: one for the inside pages and one for the cover. If you’re going for a truly luxury, high-class look with hardcover binding, consider including endpapers. These can be the same paper as the interior, or you can choose something different — perhaps a heavier, coloured, or textured paper.
Paper Stock for Lookbooks
Sewn perfect binding — a type of paperback binding that allows the pages to lay open flat without breaking the spine — is a popular choice for high-quality lookbooks. This binding style requires the spine to be at least 3 mm thick. Standard perfect binding, saddle-stitching, and spiral binding are other options. Clients may also opt for hardcover binding, especially for a super-professional, high-end look and feel. If the interior page count is less than 32 pages, we recommend a paper weight of 200 gsm / 135 lb gloss art paper for sewn perfect binding. For interior pages over 32, you might consider 128 gsm / 86 lb or 157 gsm / 106 lb paper. It’s beautiful to see and touch, faithfully reproduces your original photography, and offers good durability.
Cover Paper
- 200 gsm gloss cover paper
- 250 gsm gloss cover paper
- 300 gsm gloss cover paper
- 350 gsm gloss cover paper
- 200 gsm matte cover paper
- 250 gsm matte cover paper
- 300 gsm matte cover paper
Interior Paper
- 80 gsm coated text paper
- 105 gsm coated text paper
- 128 gsm coated text paper
- 157 gsm coated text paper
- 200 gsm coated text paper
- 80 gsm uncoated text paper
- 100 gsm uncoated text paper
- 120 gsm uncoated text paper
Hardcover Paper
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 2 mm grey board
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 2.5 mm grey board
- 157 gsm coated cover paper wrapped on 3 mm grey board
- Other paper wrapped on grey board
Special Finish Options
Here are some popular surface finishes that can enhance both the appearance and durability of your lookbook.
Shiny and reflective, perfect for vibrant graphics and photos.
Glossy highlights on specific areas for a striking contrast.
Smooth and non-reflective for a simple yet professional design.
Similar to matte lamination, but the resulting surface has a delightful, almost velvet feel.
A glossy finish applied to specific areas for a bold and distinct look.
Metallic or pigmented foil for a shiny, eye-catching effect.
Raised designs for added texture and elegance.
A recessed design that creates a tactile impression on the cover, adding texture and sophistication.
Cut a shape out of the paper material
Thin metallic foil—usually gold, silver, or bronze—is applied to the trimmed edges of your book's pages.
Custom patterns and images are sprayed on the edges for a truly unique appearance.
Print your design on a special paper that reflects light in a rainbow-like pattern.
Wrap your book in a durable synthetic leather material.
Cover your book with woven linen or cotton fabric.
Bindings for Lookbooks
While we’ll make your lookbook in any shape and size you like, the choice of binding matters for both appearance and durability. Let’s take a look at the most common, professional-looking options. You can open all of the following bindings flat.
Perfect Binding
We use this binding style for standard paperback lookbooks. We collate the interior pages into a block, glued together, and then glued into a wrap-around cover made of heavier art paper or lightweight cardstock. For lookbooks with a higher page count, this is a great option.
Sewn Perfect Bound
This binding style is used for many of the lookbooks we print. We collate the interior pages into sets called “signatures,” which are then sewn together and fixed into a wrap-around cover made of heavier art paper or lightweight cardstock. For lookbooks with a moderate page count that need to lay flat, this is a great option.
Saddle Stitch Binding
To saddle stitch your lookbook, we fold the printed interior sheets and stack them inside the cover sheet before stapling them together down the curved edge. Saddle stitch is only possible with a page count divisible by four, up to a maximum of 64 pages. To ensure the lookbook is neat and lies flat, we recommend a limit of 48 pages or fewer for this style of binding.
Wire-O & Spiral Binding
This binding is another popular choice for lookbooks that are destined to “do the rounds” and present examples of work to potential clients, for its practicality and flexibility. We punch or drill holes into the pages down one side and then bind them with a plastic coil that spirals through the holes. We crimp the coil at both ends to ensure the pages don’t come loose. You can turn the pages of a spiral-bound lookbook through 360° and also lay the open lookbook completely flat. We can laminate the pages to make them extra-resistant to UV light.
Hardcover Binding
In this binding, we organise the interior pages into signatures, which are then printed, cut, sewn, and glued into a hard casing covered by a printed sheet, which forms the cover. This binding is the most durable and high-end, especially if you add a dust jacket, endpapers, and a marker ribbon, for example.
Whichever binding style you choose, we make it easy for you to design your lookbook. You can use one of our ready-made design templates if you like. And please ask us for paper samples. We’ll be happy to send them to you in the mail. The samples are free, so you’ll only need to pay the mailing charges.
Lookbook Design and Artwork Tips
Whether you’re designing your lookbook yourself or outsourcing to a professional graphic designer, you need to understand how to get all your files “print ready”. A basic understanding of bleed zones, safety areas, trim lines, and borders is crucial, as is ensuring the image resolution and colour space are correct. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips for preparing your lookbook files for the printer.
Export your files as vectors in PDF format for the best results. Our recommended software options for lookbook design are Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign. These will also allow you to convert your colour space from RGB to CMYK, which you will need to do for offset printing.
If you can't deliver vectors—say, if you're exporting bitmaps from Photoshop—make sure the resolution is at least 300 DPI. With vectors, you don't need to worry about resolution, but all other images must have high definition to tolerate resizing without becoming fuzzy or "pixelated".
You'll need to add a "bleed zone" of 3 mm around all your pages. A bleed is an extended zone at the periphery of an image that falls outside the area your finished page will cover. Once we've printed your pages, we'll cut them to the exact size needed for your lookbook format. This "extra" is trimmed off to ensure the finished image fills the page with no parts lost. Mark bleed zones as red lines.
Inside your bleed zone, don't forget to mark the "trim lines". These will define the final dimensions of the finished page. Make sure any necessary elements of your images stop at least 10 mm short of the trim line.
If a photo spans across two pages in a "spread", ensure that no essential details (like the subject's face or key objects) lie along the centre crease.
For a spiral-bound lookbook, leave an added margin of at least 15 mm on the edge that will be bound to allow for the holes.
If you engage a professional designer to create your files, they should know what’s needed to prepare “print ready” files. But if you’re working with design software yourself for the first time, these are the crucial tips to consider before you send us your files. The responsibility for sending “print ready” files is yours. But please don’t worry! We’re happy to guide you each step of the way, explain what’s required, liaise with your designer if you have one, and manually check everything to make sure it all goes smoothly. This ensures you’ll end up with a perfect print edition of your lookbook.
Need Help Preparing Your Files? We Offer a Free File Checking Service
Can’t find what you want? Contact us!
Custom Lookbook Printing Costs
At QinPrinting, we help creatives of all kinds print lookbooks of unparalleled quality. But we also understand that everyone must work within a budget. That’s why we aim to deliver superb quality lookbooks at the most attractive price point you’ll find anywhere. Whether you’re an independent creative wanting to print a world-class lookbook for self-promotion or an industry professional seeking to elevate your brand, we put our expertise at your disposal at a price you can afford.
But we don’t expect you to take that on trust—look for yourself! You can get an immediate insight into the cost of printing your custom lookbook by checking our at-a-glance price charts. Unlike almost all offset printing services—which have a minimum print order of 500 or even 1,000 units—we offer a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of just 100 copies, still at a very appealing price. As you’ll see from the charts, the more lookbook copies you order in a run, the lower the cost per unit.
How much does it cost to print a saddle stitch lookbook?
Saddle Stitch Lookbook Printing Price Chart (210mm x 297mm)
| Quantity | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1000 copies | 2000 copies | 5000 copies | 10000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24pp + 4pp | Unit: A$4.69 Total: A$469 |
Unit: A$1.3 Total: A$649 |
Unit: A$0.83 Total: A$833 |
Unit: A$0.61 Total: A$1228 |
Unit: A$0.51 Total: A$2545 |
Unit: A$0.46 Total: A$4589 |
| 32pp + 4pp | Unit: A$5.02 Total: A$502 |
Unit: A$1.43 Total: A$713 |
Unit: A$0.91 Total: A$913 |
Unit: A$0.69 Total: A$1381 |
Unit: A$0.59 Total: A$2925 |
Unit: A$0.54 Total: A$5388 |
| 40pp + 4pp | Unit: A$5.96 Total: A$596 |
Unit: A$1.71 Total: A$853 |
Unit: A$1.11 Total: A$1110 |
Unit: A$0.83 Total: A$1661 |
Unit: A$0.70 Total: A$3511 |
Unit: A$0.64 Total: A$6386 |
- Please note that all prices are EXW from our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 200 gsm coated cover paper with matte lamination
- Interior: 128 gsm coated text paper
- Cover and inner: Full colour printing
How much does it cost to print a paperback lookbook?
Paperback Lookbook Printing Price Chart (210mm x 297mm)
| Quantity | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1000 copies | 2000 copies | 5000 copies | 10000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64pp + 4pp | Unit: A$8.64 Total: A$864 |
Unit: A$2.48 Total: A$1241 |
Unit: A$1.61 Total: A$1607 |
Unit: A$1.23 Total: A$2454 |
Unit: A$1.04 Total: A$5190 |
Unit: A$0.97 Total: A$9721 |
| 80pp + 4pp | Unit: A$10.31 Total: A$1031 |
Unit: A$2.98 Total: A$1492 |
Unit: A$1.94 Total: A$1940 |
Unit: A$1.48 Total: A$2965 |
Unit: A$1.26 Total: A$6303 |
Unit: A$1.18 Total: A$11792 |
| 128pp + 4pp | Unit: A$15.32 Total: A$1532 |
Unit: A$4.5 Total: A$2252 |
Unit: A$2.94 Total: A$2937 |
Unit: A$2.27 Total: A$4536 |
Unit: A$1.91 Total: A$9553 |
Unit: A$1.8 Total: A$17960 |
- Please note that all prices are EXW from our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 250 gsm coated cover paper with matte lamination
- Interior: 128 gsm coated text paper
- Cover and inner: Full colour printing
Let's Talk!
If you’re an independent creative, or work for an agency or corporation, and you want to print a lavish lookbook of unrivalled quality at an unbeatable price, we should talk! Get in touch today to discuss your needs or request a no-obligation quote. We can’t wait to help you create a lookbook that stands out as the best!
