A5 Perfect Bound Books
4pp Cover onto 250gsm Silk FSC Certified
Matt lamination to the outer
120pp Inside pages onto 115gsm Silk FSC Certified (6mm spine)
Full colour printing throughout
Perfect bound
How about this for a front cover!
Manchester Metropolitan University’s Fine Art Degree Show catalogue is built for real-world browsing: students, tutors, show visitors, potential employers and peers. The design makes a strong first impression, then keeps things easy to navigate—so you can dip in, find a name, and get straight to the work.
It starts with bold cover graphics that grab attention from a table or reception desk, backed up by a satisfying, bookshop-ready perfect bound finish. If you’re weighing up formats for a showcase publication, our overview of the full process is here: https://exwhyzed.com/print-journey/
We printed these as A5 perfect bound books with full colour throughout—compact, professional, and easy to carry around a busy show.
The silk stock keeps everything smooth and clean in the hand—ideal for image-led pages—while staying easy to read under gallery lighting. If you’re choosing between silk, uncoated, gloss and recycled options, this guide is a handy starting point: https://exwhyzed.com/paper-choices-for-printing-a-showcase-of-silk-gloss-uncoated-and-recycled-finishes/
The cover does the heavy lifting. Those punchy graphics catch the eye quickly, which matters when catalogues are stacked in public spaces and people only give you a second or two.
We also loved the vertical spine typography—simple, confident, and practical. On a shelf, it makes the catalogue easy to spot, even when it’s tightly packed with other show materials.
Inside, the pacing is the real win: early portrait pages put faces to names, and the consistent one-page-per-student structure makes the book feel fair, curated, and easy to browse. Design by Lucy Evans (@monsigneous).
Like most degree show projects, the timeline was tight and the details moved as the catalogue came together—page counts shifting, artwork versions changing, and a fixed delivery date in the diary.
Our team flagged the key practicalities early: making sure the file had 3mm bleed for trimming, and double-checking black-and-white images so they print as true monochrome (not “accidental colour”). Those two tweaks save stress—and save reprints.
If you’re exporting from InDesign and want a simple, visual explanation of bleed, this guide is the one: https://exwhyzed.com/resource/setting-3mm-bleed-on-artwork-for-print/
Degree show catalogues need two things at once: calm organisation and fast, friendly support. We kept the project moving with file checks, clear feedback on what needed fixing, and straightforward guidance on preparing print-ready PDFs.
Perfect binding is a brilliant choice for thicker catalogues, but it does mean the cover file needs the spine set correctly. If you’re building your own cover, this setup guide will keep you on track: https://exwhyzed.com/resource/perfect-binding-set-up-guide/
When you’re ready, you can send files straight through here: https://exwhyzed.com/ready-to-order/
If you want help shaping the spec, choosing paper, or stress-testing your files before you hit print, start here: https://exwhyzed.com/printed-project-builder/
