Cheap Step Folds for Brochures: Fold of the Week

This week, I wanted to show you a really simple way to create a stylish, stepped effect on a brochure without adding any complexity to the job.

I’m a huge fan of stepped formats, and I’ve shown many, many variations on the show over the years. However, some can be tough to machine fold, which really adds to the production cost. But not this one!! I’ve got four different low-budget Stepped Double Parallels to share with you, and I think you’re really going to like them.

What’s super-cool about this week’s fold:

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create something unique and engaging—and I hope these four examples inspire you to try the Stepped Double Parallel on an upcoming project.

How are the Cheap Step Folds for Brochures produced?

Folding Style: Stepped Double ParallelSample #1: Printing & Graphics Assoc. MidAtlanticSample #2: Design - Kelsey GraftonSample #3: Seasons PizzaSample #4: Gardens Alive, Inc.Paper: ~80 lb TextFinishing: Machine FoldBudget Rating: Low

Trish Witkowski is Chief Folding Fanatic at the online community foldfactory.com. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in graphic design and a master of science degree in Graphic Arts Publishing from Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Printing Management and Sciences (now the School of Print Media). An award-winning designer, Trish held the position of creative director for a Baltimore-based agency for six years, and has taught design and desktop publishing at the college level. She has a specialized expertise in the area of folding and is the creator of the FOLDRite™ system, a 2004 GATF InterTech™ Technology Award winner. Trish frequently publishes articles for graphic arts industry publications, and has written three books on the topic of folding: A Field Guide to Folding, Folding for the Graphic Arts: A Teacher's Handbook, and FOLD: The Professional's Guide to Folding.