If you self-publish with print-on-demand services such as Lulu, CreateSpace or Lightning Source, you need ISBN barcodes. These services supply barcodes to place on your book cover. However, often the barcodes will be too large, or use fonts you dislike. If you look at books in bookstores, you will see that not all barcodes are the same size, or even the same color. Therefore, why wouldn't you print an ISBN barcode that matches the design of your cover?
Fine, but what to do? The ISBN barcode specification allows a barcode to be sized between 80% and 200% of the standard size. Therefore, you can shrink the standard barcodes supplied by POD outfits. But you need the right tools (or just knowledge) to do that. Resizing ISBN barcodes can be tricky as the bars need to stay perfectly black, without pixellation or anti-aliasing.
A Site About Nothing is pleased to announce the launch of a free tutorial explaining how to resize ISBN barcodes. “I hope to have created the best site about ISBN barcodes,” says Andy. “Or at least, one in the top hundred thousand.” Joke aside, it’s a great resource. Please visit, comment, bookmark and share:
http://asiteaboutnothing.net/
