Jacob Ryan Business Card

For letterpress printers the easiest business card to print is one ink colour on 100% cotton paper…or so we always thought.   Let me explain.  To print a letterpress design we make a photopolymer plate for each ink colour and mount it on the press to be inked up.  It’s simple and efficient.  Except if you run into finicky dots-Yup tiny little innocent looking dots.  When I made the plate for Jacob’s cards the little lines of dots morphed and started moving on the plate.  I had never had this happen before so I thought it might be the plate-sometimes they get old and don’t expose as well. So I made another plate, and another and another and it still wasn’t working!  What I eventually realized, after wasting quite a bit of plate material, was the large solid logo needed to be exposed for a different amount of time than the  small dots.  So, I made another plate of the full card and using an exacto knife and a steady hand, I cut out the lines of dots and printed the cards in 2 runs, one for the logo and one for the dots. It was probably the most work for such a simple job I have ever done.  And in the end the result was excellent and the client loved them-which is all that matters!  With letterpress, it really is a new experience with each design, each plate, each print, and that’s why we love it!

If you are looking for a great designer in Michigan check out Jacob Ryan’s blog http://thejacobryan.tumblr.com/

And if you have a one colour business card you need letterpress printed send it over-no matter how simple or complicated the design it is only $95.00 for 100 business cards.

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

Coach Charrise Business Card

We finished these cards a few weeks ago for Coach Charrise McCrorey, a personal and business coach who was in the process of redesigning her image.  With a new blog and a new website up she wanted a card that would match the sites and make an impression.  We got busy and designed the card for Charrise using her new logo she sent us and letterpress printed the cards on Crane’s Lettra 110lb cotton paper in 2 gorgeous shades of purple.  The darker shade shows a bit of the cotton texture through it and the thin light purple font just looks so good pressed into the paper.

Check out her site for info about coaching and her blog for great posts about getting what you want out of life.   http://www.coachcharrise.com

And if you are redesigning your image and need a new card, consider letterpress printing-it will definitely get you and your card noticed!

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

Invitation to Exhibition

We are excited to be heading to Alexandria ON tomorrow night to an exhibition of work by our friend Anick Bauer.  She is a really talented graphic designer and photographer that we have worked with many times.  Her invite to the “Vernissage” was letterpress printed by us on our Heidelberg Windmill in 2 ink colours and one blind deboss.  She then had custom stamps made for the front and back of her envelopes which matched the letterpress printing so well.

If you are in the neighbourhood come by and check out the show!  (I heard there will be wine and cheese!)  If you can’t make it tomorrow, the exhibit is running through June.

For more information and a map of the area check out Anick’s Blog  http://anickbauerdesign.ca/2011/05/vernissage-il-faut-oser/

Why Wedding Invitations Are So Important

Last month while at the UPS Store shipping out a package to a client, I witnessed something I just can’t shake from my memory.  A customer was using the copier to have her wedding invitations printed…. bold black text on top of a tie-dye-like background,  printed on glossy 8.5 x 11 stock.  I was frozen with horror for a few seconds, should I say something, wait, my mouth won’t move…need….air.

Now, I do understand being on a tight budget-I’ve been on quite a few in my life, but come-on! Gloss paper? Tie-Dye?  There are so many inexpensive options out there to invite people to your wedding….the phone being one that comes to mind.

But what I really want to talk about is why the wedding invitation is so important.  A lot of couples today open up a big book or go online and pick a mass-produced design and then get it digitally printed in a far-off land.  It’s checked off the to-do list. But they don’t consider what the design says that the wording does not say.  For example, a guest receiving an elegant invitation will assume it’s black-tie, whereas a fun, brightly coloured invitation will mean casual dress.  Don’t assume that just because you are getting married at Posh-a-la-Posh Hotel that your guests will know it’s formal dress-they won’t.

If you did not send out save-the-dates then the invitation is also a symbol of you as a couple and the first impression before the Wedding Day.  It should reflect your style, personality and the theme (if there is one) of the wedding.  You don’t want your guests to just know where and when but also what kind of day it will be.

Your wedding invitation should be a beautiful keep-sake for your family and friends because it reminds them of you and your beautiful wedding.   I have personally decided not to toss only 2 wedding invitations I have received, one was handmade with lovely coloured papers and really reminded me of my friend and the other was letterpress printed on thick handmade paper with the couple’s monogram at the top.  The rest, like the angel-bear, like the glued-on string of plastic pearls, like the shimmery giant silvery bouquet, like the faded-out pic of a couple kissing-all gone to the recycle bin.

I know it can be overwhelming with all the other planning that needs to be done for a wedding but it just takes a moment to decide to send out an appropriate yet unique wedding invitation instead of a confusing, tacky photocopy.

And there are only a few simple things to remember when choosing a design and a printing method.  Your wedding invitation design should:

1. Take into consideration the location and time of the wedding.  ex. on a beach, in the winter, outdoors in a park, in a church

2. Match the colours of your wedding  ex. what are your bridesmaids wearing? what flowers are you using? what is your decor going to look like?

3. Reflect your personalities and interests  ex. are you and your partner  fun-loving?  artistic?  sports enthusiasts?  cowboys?  nature-lovers?

A good graphic designer or printer can help you pull all of these details together and create the perfect, beautiful invitation to your wedding.

So if you don’t want the same invitation a thousand other couples used, send us an email for a quote!

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

Five Colour Letterpress Train Cover

This fun print is a railway timetable cover we printed for a member of a local model train group.  The design is based on an original timetable from a village in England.  Printed in 5 colours (red, blue, black, cool gray and gold) on Crane’s Lettra 110lb in bright white.  Registration was crazy difficult for this job and the large solids meant lots of skip feeding on the Heidelberg!

If you have a project that you think is too crazy for letterpress-give us a shout for a quote!

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

Letterpress 2 Colour Business Card & Tags

We just loved printing this letterpress two colour tag and business card, it was a bit tricky lining up the pink and black text but the end result is a real eye-catching card. They were designed by Christina Droumtsekas for her new flower shop and printed on Crane’s Lettra bright white 100% cotton paper.

If you are starting a new venture or would like to update your existing business stationery-give us a shout for a quote.  We can print your designs or create custom logos and graphics to print on our letterpress.

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

Three Colour Letterpress Business Card

Our favourite business card we’ve printed so far. This card was designed by Anick Bauer (our fave graphic designer!),  letterpress printed in 3 colours and die-cut into a unique and skinny rectangle. Originally we were going to print the pattern without any ink – a blind deboss – but the details just weren’t coming through. Instead we used transparent white ink to bring out the gorgeous detail in the design.

If you are looking for a new business card give us a shout for a quote!

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

Lovely Special on Letterpress Save The Dates

For all of you romantic couples who got engaged on Valentine’s Day we have a special offer for you!  Until the end of March we are offering Letterpress Save The Dates Cards for $1.25 each!!!   Our letterpress Save The Dates are 4 x 6 (A2) single card and will be printed in one ink colour on Crane’s Lettra 110lb 100% cotton paper in your choice of bright white, pearl white or ecru.  We have matching blank envelopes for.25 each and for .50 each we will print your return address on the back flap in the same colour as your design.  You can submit a design of your own or we can design them for you.  If you order save the dates from us when you are ready to order your invitation set we will also give you a 10% discount.  There is a minimum order of 50 cards and extra charges do apply for metallic inks, specialty papers, extra ink colours and embellishments.

Don’t wait & contact us for details!!

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

*** Sorry Everyone – Deal is over but stay tuned for upcoming specials! ***

Edge Painted Letterpress Business Cards

This typographic design was sent to us from Ben Kane Photography and was printed with 2 shades of blue ink on Crane’s Lettra Duplex 220lb to reduce the impression showing through onto the other side.  Then the cards were sent away to be edge painted to match the dark blue which really makes these cards one of a kind.  These business cards were a lot of work but the results were worth it!

If you are looking for a photographer in the Toronto area check out Ben Kane’s website http://www.benkanephoto.com

And if you need a new business card or a business card for your new business, send us an email for a quote!

ianbristow@wedoprinting.net

jenniferkibbee@wedoprinting.net

We Do Printing’s New Letterpress Blog

Well, I’ve tried the blog thing before but had trouble with the platform and instead of it being fun putting up pics of projects-it became frustrating, so I’m starting again on a new site recommended by a friend.

This will be a new beginning for We Do Printing-and my old blog is still up on Tumblr  http://wedoprinting.tumblr.com if you want to check it out.

Hope you check back often!