Letterpress Goodness: Letterpress Light

Letterpress fans, it is our last day of Letterpress Goodness! Awwwwww....


Today's spotlight in on Letterpress Light, run by the ingenious Heather Noss. Here is her lovely interview and wonderful pictures of her fab work. Enjoy and you can contact Heather via the link above.

What is the name of your business? How long have you been in business?
My business is called Letterpress Light. I have been in business for 4 months selling on Etsy. I use a process that reproduces the wonderful recessed texture of letterpress printing, but I don't use a letterpress printing press (hence the name Letterpress "Light"). I do make my own photopolymer plates from my original designs, but press them un-inked over prints produced by regular flat printing. The greatest advantage of this method is that there is no difference for me time-wise as far as the number of colors that can be used in a design.



What is your name, title, and role in the business?
Heather Noss, Owner & Artist. I am a one-person business, so I do everything!

What made you want to start your own business, if applicable?
I was in the Foreign Service for seven years, which I loved for the years I did it, but came to realize that moving so much and working for a large bureaucracy was not for me anymore. I also couldn't deny my creative side! I love having my own business because I am building something new, while providing a creative product that I hope makes people happy. I am a self-taught designer, so it's also been a joy to expand those skills and see the positive reaction to what I am producing in my clients.




What paper products do you offer? What is your price range?
I produce cards, wedding invitations and other wedding stationery, party invitations, baby announcements, and thank you cards. Prices for wedding sets start at $4.50 per set, which includes invitation/envelope and RSVP card/envelope, both with return address printed.


What is your typical work day like?
I'm still working out my typical work day, but generally I get up around 9 am and start work right away. Since my business is all online, I check emails and respond to inquiries while I am eating breakfast (I know probably not a good habit!). I spend part of my morning taking care of any business housekeeping that I need to do, and then work on orders until mid-afternoon. At that point I've been trying to keep my new year's resolution of going to the gym! After I get back, I work for a few more hours, perhaps making plates or doing more online correspondence. I usually call it a night by 9 pm.



Do you do custom work? Tell me a little about your custom design process? How long do custom orders usually take to complete?
All of the designs on my website can be made done in any color and font combination. I also do custom designs, which involves getting an idea from the client about the look and feel they are going for, and if they already have specific ideas about what they would like the design to contain. For a truly new design, clients should allow at least three weeks for the design process, and after that my usual timeframe for printing an order (anywhere from 2-5 weeks depending on quantities needed and other factors).

What advice would you give to brides who want letterpressed invitations?
I am not a regular letterpress printer, but from what I have observed of other shops, I think it really pays to shop around. Like any business, letterpress printers will vary in terms of their business costs and their skill level, resulting in differences in price and quality. I would find a printer who is going to work with you on an individual basis to give you what you want. Speaking for myself, I am always ready to work with a client's budget, and can offer mixed sets, such as a set of pressed invitations but with just flat-printed (non-pressed) RSVP cards for a lower price.

What makes products created by letterpress so special?
For me, it's all about texture! That's what motivated me to create a process that reproduces the texture – there's just something about that depth that letterpress pieces have. For wedding pieces in particular, you know that the invitations people receive are not something they are just going to throw away.



If you could design wedding invitations for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Oprah! But unfortunately, it doesn't look like she's marriage-minded!

Where do you go for inspiration?
I get the best inspiration from my clients. I love how collaborative the process is, and I like having someone in mind when I'm designing. My most popular wedding design was the result of working on the design with a client, so I know that for me it's the best method to come up with new ideas!




What trends do you see emerging in letterpress/invitation design in 2009?
Letterpress "Light" of course!



What is your favorite typeface and pantone color?
I really like Windsong for people's names, and as far as pantone color, I am crazy for any shade of purple – lately I've had to force myself to produce samples for my site in something other than purple!

Letterpress Goodness: Smock

Letterpress fans, welcome to day 4 in our Letterpress Goodness series. Each day, we are spotlighting a letterpress studio that is creating amazing letterpress fabulousness.



Today's spotlight in on smock. Amy Stigler is the Creative Director @ smock and tells her story of life and letterpress. Here's her lovely interview and amazing pictures. Enjoy and you can contact Amy via the link above.

What is the name of your business? How long have you been in business?
Smock. Smock was launched in 2008. It is a sister company to Bella Figura which I have been designing for since its inception in 2003.




What is your name, title, and role in the business?
Amy Graham Stigler. Designer / Creative Director. I design & concept the Smock line of stationery, paper products and invitations.




What makes you do what you do?
I have always been a very visual person and fell in love with the beauty & texture of letterpress while in graduate school in the mid 90s. I have been designing letterpress stationery ever since (first with Snow & Graham, then with Bella Figura, now with Bella Figura & Smock).

What paper products do you offer? What is your price range?
Smock has both a stationery line and an invitation line. Our note cards, greeting cards & wrapping paper can be purchased in stores throughout the country or online (see smockpaper.com for list of retailers). Our wedding invitation line is semi-custom -- a client starts with one of our many designs and then customizes its with color, pattern, paper, to make it unique to the event. Our prices are competitive with other letterpress lines.

What is your typical work day like?
My ideal work day starts with running and yoga (after getting the kids fed, dressed and squared away). Then I hit the computer and really spend most of my day designing & concepting the Smock line. One thing I always do when I am concepting a design is to make a quick 'sketch' and sit with it for a day or so to see if it warrants further development. Many designs never make it past this stage. Other than that, I do the more banal business stuff -- pay bills, return emails, order supplies, tidy up my desk (endlessly!).



Do you do custom work? Tell me a little about your custom design process? How long do custom orders usually take to complete?
I don't do a lot of custom work at this point since designing for Smock really takes up so much of my time. One thing that I do offer to clients is the ability to work off of the Smock Wedding Book and customize from there. Because the book has so much depth the design possibilities are nearly limitless.

What advice would you give to brides who want letterpressed invitations?
Look, look, look. And touch. Start with the designer/designs you love and then educate yourself about the company -- quality of their printing, materials used, pricing, philosophy, customer service, and so on.

What makes products created by letterpress so special?
The texture and three dimensionality of letterpress is completely unique. And often letterpress companies are smaller and more conscientious -- environmentally and otherwise.




If you could design wedding invitations for anyone in the world, who would it be?
My daughter (when her time comes).

Where do you go for inspiration?
I glean inspiration from just about anything -- nature, art, antiques.




What trends do you see emerging in letterpress/invitation design in 2009?
Bold color combinations. I am also seeing an interest in more traditional understated designs.

What is your favorite typeface and pantone color?
My consistent favorite typeface is Bell MT. Favorite Pantone: 5523 (soft blue-green).

Letterpress Goodness: Golden Rectangle Press

Letterpress fans, welcome to day 3 in our Letterpress Goodness series. Each day, we are spotlighting a letterpress studio that is creating amazing letterpress fabulousness.


Today's spotlight in on Golden Rectangle Press, run by the dynamic duo - Beth and Peter. So here is their lovely interview and fab pics. Enjoy and you can contact Beth and Peter via the link above.

What is the name of your business? How long have you been in business?
My husband Peter and I are Golden Rectangle Press and we have been designing and printing invitations and stationery together for 2 years. Before Peter came along, I had been creating wedding invitations since 2003.

What is your name, title, and role in the business?
Beth McGouran, co-owner, designer, letterpress printer. Peter is the screen printing extraordinaire, art editor, and the balancing influence in keeping a number of the designs male-friendly.



What made you want to start your own business, if applicable?
We've been creating together since we met so the transition to our own company seemed like a natural step and we wouldn't have it any other way. When you work for someone else, you start to lose bits of your soul. For some people, it may be small bits here and there, but I always feel that I get very far away from myself. My design career has given me a lot– most importantly– invaluable experience working with tons of clients and different personalities.

But for a long time, I have had a very strong desire to design pieces that I have more of a connection to; pieces with more meaning and emotion. I love the idea of creating something that marks an historical moment in someone's life. Something that they will keep forever. I still have my parents' wedding invitation and I consider it a priceless piece. Whether or not the couple remembers me personally is unimportant. The fact that they'll have a part of something that I made for them is very exciting. And it's all about love. How great is that?


What paper products do you offer?
We love the Neena line and use it a lot. We also favor Crane's Lettra, Mohawk and Strathmore. Our list is always expanding because we both love paper and the scope of products to choose from is enormous.

What is your price range?
Our suites start at $8.50 per set and vary according to designs, number of colors and extras like metallic inks and lined envelopes. We are in love with lined envelopes!

What is your typical work day like?
What is a typical work day?! When you work for yourself, you learn to expect the unexpected and go with the flow, not the undertow. Cliche but true!

Do you do custom work? Tell me a little about your custom design process? How long do custom orders usually take to complete?
After initial concepts and ideas are discussed, it takes about 3-5 days to flesh out design solutions. From there, the couple chooses between the designs and can mix and match elements from one piece to the next. The length of the design process depends a lot on the couple. Some are very hands on which is great because they get to be a part of their invitation design, but it also lengthens the process so it's important to allow enough time. After design sign off, we allot 3-4 weeks for printing.



What advice would you give to brides who want letterpressed invitations?
If you can afford it, do it! Letterpressed invitations are so magical, you can't help staring at them and running your fingers over the impressions. We fondle them constantly! You can't get that kind of timelessness and elegance from offset no matter how beautiful the design is.

What makes products created by letterpress so special?
Letterpress provides both a human connection and a connection to a piece of history before technology depersonalized everything. Our connections to one another through email, Facebook, text messaging and the Internet have boiled down to pixels. Our links to each other are most predominant in computerland which makes them seem less real, and when one device makes another obsolete those moments of connection are gone with them. Computers and printers can be wonderful creation tools but when it ends there, the human element is removed. When you hold a letterpress print in your hand, you are connected to the person who made that print using their hands, arms, legs, entire body, their love, their patience, and the oldest method of printing. There's a lot of soul in that.





If you could design wedding invitations for anyone in the world, who would it be?
If we could time warp into the past, we would create invites for any of the great artistic geniuses whose work could become part of the imagery or wording. daVinci, Picasso, Mucha, Klimt, Haring, cummings, Auden. Any of the classic type designers and patternmakers. John & Yoko!

Where do you go for inspiration?
Everywhere- architecture, photographs, music, posters, screen prints, and nature. Creative souls are inspiring.




What trends do you see emerging in letterpress/invitation design in 2009?
It depends on what the press says (no pun intended!). Someone will always publicize the latest trend and everyone quickly hops on that train. In work and in life, neither one of us typically follows trends but a good trend that is on the rise is the use of recycled and green products. Let's keep our earthly time capsule alive and breathing.

What is your favorite typeface and pantone color?
We mostly work with the classic typefaces or anything that looks very classic and refined. We try to stay away from type with a major swank factor. Colorwise, we favor a lot of the warmer Pantones in the red and brown families. We also love metallics.

It's A Letterpress Valentine's Day Giveaway: Dolce Press

How appropriate that there is a post about a letterpress giveaway, huh? Well, here you go. Head on over to Dolce Press where Alex is whipping up letterpress goodness for your delight. Good luck to you.

Letterpress Goodness: Parklife Press

Letterpress fans, welcome to day 2 in our Letterpress Goodness series. Each day, we are spotlighting a letterpress studio that is creating amazing letterpress fabulousness.



Today's spotlight in on Parklife Press. We gave you a sneak peek into Parklife Press last year when Parklife was sweet enough to sponsor a giveaway. 'Cause you girls love a good giveaway. Parklife is the brainchild of Travis Friedrich, who is another "one-man show." So here is his wonderful interview and gorgeous pics including pictures of the giveaway winner's notecards. Enjoy and you can contact Travis via the link above.

What is the name of your business? How long have you been in business?
I started my company, Parklife Press, in late 2005... so it's just over 3 years old.

What is your name, title, and role in the business?
I'm Travis Friedrich, the owner and sole employee (with occasional help).

What makes you do what you do?
I love being in charge of my own time and deciding for myself what projects are important. That, combined with the fact that there aren't exactly a whole lot of job openings in letterpress and/or printmaking in general, led me to start a business of my own.



What paper products do you offer? What is your price range?
Parklife offers just about any sort of custom letterpress work you can think of (wedding stationery, business cards, personal notes, event invitations, etc). That said, about 90% of our printing is for weddings. Our prices for wedding invitations tend to run between $5 and $15 per set depending on the details. In the world of custom letterpress, there's a huge range in prices from shop to shop. I think Parklife's rates fall at about the 25th percentile (we're more expensive than a few, but more affordable than most.... and MUCH more affordable than some).




What is your typical work day like?

Most of my time is spent at my desk, whether it's doing design work for a client, ordering supplies (plates, paper, ink, etc), or answering emails and phone calls from potential customers. About 2-3 days a week (often on the weekends when I don't have as many emails coming in) I'm in the studio printing.

Do you do custom work? Tell me a little about your custom design process? How long do custom orders usually take to complete?
Yes, almost every order Parklife prints is custom. Usually, a client will open an order with a fairly clear idea of what they want, whether it be a variation on something in our gallery, or something they've dreamed up. I then put a few preliminary proofs together to show them, and we go from there, honing the design until it's perfect. The design process usually takes a couple of weeks, although there's a big range. A decent chunk of my work is for designers who come to me with finished designs... I'm happy to print those as well. Printing takes 3 weeks or less once the design is ready.




What advice would you give to brides who want letterpressed invitations?
Two things: First, I'd steer them toward a company that will give detailed personal attention to your order. It's nice to work directly with a single person who will see your order through from start to finish. Second, see a sample of the work before choosing a printer. Not all letterpress is done well. There's sometimes an assumption that if it's letterpress, it's high-quality, however, there's a big difference between a shop that puts a lot of stock in the details, and one who doesn't.

What makes products created by letterpress so special?
First and foremost, I just love the way letterpress pieces look. A crisp impression on thick soft paper is wonderful. Secondly, there's something nice about the fact that the printing is done by hand, one sheet at a time, on an old antique press (mine is over 100 years old).

If you could design wedding invitations for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Besides Brangelina? Hmmm... I'm not sure that anyone's coming to mind... I'll get back to you if I think of someone.

Where do you go for inspiration?
It seems like I'm always stumbling on inspiration (in magazines, on TV, on signs) so I don't often need to seek it out. My customers are also a great source of design ideas. Most of the pieces that are now Parklife designs stemmed from a custom job for a specific client.





What trends do you see emerging in letterpress/invitation design in 2009?
It seems like sans-serif type has been quite popular lately, both in wedding stationery and in pop culture in general. It'll be interesting to see if it continues. I also think perhaps the popularity of pocketfolds and enclosures of that sort may continue to grow.

What is your favorite typeface and pantone color?
I've really been liking Century Gothic a lot -- especially in all caps with generous kerning. As for color, PMS 5503 (Parklife's Pale Peacock) seem to keep popping up in my work.

PICTURES FROM THE BRIDAL WISHLIST/PARKLIFE PRESS GIVEAWAY

Here are pictures from our letterpress giveaway that Travis so graciously participated in. The winner won 40 personalized notecards and envelopes.

Letterpress Goodness: Dingbat Press

Letterpress fans, welcome to the first post in our Letterpress Goodness series. Each day, we will spotlight a letterpress studio that is creating amazing letterpress fabulousness.


Today's spotlight in on Dingbat Press and Dingbat Press Etsy shop. I love this "one-man show (or one-woman show)" and the fact that she uses a manual press! Impressive. Enjoy her interview and her beautiful designs. Thanks, Adrienne! You can contact Adrienne via the links above.

What is the name of your business?
I'm DBA Dingbat Press. Sometimes I get funny reactions and snickers from people when they hear my business name as they think I'm the dingbat (which in some cases I can be), however the historical reference behind the name is related to a printer's dingbat, often used as ornamentation in typeset letterpress printing.

How long have you been in business?
Three years officially, however I've been printing for about 5, and designing invitations here and there since 2000.

What is your name, title, and role in the business?
My name is Adrienne Berry. I am owner and sole-proprietor. My friends call me suzy homemaker, or the one-man-band because at this stage in my business I do it all: design, print, represent myself, take care of the house, love my kids and my hubby, be an accountant and gardener (when the spare moment arises).



What made you want to start your own business?
I always wanted to be a graphic designer and/or illustrator due to an inspiring and mentoring neighbor who sparked my interest at a young age. So school was a matter of finding the right BFA program. However, I found a husband first, so I made the best out of school that I could. Luckily, the university I received my BFA from had an excellent design program with amazing professors. Due to my husband's line of work (fly-fishing outfitter) I knew we'd be living rural and that I could work for someone else (slim pickings) or work for myself. I did the agency thing for a few years and then decided to take the plunge as our family expanded. The business evolved out of my ADD obsession to create new designs whenever I felt like it, which led me to stationery. Letterpress was already an obsession and so the two naturally melded nicely.

What makes you do what you do?
I do what I do because I love it. There's just something so breathtaking in seeing a design go from the drawing board, to digital proofs, to press and then into the client's hands. That final printed piece is what keeps me coming back to do more. And I can have a studio in my home, letting me be there for my family too.

What paper products do you offer? What is your price range?
I think of all these things I would like to offer and then I have to tighten the reigns and tell myself to focus on a specific line. This year I'm putting out all new designs for the 2009-2010 buying year and am excited to have new offerings out into the market. The line consists of a few collections (each a specific design theme because I can't decide on just one theme to follow and like to have some unique offerings for everyone). Each collection will have single notes, boxed notes, enclosures (mini-notes and mini-lopes), and then depending on the theme there will be additives. Some will have recipe cards, some will have imprintables (baby shower, bridal shower), and some will have hand-bound journals with letterpressed covers that correlate with their specific collection. I'll also continue with wedding stationery, and baby announcements as they were what got me started in the first place. Price range is around $4 - $35 for notes, and social/correspondence stationery. Invitations/Announcements start at $325 and go up from there depending on complexity of the stationery and printed colors, customization, quantity etc.




What is your typical work day like?
My work day is centered around the needs of my family. I have my iPhone that keeps me in contact with email and clients 24/7, however there are still kids to feed and play with. For the most part, it works well. I check my email and do estimates, etsy orders, and accounting in the mornings while kids play. During nap-time I usually get a few jobs printed and then when lunch time rolls around we head out to ship orders and do something fun (weather permitting, work permitting). Obviously if there's a big deadline, a babysitter or Daddy is there to help out so 100% focus goes into product and a full workday ensues. I try to schedule out how the day or week will go depending on the amount of jobs I have going through the studio during that time, but the schedule can change due to RUSH jobs or cuts and scrapes! Once kids are in bed, I'm back on my computer generating designs, sending proofs to clients, making follow-up phone calls if they haven't been made during the day (and because some people can't discuss wedding details at work:) and occasionally printing as well. My hubby works late hours some evenings so I can get a lot done in the 4 hours after bedtime. I almost always pull an 8 hour workday, it's just not typical 9-5 style!


Do you do custom work? Tell me a little about your custom design process?
I LOVE custom work, it's what really drives me. The one thing I thought I'd miss about agency and more corporate design was the fulfilling need to be challenged by someone else's parameters and ideas. Custom jobs give me that challenge and it's always more fun to work with someone who is ordering stationery for a life event. I like to really try to get to know the person I'm working with as well as what sort of event they are going for (wedding) or what sort of lifestyle they live (announcements, personal stationery). I try to take elements they'd like to incorporate into their stationery and then graphically convey who they are through illustration, type, and style. Custom jobs are fun because everyone is so different. One day I may be working on a refined rustic invitation suite, and another a whimsical baby announcement. It keeps me up on my style education and art history!

How long do custom orders usually take to complete?
I recommend 4-8 weeks due to the nature of proofing, revising and printing (which takes some time too as everything is hand printed by yours truly)!

What advice would you give to brides who want letterpressed invitations?
1). Give yourself PLENTY of time. They take awhile to produce, especially custom orders. You don't want the job rushed if you can avoid it.

2). Plan a reasonable budget for it. I'm not saying spend thousands of dollars but as much as I'd love to work for you for free and do a sweet design, I've got to make a living too. I try to price my invitations reasonably for a letterpress project and like to work with my clients if they've got a set budget. I don't know about other stationers, but I like it when a bride can give me a budget up front. Then I can better guide her as to what will fit within the budget without her feeling like she has to forgo the whole letterpress idea. Some of my favorite designs were done as a one color, tight budget job. They really require one to stretch and make the design work!

3). If you HAVE to have letterpress, and NEED it to fit into a tight budget, be prepared to compromise. I won't ever force you to go with something you don't want to, but part of my job is to consult you as to how I can HELP you make it work. You can save cost by electing not to have the envelope printed, going with a one color suite, and choosing less insert pieces. Or if you really want the 2 color invitation, do a 1 color insert to save costs on the smaller piece. Don't worry, I'll make it all look nice for you! I'm really not trying to be mean in suggesting budget alternatives or eliminating pieces, I'm just trying to help. If budget is not a concern, then more power to you!




What makes products created by letterpress so special?
It's tactile. It's a touch and feel experience. Letterpress is an antique form of printing too! I use an OLD press, and thus print everything by hand. Each sheet is fed through the press one at a time, called an impression. I step on a pedal, set the paper in, roll the crank across the press bed where it's printed, pull the sheet, and start over. So a 3 color job for a quantity of 100 invitations and printed envelopes will get roughly 475 impressions (350 for the invitation, and 125 for the envelopes). That's not even including inserts. Some printers have fancy Heidelberg presses, which maybe someday I may acquire, but for now I'm considered a small printer. It takes a lot of love to hand print everything!

If you could design wedding invitations for anyone in the world, who would it be?
I don't think I'd jump on the royalty or celebrity bandwagon, as those jobs would seem to have too strict of a design parameter (BORING!). My ideal person to design for is someone not afraid to have their invitations a little different. Not to steer away the traditionalists, but it's more mind-expanding to do something I haven't tried before.

Where do you go for inspiration?
My clients serve as inspiration. The rest is trade secret ;)




What trends do you see emerging in letterpress/invitation design in 2009?
CONFESSION: I try to keep up on the trends, but sometimes I find them more inhibiting than inspiring. Lately I haven't been watching design trends too much because it stints my own creativity as I'm finishing my own line. Thinking about everyone else's work out there can slow me down in my own process so I try to do market research as to what's too saturated in the designs and styles, what could be done a little more, and how can I fill that void then I keep to myself until I'm done with designing the current year's designs. The only thing I've been keeping up on is color predictions these last few months. Rose, super yellow, grey, dust, slate blue and 80s subdued colors are joining the ranks again. Say goodbye to the brown/teal combos and brown/light green combos. I think whimsical/bohemian will continue to play a significant role and wouldn't be surprised to see a little more art deco with the 80s continuing to make a comeback.

What is your favorite typeface and pantone color?
I LOVE copper, people don't use it enough. Typeface is a little harder. Probably Bembo for a traditional serif face, Archer for a slab-serif (HFJones), and either Univers by Frutiger or Gill Sans for a sans-serif.