Today we had the pleasure of welcoming Byrd & Bleecker to our very own printshop! They were treated to a premium tour by Cathy and surprise gift coasters to be letterpress printed and diecut right before their eyes. We all share the letterpress love! Here is a picture of the die about to make contact with the printed sheet and deliver the piece cut out. What a fun time showing these fine folks around.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 2:11 p.m.
Jeff is putting the second pass down on this card. Each color requires a separate pass through the letterpress (in this case, good ole Heidelberg Windmill 10 x 15) and a plate with only that color on it (“photo-polymer letterpress plate” to be technical).
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 12:30 p.m.
So spacious, so bright, so urban grit! This is where our client coordinators, designers, Harold, Debbie and Adriana work. The high ceilings and brick make it feel like a cave while the vivid colors and paper streamers bring a party vibe. Hence, the office is a party-cave!
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 3:56 p.m.
We sure love paper here! Here’s some of our cotton and bamboo papers. We have 1-ply, 2-ply, ivory, white and other kinds too. Becky is in the background. She does stand behind her work.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 2:30 p.m.
Letterpress printer Mike has a special attachment to Bella Figura’s Charmed NY design! If you could hear the man speak you’d know that’s his hometown. Viva New York!
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 2:13 p.m.
Here is an example of beautiful letterpress blind deboss! The plate is printed with no ink leaving only an impression that is pressed deeply to create an interplay of shadow and paper.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 1:59 p.m.
Here is another one of our presses that does flat printing AKA offset printing. It is a printing method where the inked plate presses against a rubber blanket that then offsets the ink onto the paper.
Tony (an offset printer) has printed 2 different patterned backings in tangerine and aubergine.
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 12:14 p.m.
July 1st was our monthly Boxcar potluck where we cook for each other and talk with those we don’t see too often. We feasted, we laughed, we cried (with laughter), we were serenaded by printer Dave, a true renaissance man. Not only is he a letterpress printer, he’s also a carpenter, a motorcyclist, a glass etcher, good joke teller, and as we were lucky enough to find out, a talented crooner, guitarist, & harmonica player- all at the same time! Kudos to you, Dave!
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 1:30 p.m.
No matter what color is chosen for a job, we most likely can find it here on our ink shelf. Go ahead, ask us for any color!
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 12:14 p.m.
Meet our beautiful, wonderful, shiny new Original Heidelberg “S” Press. She can run a sheet size of 22 1/2″ x 32 1/2″ and has a splendid array of rollers to do her might letterpress work. What a hunk of love!
by Carrie Valenzuela, letterpress printer. 2:30 p.m.