The Dingbat’s Agenda

  • April22nd

    DBA: Letterpress is Special

    Posted in: About Me

    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. For all the technical details click…

    So for a 3 color job for a quantity of 100 invitations and printed envelopes the suite 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 will acquire, but for now I’m considered a small printer. It takes a lot of love to hand print everything!

    With that said, those are the basics behind Dingbat Press, thanks for following the DBA series!

  • April14th

    DBA: Dingbat Custom Orders

    Posted in: About Me, Custom

    A little about the custom design process: FYI, 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 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)! Number of pieces can add or subtract to that time frame as well as how many colors are being printed on each piece. Some wonder why it takes longer to turn around until they get going with proofing and realize all the little nuances that go into the customization of their specific suite. Upon completion and approval of proofs, there is also printing. Due to the nature of hand printing, rushing the process isn’t advised so that proper and accurate impressions, color and alignment/registration can be obtained and a beautiful and impeccable product can be shipped to the client.

    To Be Continued…

  • April7th

    DBA: The Dingbat’s Workday

    Posted in: About Me

    In Continuation on the Doing Business As series: The Dingbat’s Workday

    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, injections to give, and time for kid play. 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 or proofs off 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!

    To Be Continued…

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