The Dingbat’s Agenda

  • February3rd

    Blue and Black Damask Wedding

    Posted in: posted by ADRIENNE, Wedding

    These proofs were sent to a bride awhile back for a wedding suite and save the date suite. A spin off of another damask design, I’m excited with how these are turning out! The save the dates have already shipped (and while the bride went with another color way, we thought we’d give you a glimpse of the round 1 proofs!

  • January17th

    Letterpress & Digital Printing

    Posted in: business cards, Color, Custom, letterpress technique, OFFSET, Wedding

    Tilted Sky is a business by couple Lindsey & Stephen who shoot some pretty awesome wedding filmography for your big day. Lindsey approached us with a seemingly challenging project in that she wanted  the look of a gradient/split-fountain in a very small print area. Easy for flat printing, challenging for letterpress printing. After working long and hard on her files and the concept she was going for, we finally decided to go with the solution to have the gradient sky printed via flat printing on our 110# paper, and then ran it through our presses for the final print run with a light silver ink for their business info.

    Above and below are two pre-press proofs that we pulled for Lindsey so she could compare the color of the gradient, the value of the line screen clouds (which were hard to photograph but looked awesome in person) as well as the value of the silver. Above we have a more peachy hue, and below more pink with a lighter silver.

    Upon sending images over to the client for final sign off we hit the presses and shipped these babies out!

  • December20th

    Chunky Pineapple Branding – start to finish

    Posted in: branding, Business, business cards, Business Papers, Custom, posted by ADRIENNE

    This was a small branding package that we worked with Michelle on for her stationery venture, Chunky Pineapple. She creates awesome gocco cards and needed some outside help with her identity. Sometimes we all get too close to the project, right? That’s where we came in. With her ideas about the brand we came up with some concepts that were in line with the look and feel she was going for. Below are Round I & II proofs as well as the final printed pieces. Enjoy!

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    Letterpress printed business cards and product tags. Printed on 110# lettra paper with 1/4″ rounded corner radius. Tags were hole punched with a 3/16″ hole, and ink was a pantone match. Business cards sized at 2×3.5″ and tags sized at 1.5×3.5″.

    All designs and proofs ©2010 Dingbat Press.

  • December1st

    Jones & Vandemeer design proofs

    Posted in: branding, Business, Business Papers, letterpress technique, posted by ADRIENNE

    Option 1: This design is more concept based, emphasizing the circles in the typography as well as the knocked-out ampersand between Jones & Vandermeer. We wanted a subtle hint of the circular motion of a ball of yarn rolling around but also wanted it to relate to a global shape symbolizing process and the travels invested in procuring this yarn. The typography has been manipulated so that the the balls in the letters have more motion and don’t feel so static but still providing a strong sophisticated brand that is not too crafty looking.

    Option 2: This design is a mix of the casual stylistic watercolors that we were inspired by on the Hermes website (per the client’s suggestion). We wanted something that spoke to the handmade generation and yet still felt high end and regal. The typography was set and then hand traced to give it a more distressed and whimsical feel, then paired with a banner and seal option that brought in a hint of Edwardian flourish without feeling too stuffy. By putting the typography on a diagonal we felt it created a more playful look to the brand without getting too childish.

    Option 3: The third option is more sentimental. After hearing about the business being named after the client pet doggies, I really wanted to give this design more meaning. Often one feels proud of a brand because it is a reflection of them. We took typography in this design that had really beautiful and elegant swashes – they almost double as a doggy’s tail. I felt like they were so playful and reflective of a pets love and excitement. Since the other two designs were more concept and theory based, with this design we also explored an illustration of a ball of yarn so that the client could compare imagery versus concept.

    What is your favorite and why?

  • October4th

    Bridal Couture Closet Letterhead

    Posted in: branding, Business Papers

    You may remember the 2/1 letterpress cards on ivory stock for Sade that I blogged about awhile back. We are lucky enough to have the privilege of working again with the Bridal Couture Closet logo and Sade to add to her business collateral with some lovely letterhead.


    It’s so fun taking a brand to the next level and seeing it applied in all it’s variations across the board. This letterhead is a 1/2 sheet (5.5×8.5″) perfect for those business notes and small invoices that don’t need to waste a whole sheet.

  • September26th

    Celtic Wedding, need a critique

    Posted in: Business, Wedding

    Hey guys and dolls! So I’ve been working on a few things that are new and I’m almost ready to unveil. However I am totally stumped with one of the designs I’ve been working on and thought I’d put it out there for a critique from you all.

    Who doesn’t love the story of Tristian and Isolde? I know I do, and in a perfect legend they would have gotten hitched instead of Isolde marrying King Mark of Cornwall. Of course I love Celtic knot patterns and thought it fitting to design a wedding suite for Tristian and Isolde true to her Irish heritage. The thing I’m hung up on are colors and the bridal logo. It’s been harder for me to pull this suite together as a cohesive whole and am looking for feedback. Does the bridal logo look like a soccer ball? How do you feel about the buff/khaki/chocolate with accented chartreuse? It’s hard sometimes to see a digital proof and imagine it in letterpress, what are your thoughts? Should I keep working at it, or pass on it all together?

  • September21st

    Nicole DeCario Events RI

    Posted in: branding, business cards, Business Papers

    Nicole DeCario Events, RI Proofs

    These were done for Nicole a little while back. She provided the beautiful handwritten “events” cursive which we based off the rest of the designs. She was looking for classy, fun and not too stuffy but something that still screamed high end. Here is her first round of biz card proofs.

  • September20th

    Pin Striping & Color Variation

    Posted in: branding, Business, business cards, Custom, letterpress technique

    These cards are for Brad, a film editor – and we were exploring some different color options, as these were to be printed on grey paper – which can potentially post some ink transparency issues if the color isn’t really saturated. I love the look of the grey on grey with this card!

    One of our best challenges yet, we laminated (duplexed) two sheets of 250GSM Rives BFK grey – which is oh so delicious to print on, with a 90# cover of neon blue Wausau cover sandwiched in the middle.


    Makayla was getting high on spray glue, so was Adam.


    The hardest part about printing this job was that with the dark paper sandwiched in the middle, we couldn’t rely on our trusty windows/light table for see-though registration on the back. The work-around was to print with the crop marks hanging off the edge of the paper so we could see the front to back registration with how the crop marks lined up looking at the sheet from a side-view.


    These definitely had their moments on press, but we are always up for a challenge – especially something with
    a cool outcome. Let us know if you’ve got a crazy idea, we’d love to humor you as well as win the project. Contact us with the details regarding your custom letterpress vision, we look forward to hearing from you!

    All designs ©2010 Dingbat Press

  • September16th

    NatureTek RI proofs

    Posted in: branding, business cards, Business Papers

    Sharon owns an energy consulting firm where one can hire NatureTek to do an energy audit on their home or business. Ideally the energy audit would provide information on how one could save money, trim their electrical bills, and possibly see problems with the energy usage, that a normal power bill won’t read-out for you. She came to us needing business card layouts and logo for her brand, here are the initial 3 concepts presented.

    NatureTek, RI

    Option 1: We wanted to explore a hint of organic that tied in the N with leaf imagery. The Double N implies bringing light out of dark. Instead of a shadow we wanted a second implication that you are finding a more pure solution for energy in homes. We have separated nature and tek by color to differentiate between the two words but still have the logo not feel discombobulated.

    NatureTek, RI

    Option 2: This is a more literal logo symbolizing the home and nature elements. The tree ideally would be blind impressed if it was letterpress printed. It provides a subtle second look to the logo and ties in the heirarchal importance of your services. We also wanted a tree that embodied energy and felt that the leaves radiating out could also represent the sun’s rays and help providing a look for the energy.

    NatureTek, RI

    Option 3: This option utilizes a logo mark that can be used with the logo and typography or as a logo symbol on its own. We liked the leaf morphing into the plug and wanted it to create a double meaning, graphically representing green energy, and typographically, as the letter “e” within the logo. A third implication is that the “e” can also ask whether or not it’s referring to energy or just a stand alone logo.

  • August30th

    to the Lighthouse! Proofs

    Posted in: branding

    These were done for Sonia as part of a branding package, I can’t wait to tell you more about the concepts behind these, but will wait until I print the final designs! Enjoy.

    To the lighthouse! design proofs

    To the lighthouse! design proofs

    To the lighthouse! design proofs

  • August27th

    Inspiration Home RI proofs

    Posted in: branding, business cards

    This was a RI option presented to the client, they wanted to explore flying pigs and boxwood wreaths for their identity for an amazing home interior design business. This project was collaborated on between myself, one of our freelancer’s Sarah and an employee Makayla and was a really unique concept to work on. Ultimately the client ended up going in a different direction, but I just couldn’t pass up showing you the flying pigs!

    Dubbed Caesar Pig

    Dubbed Vintage Pig

    Dubbed Zodiac Pig

    To request an estimate for branding and letterpress work,
    please Get An Estimate     as we’d LOVE to work with you!
    All designs ©2010 Dingbat Press

  • August23rd

    October Wedding Proofs

    Posted in: announcements, Wedding

    These were presented to a bride who was looking for a bright fall wedding suite for her event in October.

    Option 1: Maple Leaf wedding suite
    Maple Leaf Fall Wedding Invitations

    This concept plays off a beautiful photo of a wedding cake with the maple leaves that the client sent over. Seeing that she had mentioned wanting bright colors, we explored oranges and warm coral/red on this option. We were going for elegant with the calligraphy typeface however wanted to explore some unique layouts for this. The inner envelope would be lined with the maple leaves liner, and the outer envelope is the cream, matching the paper stock used for the invites. The inner envelope is in poppy and both envelopes would look beautiful addressed with chocolate ink for her guests.

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    Option 2: Heart Thumbprint wedding invitations

    Fingerprint Heart Wedding Invitations

    We LOVED the thumbprint heart concept that the client presented and thought it would be a good design to add in the requested plum color and the orange. Because we wanted to place emphasis on the thumbprint, we wanted the remainder of the invitation to invoke a minimalist feel with beautiful large margins and flowing typography to tie it in all together. Since the thumbprint is such a personal element of a human and no two are the same, we wanted to maintain that feel in the invitation with a simple typeface reflecting classic school penmanship. There are added dingbats throughout the layout as well, reflecting back on the symbolism of the heart and tying in the typography with the emblem. The envelop liner on this design is an overprint of purple ink on purple paper, to give the envelope a really stunning pop when opened. It sort of adds the detailing in the other pieces without making it look too elaborate or over the top.

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    Option 3: Modern Dahlia wedding invitations

    Dahlia Wedding Invitation Proofs

    The last option was based off some client provided photos of the dahlias in a beautiful peach color. We wanted to bring in a monochromatic feel to this invite, emphasizing the oranges and peaches that are evident in that photo. Again we wanted to explore a more unique approach to the invitation layout with the typography. The flower pattern is carried across all the invitation pieces, and will make such a beautiful impression when printed.

    If you were getting hitched, what suite would you go for?

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