In-progress new release cards, with pineapple plate
printing

Painted Tongue Process

We are incredibly busy at the studio! In addition to printing our upcoming Summer card releases, we are always reprinting designs that have low stock. This process of adding new cards to the line and maintaining the rest means we have to print cards based on the similarity of their colors.

Cleaning our Heidelberg windmill press after each color can be time-consuming, but it’s necessary to keep each color bright and clean, and it’s easier to move from one color to the next in smaller increments, based on colors in the same family. If there are cards with yellow and orange layers, these colors can be printed one after the other more easily. Each card has at least two unique colors that create the image.

Recently printed cards Columbine and Bluebell
Recently printed cards Columbine and Bluebell

 

Mitsuko at the platemaker
Mitsuko at the platemaker

Our cards are primarily printed by Bettina and Liz on the Heidelberg, and while all this printing and color coordinating is going on, there are plenty of other jobs to be taken care of. Mitsuko not only manages the bookkeeping and card orders, but also designs the cards and makes the plates for printing; the plates are based on Kim’s detailed pen-and-ink illustrations, and Kim also prints on the Heidelberg. It takes all of us working together to create the greeting card line and keep the studio running!

 

Shasta Daisy plate in the Heidelberg press
Shasta Daisy plate in the Heidelberg press

 

Pineapple cards in-progress, with makeready on top
Pineapple cards in-progress, with makeready on top