It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

Self-Made - The mobile letterpress and printmaking studio

2011-12-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

I finally took the plunge and started my mobile studio project. After seeing the popularity of a mobile letterpress studio that Kyle Durrie put together I decided to get my project rolling. Please check it out! I would love your support. SELF-MADE

Thank you notes

2008-11-12T12:31:00.000-08:00

Three quick thank you notes I put together a while ago. The cards were precut and paneled. Letterpress printed in 2 colors. except for the bottom one. E-mail me if you have interest in having some custom notes or stationary.

The Letterpress Studio Summer 2008

2008-11-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

Here is a shot of part of the studio earlier this summer. The Chandler & Price 8 x 10 is shown with the slant top double type cabinet in the background. Also two old fashioned metal boxes that I use as portfolios for my work are on the press boards. You can see various sized composing sticks on the wall and a tiki project on the floor that has yet to be finished.

Hamilton's Boat Repair

2007-03-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

Designed by Ray Craighead for Kathy Hamilton-Dix. This was a fun project that challenged my abilities to work on a super short timeline and do fine registration work. I used a great deal of transparent white once the blue was mixed to let the grey show through and create a darker color with the blue on the boat. The artwork was excellent. It did provide some minor difficulty with separations but otherwise things ran without a hitch!

I am pretty excited about how these turned out! It makes me want to go put some holes in canoes so I can go get them repaired!

Nichols & Company 6 x 9 Folio

2007-03-06T07:26:00.000-08:00

I love pattern as much as I love flourishes! So what better than a flourish pattern! This was a fun project for an excellent photographer. Matt Nichols of Nichols & Company. If you havent looked at their work you really need to! Well this project also came at the same time as Hamilton's Boat Repair. And YES, we needed to step it up a notch on delivery to make the wedding show Matt was attending on March 4th. This is only one part of the package he is using to bring in new business. The second part is an excellent trifold brochure that will fit inside of the pocket. I need to get my hands on a couple of them for a better photograph.

Look for Matt in the in the future! He is defianely one of photography's rising stars in the Kansas City area.

Creative Invite for C3 wins Omni

2007-02-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

When it comes to an invitation Ad and Design Firms usually take it over the top. This is a project that I was lucky enough to be able to print part of. Each board in the invitation is 2 to 3 colors pressed on a thick soft absorbant paper stock. The cover sheet is a metallic sheet that is blind debossed (using no ink).

C3 was recently awarded an OMNI fron the Kansas City Advertising Club for this invitaiton. The ceremony is in a couple of days where they will find out exactly how it placed amont the other entries. C3 is the largest U.S., kidsfocused brandmarketing agency to the restaurant industry. The company provides ongoing, comprehensive marketing, branding, creative, research, production and distribution to the top 100 restaurant chains across the nation. C3 is known for its funloving kids’ menus and toys and awardwinning design team.

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

Metallic Pearl Wedding Invitation Package

2007-02-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

Gilbert paper makes a great, but expensive, line of papers. Esse is the line I am talking about. This wedding package uses the pearlized latte 100# textured cover. I LOVE IT! It however needs a bit of specialty ink, well out ofthe letterpress norm anyway. You have to find a fully oxidizing ink because the paper won't absorb it. But the end product definately has got some FLASH. This package consitst of a Save the date, 3 part main invitation, reply postcard and thank you card. Needless to say it has been a HUGE learning cuve. This project has definately taken me twice as long figuring out the best way to run this paper on my presses. The great part is it was all worth it!

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

To the Happy Couple

2007-02-16T07:41:00.000-08:00

Couples should plan the wedding, not just the bride! From the most important part, THE INVITATION, all the way down to the actual ceremony. Jermaine and Nate came up with a great design that they needed some letterpress for. The red cover is a tone on tone deboss with a tone on tone print on the second page also. All the type is handset from a few of our 180 drawers of metal type.

It's Fancy Letterpess Studio

Presentation is Everything!

2007-02-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

I love Designers! They spend an overly exorbant amount of time when it comes to their own invitations. Thinking, designing, rethinking and redesigning until they a point where they force themselves to stop. The key is to stop at exactly the right moment. That is what Morgan from Hallmark did. She came to me with a vision and a CD of her design. We printed them on our house stock Neenah 120# natural in brown and blind deboss. Take a close look at how beautiful the blind deboss came out. Morgan then assembled the invitations into what you see before you. Great work! I am glad that I was able to be a part of the project.

This announcement recently won an award from the AIGA Kansas City chapter for invitation design and printing.

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

Save the Date

2007-02-16T07:31:00.000-08:00

Soon pictures of the full wedding package designed by Deanne Dodd, from EAT advertising in Kansas City, for her friend will be available for you viewing pleasure. Printed by It's" Fancy, our personal letterpress studio.
This elegant design was printed with metallic silver ink on Esse black 100# textured cover. It's a great paper but the texture side hides the impression a bit to the eyes, you can however feel the impression by gently rubbing your finger over the text.
Letterpress is a wonderful way to accent you special day. It's you introduction to the world that you are taking that graceful step, or leap, into marraige.
I have recently received a few of wedding invitations that made me wonder what the lovely couple in the photo was thinking. The text was fine and so was the paper of choice but who in their right mind would take their invitations to Kinkos when there are so many other options available? Opening an invitation that is stuck together with toner like a cheap business card in your wallet. I mean with a little ingenuity and a bit of time talking to people you can create a mini work of art! Think about it!

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

It's Fancy C&P 10" x 15"

2007-02-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

Here is a 12 second video of me inking one of my presses before I do my make ready for printing.

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

So you think you want to be a letterpress printer...

2007-02-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

The first step is getting around the type case. If you have time take a peek at this 10 minute video.

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

Proof Press Wanted

2007-02-16T07:20:00.000-08:00

Well after having a hard time getting a halftone to reproduce on my Platen Press I decided I need to be a bit more vigilant on finding a Proof Press to purchase. A recent trip to a fellow Kansas City printer to use her Vandercook pretty much sealed the decision. What a smooth operation! The half tone detail came out absolutely perfect!
So here is the deal...
Wanted: Vandercook or Challenge Proof Press. Looking for a press bed size that would print at 18" x 24" or larger. Although any proof press would be considered. give me an email!

It's Fancy Letterpress Studio

Letterpressed invitation - Pink and Brown

2007-02-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

You have waited patiently for the big day, all your life actually! You have planned and prepared the ceremony to perfection. The last question that is...

What are you going to do for invitations? Well we have that answer... LETTERPRESS!

Why announce your most special day with the ordinary, run of the mill stuff that you order out of a book? Didn't someone you know order the exact same announcements last year? Instead let us custom print a special design that you had created to match the look and feel of your ceremony, or let us design a custom look that will be exclusive just to you.

Pictured above is the printing we did for Designer Brandien Pruitt (formally Calvin). A chocolate ink was applied to pink patterened papers. The invitations were then hand assembled by Brandy herself. Her self designed invitations look excellent off-set with the lightly impressed letters.