The Printing Process

Letterpress printing is a labor of love. Each one of these cards is printed one color at a time on an antique Heidelberg Windmill platen press from 1960. Each color is hand mixed and there are separate plates for each color as well. Between runs, the press needs to be thoroughly cleaned of course and then reinked for the next run. After 4 color runs, there is a scoring run and then on to packaging. It takes quite a while, but I love doing it.

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The finished product first, of course!

First we start with black ink

Ink up the press...

It's a big boy, 2600lbs of 1960's glory

Let it ink up nicely for a bit

The first plate stuck to the base (with some ink on it)

The first of 5 runs coming off the press

Looks good - only 2000 more of this run to go

Ok, we have cleaned the black off the press, now on to the second run...yellow!

The press is inked up, the second plate is aligned and we are ready for the second run.

oh, he's so unamused

Time to clean off the yellow for the third run

The hat, press mark and inside words will be printed in red

The first of two red runs

second red run coming of the press

a look at the words on the base in the press

with the color printing done, the press is cleaned, rollers are removed and a score run is set up. The score helps to fold the cards properly.

The score looks good and that will be that!

now to fold, pair with envelopes, package and ship.