Wedding Photographer Susan Stripling: Ultra Less-Is-More Business Cards and Stationery by Studio Z Mendocino

Susan Stripling is a wedding photographer whose astonishingly beautiful images, skill, inspired imagination and devotion to the craft have landed her in the midst of some of the most amazing nuptials ever. She just had Studio Z Mendocino do her new business cards and stationery. Susan has photographed weddings throughout the US, the Caribbean, South America, Finland, France, and the Bahamas. She’s been published in Inside Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Bride and Bloom, Modern Bride, The Knot, Professional Photographer Magazine, The New York Times Style section, Rangerfinder Magazine, Capture Magazine, Elegant Bride, in Trade Publications for Nikon USA, and Town and Country Weddings. Susan’s teaching career has developed as well; she has been seen at past Digital Wedding Forum conventions, gives private and group workshops throughout the USA, and has spoken at WPPI. Busy Susan, had Infinet Design devise her double-S monogram and we foil stamped it in gold onto her lux stationery wardrobe: business cards on very thickest Cranes Lettra 600 gram cover stock, and script cards in the same ultra-thick paper (think thank you notes, quick messages accompanying samples, etc., etc.) that fit into spectacular Cranes number ten envelopes with rather monumental square flaps. This is the blockbuster envelope we love to stuff:

Here is the script card:

Because it is foiled in a single color, with the monogram/logo on the front of the business card and only the website address on the back, overall costs were kept to a minimum, but the finished pieces carry all the gorgeousness and panache anyone could possibly desire.

Read Full Post »

Fabulous and Chic Letterpress Business Cards for Meier Ferrer, LA Furniture Designers

Meier/Ferrer designs contemporary, modernist furniture that has been featured in a slew of national and international magazines. Their look is clean, hip and ultra-chic, which matches perfectly the design Andrew Cinnamon did for their business cards, and which Studio Z Mendocino printed on our venerable 1952 Heidelberg letterpress. It’s that meeting of the centuries that I love so much: the Twenty-first to the Fifteenth, to be exact — Thank you, Mr. Guttenberg for giving us the means to impress all these five hundred years.

We printed deeply the hard-edge typeface Andrew adapted for this purpose onto super-thick 600 gram Lettra paper. Dense black ink. One side only. And let the typography tell its own story with no fanfare other than its own audacity. We also made script cards for them. Four by nine cards that fit into a #10 business envelope or can be paper clipped to a sheaf of design mock ups with a little note. Love love.

 

Read Full Post »

“Getting to Know Me” : New Interview About Me and Letterpress on Chaviano Couture!

I love love love Annette Thurmon’s wedding dress designs. They are sooo dreamy and gorgeous, and I am lucky to say that Annette is also a dreamy and gorgeous client of mine.

I got to work with Annette when I did her business cards a while back, and today she posted an interview with me on her beautiful website: Chaviano Couture.

I hope you will go see her beautiful designs and read my interview!

xo Zida

 

 

Read Full Post »

Letterpress Business Card: How Long Does It Take? How Much Does It Cost?

The two most-asked questions I get from email inquiries are what you see in the title of this post. The answers depend on so many things that it’s almost impossible to pin it down. But I want to address these questions because having these cards is a kind of spendy proposition, and it takes more time than most printing, but it can be so worth it because the cards say such good things about you when you are out of earshot.They tell a big story about your talent, your attention to detail, your fabulous aesthetic and hipness quotient. They get more attention and they get more jobs. They are audacious and they are convincing. They are worth it, in other words.

As beautiful Lara Rios said the other day…”Everything goes up and nothing ever goes down.” That is too true. Paper costs have been out of sight the last couple of years. And we use such extra-special papers that it’s even truer for us.

So, what does it cost to get your hands on some of these fabulosity-drenched business cards? Let’s say you already have a logo that you love. Let’s say it is a two color design, which can translate to two ink colors or two foil colors or one of each.

If you get 1000 cards made up with two color runs, printed front and back, on super thick 600 gram Lettra or on even thicker black or colored Museum Mount, it will usually come in around $1100 or $1200. Adding a third color run will add about $225 to $250 for extra dies and printing to that price. Edge painting is additional too.

Yes, I know. It starts around one dollar per card, plus. If you think you would like to save money by getting fewer cards, it is something you need to think hard about because, in printing, it’s always “cheaper by the dozen.” I mean, cutting the quantity in half does NOT result in half the price. This is because the prepress things are in that price no matter if you get one or ten thousand. In the end, getting MORE cards actually saves money in the long run.

Five hundred of the same sort of card will not be $600, but will be more like $800+, so the unit price, in this case, goes up to $1.60 per card. This will make you really think hard about giving your cards away, which defies the whole concept of getting your name out there. So we recommend doing more than less, if you possibly can.

Now, the question of how long it will take: I have done cards in one day, in five days, and I have taken a YEAR to get cards out the door. This usually depends on the customer’s ability to make a decision and we were not working on the card every minute of that time. I promise.

We usually like to say it will take between two and half to four weeks, depending on what is lined up on our press schedule and what processes have to be done to the card, how long it takes to get paper and dies lined up and so forth. If they will be edge painted, that adds one and a half to two weeks to the timeline. Sorry this is so nebulous, but it is the truth. We can really go fast if everything is in place but sometimes it is not so super fast.

If you need a new logo, that too is not easy to pin down. Everything is custom, so we would need to talk about your needs before venturing an estimate. But we do logos and branding and websites here, too. Just ask.

I hope this is helpful and that you will call soon. 707 964 2522 We would love to work with you on your next business cards and stationery, your invitations or announcements, your website or branding.

Read Full Post »

E-Ticket Photography | Black-and-White Ticket to Letterpress Chic | Business Cards and Complete Stationery Wardrobe

Matthew Cotter, an amazing photographer from Southern California’s just got his black, super-thick, foil stamped letterpress business cards AND his complete stationery wardrobe of letterhead, envelopes and buck slips/thank you notes for his E-Ticket Photography business. We printed cards for Matthew and his business partner Patrick Hartson on black Museum Mount for a significant heft in the hand. We foiled his “EP” logo in black, glossy foil, and E-TICKET PHOTOGRAPHY, as well as the back contact information, went on in shimmery silver foil. The cards are the shape of a piece of chewing gum, long rectangles, which is a feature that sets his business cards apart from the crowd.

The black-and-white contrast of these cards against florescent white stationery is breathtaking. We used twenty-eight pound Cranes Crest letterhead paper, which is thicker and snappier than more usual twenty-four pound stock. Again, the logo is in black gloss and the type is in matte black ink. These textural contrasts have a subtle but undeniable impact. The impression that letterpress printing leaves, too, adds one more element to the overall experience.

The final fillip to this zesty package was Buck Slips (shown above), otherwise known as Script Cards. These are 4″ x 9″ note cards that can be used to paperclip notes to scripts (all directors, actors, producers, etc. MUST HAVE THESE) or other things, AND they fit right into the #10 Envelopes so you don’t need a dedicated envelope for your thank you notes. I recommend Script Cards whenever I make business cards for anyone. There is nothing like a hand written thank you note on a scrumptious piece of paper that will impress a client more. We printed their names (each got a clutch of these cards) at the bottom so they can “slash” through the printed name and pen their initials or signature.

The Chicness Factor is as clear as black-and-white. E-Ticket Photography looks great on paper!

Read Full Post »

What to Give Your Favorite Photographer for Christmas or Hanukkah: A Gift Certificate for Letterpress Business Cards from Studio Z!

What to Give Your Favorite Photographer for Christmas or Hanukkah: A Gift Certificate for Letterpress Business Cards from Studio Z!.

Read Full Post »

What to Give Your Favorite Photographer for Christmas or Hanukkah: A Gift Certificate for Letterpress Business Cards from Studio Z!

We all know photographers are big Wanting Things. They want new lenses and backs, new programs and apps, they want chic cases and they want the latest and most extravagant everything. They all want STUFF all the time, I guess because there is SO MUCH STUFF TO WANT. It gets confusing, not to mention expensive, when you draw a photographer’s name for gift giving at this time of year. So, to make your coming few shopping weeks less hectic, may I humbly suggest you just call me up and order a beautifully letterpress-printed gift certificate, in a denomination you find most appropriate, for letterpress printed business cards. You know they’ve been ogling other photographers’ cards, just wanting away, like Kip Beelman’s fuchsia edged, super-thick square cards, designed by Ross Tanner and printed at Studio Z:

or Dana Goodson’s vibrant blue edged letterpress business cards AND stationery suite:

or dramatically fabulous Clark Bailey’s black and gold super thick museum mount cards with black gloss foil:

or Hiram Trillo’s big-sky-shiny-blue-foiled cards and stationery wardrobe:

You know she wants them. You know he has been yearning… Or maybe the photographer on your list has been hankering after a completely new brand. Like the ones I did for Alana Couch and Jonathan Chan and Maria Bernal — the sexy black ones with hot pink edge painting –  or Laura Gordon. You can apply a gift certificate to branding and/or printing, business cards and/or stationery, invitations and/or whatever. You can choose to make it for the whole job or just something they can apply toward the printing of their dreams.

From the most austere to over-the-top wild, a letterpress business card from Studio Z Mendocino, or a new logo design, can make a difference in the clients one attracts and the jobs one lands. Ask our clients this,  about what having jaw-dropping cards like the ones shown here has done for their businesses.

Here, for instance, are Florida photographer Audrey Snow’s pearl foil and chocolate ink ones:

And of course the gift certificate idea is not limited to photographers. Jennifer Chapman’s new brand and cards are an example of one of many “other” categories.

Lawyers and interior designers and Realtors want fabulous design and letterpress, letterpress, letterpress:

Well, you get the idea. A gift certificate in any amount from Studio Z Mendocino will put a smile on the face of just about anybody who’s in business on your list, and will help them get closer to their vision of passing out business cards that stop people in their tracks.

Call 707.964.2522 to order your specially printed gift certificate for a loved one…or for yourself! We ALL want stuff this time of year, don’t we? Tell somebody! Call Santa!

Read Full Post »

Elizabeth Perkins Photography: A Business Card that Adapts a Photograph to Letterpress — with Stunning Results

I don’t usually recommend that photographers use one of their photos on business cards, no matter how amazing. I think it limits what you do to that one image in people’s minds and, as we all know, there is SO much more to the range of work you do. When Elizabeth Perkins, a photographer from Roanoake, Virginia came to me for a new logo, business cards, and stationery wardrobe, she sent me a collection of images to let me get a feeling for what her work is like. One image, a stairway she shot in England, captivated me for some reason and I decided i wanted to use it and see what we could do to adapt if for Letterpress Printing. The singular image had to be turned into a one-color, fairly coarse halftone that could be made into a letterpress polymer plate and printed on black paper. This meant we had to print the negative image in order to make it look positive on the black paper. I know those reading this far are probably mostly photographers, so you can get your mind around this, yes? OK, then we printed it in white ink, so there was a bit of bleed-through from the extra-ultra-thick, black Museum Mount paper, creating something rather elegantly gnarly. Well, how can i explain this? We followed this up by printing the logo I designed for her in gold foil, with the contact information on the back also in gold foil.

I have to say, this is one of the most arresting business cards we have ever done. It has everything: a gorgeous but not too literal bit of Elizabeth’s work translated to something iconic; elegant typography; drama;Artfulness, and everything but a steak and mashed potatoes for utter satisfying gorgeousness. If I do say so myself.

Before Elizabeth and husband Jeff opened her shop in Roanoake, they also wanted us to send letterhead, envelopes, invoices, tags to hang or put up near the photographs, mailing labels and thank you cards.Here are her script cards and envelopes:

And above, her tags.

Below, one of her receipts, a correspondence card and hang tags.

They told me the opening was a grand success, with many well wishers, lots of excitement and even a few sales. I only wish i could have been there too to celebrate with them. Doing a job of this scope makes me feel like such a participant!

It was immeasurably fun to work through all this as Elizabeth’s plans developed and evolved over time. Finding something that expressed her personality and style … it’s one of the most pleasurable aspects of doing my work. The experimental nature of always pushing things a bit further than they have gone, too, makes me very happy. This project opens up a whole new conversation about images and letterpress printing. Working on the next experiment right now.

Congratulations Elizabeth, on your new shop. Thank you for allowing me to work on all this with you.

All photos by Pablo Abuliak

Read Full Post »

An Interview With Zida Borcich About Letterpress Printing: Zida Holds Forth on Her Beginnings as a Printer, Arcane Facts, Historical Tidbits, Relevency of a 500-Year-Old Technology, Hand Set Type and Owning a Letterpress Job Shop In the Modern World

Oh, sorry about the length of the title on this post. I couldn’t stop.

Louis Bohannan and Alan Ahtow are my dear friends who recently took a media class through Fort Bragg’s local television station, MCTV, to add yet another layer to their already incredible skill sets, and gear up for additional services they offer through their marketing-hospitality consulting-graphic design firm, ImageMendocino.

Louis produced the video and Alan was the host. I am really impressed with the results of this first project. Not just because it’s about me me me, either. These guys are great at whatever they take on and I am very grateful they chose me as the topic of their first go-round with this new art form they have chosen.

Click the button below to see the video interview, which has a link on my home page.

Or you can also see it here on YouTube.

 

Read Full Post »

Laura Gordon’s Square Letterpress Business Cards: The Essence of Less-Is-More

I used the term Less-Is-More to describe the design of Laura Gordon’s scrumptious new letterpress business cards. By that reference, of course, I mean they are impactfully minimalist, pared down to the essentials, yet packing so much substance onto a two-and-a-half-inch surface that it just bowls you over. Less is more, indeed. Then, I thought it would be interesting to track down the etymology of that phrase and came to this:

Meaning

The notion that simplicity and clarity lead to good design.

Origin

This is a 19th century proverbial phrase. It is first found in print in Andrea del Sarto, 1855, a poem by Robert Browning:

Who strive – you don’t know how the others strive
To paint a little thing like that you smeared
Carelessly passing with your robes afloat,-
Yet do much less, so much less, Someone says,
(I know his name, no matter) – so much less!
Well, less is more, Lucrezia.

The phrase is often associated with the architect and furniture designer Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe (1886-1969), one of the founders of modern architecture and a proponent of simplicity of style.

When applied to letterpress, the mandate of “simplicity and clarity” goes without saying. The letterpress aesthetic expresses this as a matter of course; the technique itself demands it. Sometimes, though, I am so thoroughly struck that it shakes me up, as in the case of Laura’s amazing letterpress business cards.

Nothing could be simpler than a name foiled onto a square, thick surface in gold metallic: To the point, no?

The contact information beautifully typeset on the back: Clarity. Simplicity. Beauty, too.

But it is more than that. It is the totality of the form of it, the luxurious feel of the super-thick 600 gsm Cranes Lettra paper (environmentally friendly 100% rag paper made from recycled scraps from clothing manufacturers), the way the gold foil and black ink interplay on the page, the typography and the type form itself, impressed into the sheet in moderation, not smashed in with all the might of the Heidelberg press that did it. Nothing overdone, nothing excessive. Yet everything is in proportion, everything tells more than the sum of parts. Even with the distinguished, conservative design, there is this little edginess implied that also reflects Laura’s work, some of which you can see in these gorgeously shot photos, and more of which you can see on her Facebook page. Go see!!

What i am trying to say is that THIS is the essence of what you want in a business card. It says more than it says. It means more than it means. It looks like the simplest thing in the world, and then you realize that it makes you FEEL something. There is something thrilling about it, strong. It’s white space. It’s the Golden Mean. It’s timeless fashion, not fickle trend; eternal proportion, not fad; edginess that comes across classy rather than trying-too-hard. Air is where the soul lives, in jazz and blues and all music, and in graphic design as well. All that white space is the air and these are soulful, simply.

Edginess (pun intended).

Here are architect Dieter Rams’ ten principles to “good design”

Good design is innovative
Good design makes a product useful
Good design is aesthetic
Good design helps us to understand a product
Good design is unobtrusive
Good design is honest
Good design is long-lasting
Good design is consequent to the last detail
Good design is concerned with the environment
Good design is as little design as possible

At Studio Z Mendocino, when we do business cards or invitations or web sites or stationery for a client, I think of the process as a conversation. It is a back and forth that determines how things will turn out and it is a big relationship that develops as we go along. Thank you, Laura, for having this beautiful conversation with me that led to such a stunning result. I love your work and I loved working with you. Next up: Laura’s thank you notes!

Read Full Post »