I created these new dandelion cards and just listed them in my Aloha Letterpress shop. I love how light and delicate the dandelions came out.
It takes me hours when I draw using Adobe Illustrator. The entire process of creating a card can be time consuming, but I enjoy it when I'm finally printing. With these cards, I first created the dandelions using Illustrator and then I decided to do metal plates for it instead of photopolymer. I think the metal plates will create a better printing for this image because of the finer lines and details.
I then sent the images away to have them processed into plates. Once the plates are received, I fit the dandelion plate into a chase (metal frame) and use wooden furniture or blocks of wood to help hold the metal plate in place, locking and securing the plate with these metal quoins or wedges. In a separate chase, I handset the metal type for the name.
Next, I place the rollers onto the press, hand mix the ink, and ink the press. Once the ink has spread on the ink plate, I place the chase with the dandelion image onto the chase bed. I then print the dandelions and after that, I print the name. This card takes 3 separate printings because of the 3 separate graphics, the dandelions, the wisps flying in the air, and the handset type.
Cleaning up is another story!
