Digital and Letterpress duplexed together

I’m wondering if anyone can help me with a printing question. I want to get remembrance cards done but it’s proving difficult finding anyone to print them. I want 1 colour Letterpress on one side and a painting I’ve done digitally printed in full colour on to the reverse. I’d like it on 2 ply paper so that there are no indents showing through on to the painting side. Does anyone know anyone who can do this? I’ve seen it done before.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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Hello Ailbhe,

If you choose a thick digital photo paper — somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 mil — you can inkjet-print the photo on one side and letterpress-print on the other side. The depth of the letterpress impression can be adjusted such that you still achieve an unmistakable letterpress feel without punching through to the photo. One paper I’ve used this way is Moab Entrada Rag Bright 300, which is a double-sided 300 gsm stock. I’ve also used Epson Velvet Fine Art paper with excellent results. This has the inkjet coating on one side only; you’d have to see how letterpress works on the uncoated side. It might work even better than on the coated side. Another paper you might look at is Somerset Museum Rag, which is available inkjet-coated. I haven’t tried this one but I’d like to.

I, too, look forward to other suggestions on this topic since combining letterpress with full-color images creates a lovely effect.

Barbara

Thanks Barbara, I don’t actually have a letterpress machine myself so I’d be looking for someone to do it for me to a professional finish. I’ll attach something similar I’ve seen.
Thanks for that feedback!
Ailbhe

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Hi again Ailbhe,

That’s some pretty fancy printing! What you described for the remembrance card sounds much simpler. I would think that any letterpress printer could do it. If you have access to a good scanner and inkjet printer, you could even print the painting yourself and take the prints to a letterpress printer to add the text or whatever it is you want on the other side. But you’d have to work out a plan with the printer first since the different presses can handle different thicknesses and sizes of paper. It might be best, for example, to print multiple cards on one sheet of paper and then have them cut.

Have you looked through the Briar Press classified ads? There might be a printer near you.

Barbara

i would think you would want to have the press work done before the print on the back. that way the press work would not disturb the print at all. just my 2 cents. i will send invoice…:0

Sorry, Ailbhe, I meant have you checked the Yellow Pages, not the Classifieds, on Briar Press. You can search for printers by location.

Barbara

Alibhe

I doubt there would be a problem if you did the ink jet first and the letterpress second. There is no need for the impression to disturb the ink jet if done correctly. I can’t see it working the opposite way if there is impression disturbance to the sheet ?

In any case, experimentation is key here. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. Test it out before committing.

Not sure you need a two ply paper to prevent problems.

Gerald
http://BielerPress.blogspot.com